Thread: ATC Speakers

Hi folks, does anyone have experience with this British brand?? Thanks in advance....

I have not owned any but I've heard them several times. I personally love them.

They are a lively sounding speaker, like a studio monitor, not a British monitor but a true monitor. I heard a set of their $60k powered speakers and it was the closest reproduction of drums I think I've ever heard. The passive speakers, as any, will depend a lot on the electronics but you can count on a neutral sound with good transients and a live at the event presentation.

What I mean, ATC does not fall into that Harbeth, Graham type of what I know as British monitor. ATC is more along the lines of JBL in terms of dynamics, voicing Is different but I am failing to think of how to explain the difference.

Many of the professional audio people I know consider ATC their go-to speaker brand.

I heard a demo of the SCM50 passive towers this spring and it was the best system I heard all year, and one of my favorite systems ever. Front end electronics were all high end Naim.


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https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/atc-scm50

Thanks guys. Interesting they make many models in both passive and powered active.... I saw a pair of older passive 150's in a video...they looked pretty nice...

ATC speakers are transmission line speakers. These kind of speakers have an odd sounding bass. The bass itself is fine. But depending on the system it can sound detached from the rest of the sound. IMHO.

Originally Posted by Mordante

ATC speakers are transmission line speakers. These kind of speakers have an odd sounding bass. The bass itself is fine. But depending on the system it can sound detached from the rest of the sound. IMHO.

I know their entry series is all sealed, and I was under the impression the speakers in their higher ranges were a traditional ported design. Perhaps you’re thinking of PMC?


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ATC had a room at axpona last spring where they compared their own passive vs active models. I was one of the early birds on Friday and they really hadn’t streamlined the process yet, tho they did a good job of matching levels the time between swapping speakers was long enough that I couldn’t be sure I heard a difference.

ATC is a serious speaker company.

It used to be that their best speakers were from the Classic Line (SCM 20, SCM 50, etc) but they recently redid their lineup and the V2 iterations of their domestic line (SCM 11, SCM 19, SCM 30 etc) have really taken it up several notches. Breathtaking with the right amps - they do need amps with a fair amount of grunt. The best sounding are from their Active lineup hands down. Just connect a quality source + preamp and you are off. Their passives are still very good but lose a little "presence" in comparison to the Actives.

Highly recommended.



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Interesting. Thank you very much !

I have owned the little SCM7 Series 1 and also the active SCM 20-2A along with CA2 preamplifier. Very good speakers, definitely not your British BBC style monitor as mentioned above, but precision, in-studio monitors. I have not heard the 40’s, but have read plenty of good reviews and comments from owners though.

if you are not going with their active versions with in built amp packs, be sure to have amplification that can put out decent power and current drive. While not difficult loads, they do thrive on having a meaty amp behind them, and probably for my tastes, really take a bit of volume to wake them up, not for the late night, quiet listening in general. Otherwise an exceptional performer they are, in my opinion!

I would give any active speaker, at least not one built to a price to sound better, I mean why would someone buy a passive ATC speaker over any other passive out there? How many times have speakers at home disappointed after a promising demo ? So far these DSPs are the only ones to sound anything like they did in the shop.