Your thoughts about ATC loudspeakers


I’m interested in the ATC SCM-40 from their HiFi series and would like to hear from people who have owned or spent a lot of time with ATC speakers. This is a fairly new model and may be a bit of a departure from their classic sound.

At the show in Newport last weekend, I was quite taken by these speakers. I went back the next day and heard the same things that I liked about them, but a couple of red flags also went up:

Microdynamics – not sure these speakers do them well and microdynamics are critical to communicating inflection and nuance and to making music sound alive

Imaging, specifically wrt depth. Nothing much outside of the plane of the speakers, so recording venue info is not there and even instrument and vocal body may suffer a bit.

Were these shortcomings of setup or associated gear, or is this what ATC does?
Ag insider logo xs@2xdrubin
BTW: check out the comments on gearslutz when producers, composers are comparing ATC to Quested and PMC. Similar opinions are being shared on their as well.
Dragon Vibe, 

Our comments speak about the entire industry. If Quested made such a superior speaker more people would know about them in the audiophile world. 

We checked out the Gearslutz site and many people there commented favorably on the ATC being the superior speaker in terms of accuracy the Quested being ported and having a bit more bass slam as well as costing less were what people liked about them.

Your preference is your preference without knowing your setup, room acoustics and audio expectations it is not clear if others would agree with you or not.

Our posts are about just how realistic the ATC are especially if you drive them with the correct gear and how more people should check them out.

If you like rock I know of few speakers that are as satisfying. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ


I did not claim any speaker is the best or superior your twisting my original thread just because I’m simply telling you its unethical for a Distributor/Dealer to constantly pound the forums at pushing products.

I already made you aware about this on the DAC Thread forum which you constantly rant on about with sales talk. Stop pushing your products on the forum. Their is something called general advertising you can take part in.

I simply gave my opinion that the ATC speakers iv had were fatiguing and required large amplification mainly Solid State however Quested were easier to drive and less Fatiguing. Neither is superior and each speaker will work well within its purpose installs.

Again your post are simply advertising spin off.

Out of ATC, PMC and Quested. The Quested Passive Speakers were the only ones which could be driven with Tube Amplifiers less then 50 watts. Every other passive monitor iv used required high powered Solid State gear. ATC are Power Hungry Speakers due to the crossover they use.

No one is Attacking PMC or ATC neither any claims are being made one is superior than the other. Please read my post carefully before you jump to assumption and marketing hype.

I prefer Tube Electronics and I found Quested are by far the easiest speakers to drive out of all 3.

Again I must stress, I am not a Seller/dealer so i have no intention to sell anything to readers on forums. No motive to push perticuler products. I have experience with all 3 and you don’t!
Audio Doctor,

Please Stop Marketing your products on Agon. If you need to use the advertising section please do but bashing on the forum and pushing products is very unethical as a salesman. How many times do i need to keep telling you??

Its obvious your always bias to the products your selling yet you have no experience with Quested Speakers and still feel the need to comment on them.

I take part on gearsluts and iv read thousands of threads a lot when comparison have been made with PMC, Quested, ATC Speakers.

No speaker is superior, each one works well within its parameters and purpsoe of install. Every user has diffrent opinions and preference.

Dragon_vibe: in the spirit of sharing information I can add something.  The disclaimer is I am the ATC importer.  

Hans ZImmer's main scoring mixer Alan Meyerson (who works in Hans's building and has worked exclusively for him for a long long time) uses all ATC for all Hans's work.  His previous speakers were B+W, sold off 8- 10 years ago?   I have heard Hans has Quested's in his private studio, but I've never seen them.  

And the fatigue issue, most people who own ATC like them specifically because they do NOT fatigue after long hours.  So I have not ever heard this complaint before you.   Maybe back 20 years ago when ATC used "good at the time" VIFA tweeters, which I admit were harsh compared to what's happening now.  ATC moved over to SEAS models about 20 years ago and now their own ATC dual suspension tweeters (2 years ago).  SO fatigue is something I would hear about as my pro clients work long hours (12-15-18 hrs straight), far longer than a home listener, and fatigue would be a major problem for them.  
Brad