I am looking for feedback on the ATC HTS 7 wall mount speakers.
We just moved to a new house and the living room is not at all conducive to high end audio due to the small and awkward layout. I had to ditch the Allaes which I loved and at this point am using ProAc Tab 10 Signatures.
They are awesome but I have to use them in a position which is creating a “domestic disturbance”. Moreover, the presence of children means stand mounts are a constant source of anxiety.
With most floor standers and stand mounted speakers ruled out I am having to consider options I would not have taken seriously in the past.
One possibility is getting Neat Iota Alphas and accepting they will probably get damaged. It seems many people like the sound quality. I briefly heard a pair at a friend’s house. They were not broken in but from memory they were speakers I could live with if necessary.
However, the best option from a purely aesthetic point might be the ATC HTS 7s. I had SCM 7s in the past and liked them, but wall mounts might be a very different animal in terms of the sound.
Any insights about the HTS 7s would be appreciated.
Electronics are Rega Apollo/Chord Qutest, and either 72/hc/140 or 32.5/hc/250. Adding a subwoofer is not a possibility, nor is auditioning prior to purchase.
I can’t give you feedback, but given it is STC I doubt they Have done it badly. Being on the wall design they are obviously designed for that location, and I would expect better bass response than the SCM 7, while mid and treble character are probably quite similar. Comb filtering will be different given the close wall proximity, but that doesn’t mean worse.
Interestingly PMC do a couple of small wall mount designs, which are also available for in-wall (or ceiling) mounting. The advantage of teh latter is complete elimination of comb filtering, so a smoother frequency response.
Better bass response? Really? I wondered if it might be worse but you know the technical aspects better than I do. It would certainly be a pleasant surprise!
I too would doubt they have done it badly. I guess what I’m really wondering is if the HTS 7 sound quality is surprising in any way or noticeably compromised vs stand mounts like SCM 7s or Tab 10s
Don’t know about ATC HTS7, but I have a pair of Dali Menuets and they are amazing, SQ as great floorstanders but without their great scale, but really HIFI; and they are also designed to work properly near rear wall, wall mount if you prefer, o need, with Dali device. Really wonderful, and in similar price and inside specs.
Anyway, if it were me, I’d first try Tablettes 10 with suitable universal wall shelves; I have them no more than 5 cm aside of wall, one, and corner, the other, and maybe you would be surprised.
I had a brief inroad with the ATC HTS series as I was looking for something such as yourself.
Had a dealer dem of the 11 and 40 versions. Both the same sound quality as the box versions but with a touch more bass.
Definitely the same midrange fluency and depth, although this was set up along a wall with a good aspect. In as much that the speakers on the wall had a great effect over the listening position on that demo room.
My room might not be so accommodating to let them sound as good as I don’t have a long stretch of wall.
So this is critical with such speakers as there is no way to angle them.
Totem Tribe wall jobs could be another consideration. They also provide a mini bracket to enable some slight change of toe in.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. I am shocked that the wall mounted versions sounded that good to you but credit to ATC.
Seems as if my wall may be a limiting factor. It’s only 91 inches wide 7’7” or 2.3 meters) but if I do the 7s maybe it will be okay. Perhaps I should post a picture when I get home.
N-Sats are quite child friendly, if you can find a pair with dedicated stands ofrwall brackets. You have to lift them vertically off the stands to release them, so they cannot be accidentally pushed off.
Another option could be to just choose any speaker you like, and screw it to the stand or wall shelf to secure it.