I heard passive SCM50s at a demo run by ATC, and thought they sounded fantastic with a 252/300. Given that the demo was set up by the manufacturer, I would assume that they chose an amp that they thought was well matched to their speakers.
Yes, you still need a preamp with the actives, although some sources with a digital preamp/volume control may also work.
What source(s) do you intend to use?
Exactly, though on Naim lineup there’s 272 which would work as a one box solution. Also NDX2 with its optional volume control. I use Linn ADSM as one box solution with my active 40’s and the combo works great.
I have a middle range LP12 CDX and play digital stuff via my PC and cheap DAC atm.
Still interested to hear peoples’ views on comparable Naim power amp v ATC 50 active amps!
Hi, I’m still interested to hear peoples’ views on comparable Naim power amp v ATC 50 active amps!
Ditto… There seem to be several reviews out there with passive 50s vs active 50s. The conclusion seems to be unless you spend a great deal of money on your power amps then the active speakers are the way to go.
I think the point of the ATC active system is that the amps are chosen to be optimal for their function, and have no other factors such as speaker cables. It may well be that it would sound better with three better amps, but possibly at a very considerably higher cost, e.g triple NAP 500s with a suitable active XO…
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One of the reviewers compared the passive 50 speakers used with a Naim NAP500DR and reckoned the active 50’s were at least as good if not better. However, I know, you can never trust reviews 
Thats interesting - do you have a link to that review? Are the amps in the active 50s identical irrespective of whether you buy the standard, SE or Anniversary editions?
see
http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ATC_SCM50ASL_Review_Hi-Fi_Critic_Sept_19.pdf
If you like ATC Mark and buy the Actives the last thing you’ll be worrying about is the Amplifiers , they are specific for each drive unit and very capable.
The Amps in the Anniversary / SE versions are better than the standard Classic versions not that the Standard amps are lacking. You can buy Classic series with Anniversary amps though . All the information and links you need is on ATC’s website that Steve has linked above .
Many thanks - as someone else called the ATC 50 a terminal speaker it sounds like the active version might surely be an outstanding hifi bargain!? This plus a 52 = the holy grail of SQ/value for money?
Just out of interest , what is the approx. up charge of the Anniversary amp. pack in the Classic range ?
No idea to be honest but I think from reading a lot of the extra costs of the Anniversary / SE range is in the cabinets themselves.
I don’t think there’s a straightforward answer to a question like this. For a start, what’s a “comparable” amp? Remember you’re comparing a passive setup with an active one driven by dedicated amps and that makes a big difference. The two setups will likely sound very different and preference between them may come down to personal taste. If you’re asking about value for money, provided you like the highly revealing ATC presentation and have a suitable room, I reckon active is the way to go. I believe the great majority of the units ATC sell outside the entry range are active.
FWIW I have made an extensive comparison of the ATC SCM19A with the passive version driven by a 250DR and preferred the (cheaper) active setup by some margin. I know others whose preferences run the other way. For me, active operation gives a stability and physicality to the soundstage which enhances my musical pleasure, but this may count for less with other listeners.
Roger
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We demoed a pair of these at Venice Audio in the LA area over Thanksgiving. With the gracious and knowledgeable help of Peter S., and the 552, these speakers put on quite a show. They have a distinctive sound with a flat response which we liked very much. These made our trip worth while, and they would be worth your effort to hear. If you are thinking about a 500 upgrade or a new pair of speakers, or both, listen to these first.
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From a bit of google the SE version is about an extra 10 grand (GBP that is)!!
oh and about twice the price for the Anniversary version… somewhere near 30K GBP.
Yeah right!
I can only comment on 40’s since I first owned passives for ~four years and now for a year, actives. I drove the passives with nDAC + SN2 (both with upgrade PSU’s) and the actives now have Linn front end. Of course the setup changed completely but it’s easy to hear how big improvement there is when this speaker is properly driven with enough juice. Difference in dynamics, power, separation… everything is HUGE. And I thought my previous setup sounded dynamic and lively… Not sure what you should throw in front of the passives to make them sing this way. Something on the very top of Naim equipment chain at least.
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From what I could see the Anniversary is less than the SE!? It’s quite confusing as the layout of the ATC website suggests the former are the higher status model. It is also not very clear on the differences between the standard, SE and Anniversary other than the obvious cosmetic.
tbh I was working from a review of the anniversary model which quoted 36K USD.
I agree the ATC site is mighty confusing when it comes to where each model fits into the range
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