Where to hear ATC speakers

You can still get your Thiels serviced by Coherent Source Services in KY.  It's run by a long time Thiel employee.  I've got Thiels and ATCs and you can't go wrong with either.  I find I prefer the Thiels at lower volumes and for smaller scale, acoustic music.  The ATCs have a dynamic realism that few, if any, passive home speakers can match.  If you decide to go with ATC or some other high order crossover speaker I'd be curious if you feel you've lost something significant.  Of the speakers you mentioned I think only Vandersteen has a first-order, phase correct approach.

A comparison of active and passive ATCs in the same room would be  pretty attractive. Often folks say there is a striking difference, but it would be nice to hear with one's own ears.

I heard them at AXPONA last year and was very impressed.

I agree with Bubba after hearing them at Axpona also.

Simple in appearance but with the distinct look of quality, and to my ears an excellent performer.

While I don’t own ATC’s per se I do have a pair of Proac Studio 3’s which share the same ATC drivers (sans tweeters) as the SCM50 housed in a BBC style cabinet. Best Proacs I have owned among quite a few. I would really like to hear a pair of the SCM50 asl’s.