ATC Active 10
 

I had a demonstration of the ATC Active 10s today. I was very
impressed, particularly with their natural sound, superb imaging and
seemingly unlimited headroom. The new SCM 20-2 actives are similarly
tempting, but a little out of my price range and I also have a feeling
that the 10s may be more suitable for my room.

I shall partner them with the CA2 pre-amplifier if I decide to go ahead
with the purchase, and the intention is that this combination should
last me with no need for further upgrades for many years.

--
Anthony Edwards

ATC Active 10
 

"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...
I had a demonstration of the ATC Active 10s today. I was very
impressed, particularly with their natural sound, superb imaging and
seemingly unlimited headroom. The new SCM 20-2 actives are similarly
tempting, but a little out of my price range and I also have a feeling
that the 10s may be more suitable for my room.

I shall partner them with the CA2 pre-amplifier if I decide to go
ahead
with the purchase, and the intention is that this combination should
last me with no need for further upgrades for many years.


My thinking exactly, on all counts. (I've been living with my Active
10s for two years now, and I still love them as much as I did when I
first got them.)

Dunc

ATC Active 10
 

On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 21:27:52 +0100, Duncan L. Armstrong wrote:
"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...
I had a demonstration of the ATC Active 10s today. I was very
impressed, particularly with their natural sound, superb imaging and
seemingly unlimited headroom. The new SCM 20-2 actives are similarly
tempting, but a little out of my price range and I also have a feeling
that the 10s may be more suitable for my room.

I shall partner them with the CA2 pre-amplifier if I decide to go
ahead
with the purchase, and the intention is that this combination should
last me with no need for further upgrades for many years.


My thinking exactly, on all counts. (I've been living with my Active
10s for two years now, and I still love them as much as I did when I
first got them.)

I have now decided to at least audition the SCM 20-2 actives before
coming to a purchasing decision. After all, I expect these to be my
last loudspeaker purchase, so it makes sense to explore all avenues.

Out of interest, have you auditioned the CA2 and SCA2 back to back, and
if so did you detect any noticeable difference between the two?

--
Anthony Edwards

ATC Active 10
 

"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 21:27:52 +0100, Duncan L. Armstrong
wrote:
"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...
I had a demonstration of the ATC Active 10s today. I was very
impressed, particularly with their natural sound, superb imaging
and
seemingly unlimited headroom. The new SCM 20-2 actives are
similarly
tempting, but a little out of my price range and I also have a
feeling
that the 10s may be more suitable for my room.

I shall partner them with the CA2 pre-amplifier if I decide to go
ahead
with the purchase, and the intention is that this combination
should
last me with no need for further upgrades for many years.


My thinking exactly, on all counts. (I've been living with my
Active
10s for two years now, and I still love them as much as I did when I
first got them.)

I have now decided to at least audition the SCM 20-2 actives before
coming to a purchasing decision. After all, I expect these to be my
last loudspeaker purchase, so it makes sense to explore all avenues.

Out of interest, have you auditioned the CA2 and SCA2 back to back,
and
if so did you detect any noticeable difference between the two?


Hehe, I wouldn't dream of spending £3,300 on a pre-amp, even if I *had*
the money! Well, I suppose if it were petty change I might consider it,
but that really isn't the case, nor is it ever really likely to be......
I would love to hear it, but mostly out of curiosity. I'd love to know
how you find it, if you do a back-to-back demo. Everyone I know who's
heard the two has said that the SCA-2 is better, but not by much. It
really is a fantastic little preamp, and I'd be surprised if you could
find anything short of £3K that sounded more transparent, detailed, and
natural.

Speaker-wise, I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with the
20s.

Dunc

ATC Active 10
 

"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...

Speaker-wise, I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with the
20s.

I had a two hour demonstration of the CA2 pre-amp partnered with both
the Active 10s and SCM 20-2s (the Active 20s) yesterday at Cornflake
in
London.

snip much glowin praise for the Active 10s :)

From the first few bars of Soundbites in that small room at the
commencement of the demonstration, I knew that the ATCs partnered by
the CA2 are perhaps the definitive small room system. Unlike some
alternatives, the volume level did not need to be high in order to
create a totally convincing rendition of Jim Mullen's (former, he
now has different sidemen) band in full effect, with each note of his
guitar rendered faithfully and accurately, not sounding like a hi-fi
system's attempt to reproduce it but sounding like Jim's guitar
itself.


That's exactly what struck me about the Active 10s when I first heard
them (and still does now) - it doesn't sound like you're listening to a
hifi representation of a given performance, it just sounds like the
performance. Which is exactly what a hifi should sound like. :)

snip more glowing praise, followed by unusually poor performance by the
Active 20s
Dominic agreed with me that something wasn't right, and is I think
going to investigate things further. It is hard to pinpoint what may
be wrong, but there is something definitely wrong with that pair of
loudspeakers which merits further investigation.


I would tend to agree. I had a pair of the pro model Active 20s on loan
for a week or so (while the 10s were in for servicing), and the sound
was overall very similar. Unfortunately one of the woofers was a bit
knackered (this was ATC's demo pair, Serial No. 0001, and they had
clearly seen plenty of action :) ), so I didn't really get to do much in
the way of critical listening. But from what I did hear, they sounded
much like the 10s, with deeper, more powerful bass, and possibly (just
possibly...) a sweeter, more refined treble (though that may have been
my imagination). Certainly nothing of the magnitude you describe.

Unless ATC have royally cocked up the design of the new Active 20s
(which isn't something ATC are likely to have done), I'm quite positive
there was simply something wrong with the pair you heard (though it does
seem strange that ATC checked them over and gave them a clean bill of
health...)

In any case, I get the impression ATC design their range of active
loudspeakers to be basically the same speaker, only for different
applications - i.e. near/mid-field listening in a relatively small room
(Active 10, 20) to far-field listening in a mahoosive room (Active 100,
200, 300, etc.) - and that the character and quality of sound throughout
the range is generally very similar. I haven't actually heard any of
the bigger actives, though, so this is purely conjecture (and quite
possibly just wishful thinking from a proud Active 10 owner. :) )

Anyway, I'm certain you'll enjoy your purchase (and the tour of the ATC
factory - so jealous!) For a smallish room, as you say yours is, there
really shouldn't be any need to ever upgrade again. BTW, we now have
the same hifi system (apart from my Concept 4 sub) and damn if it ain't
a beaut! :)

Dunc

ATC Active 10
 

"Duncan L. Armstrong" wrote in message ...
"Anthony Edwards" wrote in message
...

(...)
snip more glowing praise, followed by unusually poor performance by the
Active 20s
Dominic agreed with me that something wasn't right, and is I think
going to investigate things further. It is hard to pinpoint what may
be wrong, but there is something definitely wrong with that pair of
loudspeakers which merits further investigation.


I would tend to agree. I had a pair of the pro model Active 20s on loan
for a week or so (while the 10s were in for servicing), and the sound
was overall very similar.
(...)
But from what I did hear, they sounded
much like the 10s, with deeper, more powerful bass, and possibly (just
possibly...) a sweeter, more refined treble (though that may have been
my imagination). Certainly nothing of the magnitude you describe.

Well, I've never heard 10s, but I have heard 20s (pro and domestic),
50s and 100s, and own a pair of 20-Pros. 'twas certainly not my
impression than the 20s were a pile of poo - else I wouldn't have
bought a pair! So I second the idea that the speakers you - Anthony -
heard were a bit bollixed. Or, alternatively ... you did remember to
remove mice, earwigs, cheese from your ears during the audition, yes?


(...)

In any case, I get the impression ATC design their range of active
loudspeakers to be basically the same speaker, only for different
applications - i.e. near/mid-field listening in a relatively small room
(Active 10, 20) to far-field listening in a mahoosive room (Active 100,
200, 300, etc.) - and that the character and quality of sound throughout
the range is generally very similar. I haven't actually heard any of
the bigger actives, though, so this is purely conjecture (and quite
possibly just wishful thinking from a proud Active 10 owner. :) )

I'd agree that all ATC actives I've heard have a very similar
character. I'd also say that the bigger boxes in the series are always
(somewhat) better IME.



Anyway, I'm certain you'll enjoy your purchase (and the tour of the ATC
factory - so jealous!) For a smallish room, as you say yours is, there
really shouldn't be any need to ever upgrade again.

Ah yes, but you might end up looking for a larger room so you can
sling some 50s or 100s in there!

Would quite like some 70ASLs myself, and I could probably afford them
if I sold a few internal organs.

Steve.