When I had the passive ATC 20’s on loan with my main system I tried them with my Atom - they didn’t really work so would agree some ATC speakers need power!
I had the 11s and they worked well with the atom but turn it up too much and they fell apart.
I think that with speakers there is a difference between sufficient power to sound good, and the power to get the best out of them, and to my mind “need” would be the bottom of that scale, but different people may ascribe need differently. (And it is not maximum power capability per se that matters, but its linearity with impedance, maximum current delivery and rise time etc.
I changed my LS50s for R3 Metas in order to improve the bass in my system. They do go significantly deeper. They veer in the direction of tight, clean bass rather than BIG bass - which I personally like. If you’re after heavy bass you may need to look elsewhere. (The R3s give a nice little step up in the treble and midrange too.)
Don’t forget about the Totem Tribe Towers if diminutive floor-standers are an option. I’ve had mine for about six months and couldn’t be happier. I have a pair of Rel subs but they’re absolutely not necessary for strikingly good bass.
Fully agree, it’s amazing to hear what they can deliver for their small size. Just impressive!
I’d still say the ATC 7’s will work well, honestly they don’t need much power
Been using a pair of Proac Tablette 10 signatures and they are worth a listen. Having owned floorstand speakers for the past 35 years I’m impressed with these
For the sake of clarity, I wasn’t disagreeing with you!
Good sounding yes, but bass shy, won’t even get near the last octave.
I second the KEF R3 recommendation.
Few bookshelfs get the last octave
Do ATCs need a powerful amp? This one, it seems, will run and run.
I think it’s worth reading what ATC say in the FAQs on their website. Their overall recommendation is 75 wpc or more and the impedance curve doesn’t drop below 5.5 ohms, so it’s what they deliver into 8 ohms that matters. Of course they’ll sound OK with less power but to hear what they’re really capable of just needs that bit more. My active 40s have around 250 wpc which seems ridiculous for a modest UK lounge but it means they just handle anything thrown at them without breaking a sweat. You end up listening to the music, not the HiFi. That’s my experience, anyway.
Roger
Well I’m running my ATC’s with my XS3 and they sound awesome
Linn 109’s really impressed me with Naim amplification. Might be worth a punt. They’ve been discontinued but definitely a very capable speaker.
The Totem Signature One is worth a try.
OP wanted a dedicated speaker that excelled in bass. I have not heard the latest iteration of SCM 7, but I see the frequence response is from 60Hz -6db. I guess there are better options out there.
Personally I would have chosen a larger speaker. Maybe a Harbeth SHL5+ with an eight inch driver that goes down to 40Hz -3db, Audio Note AN J-D with a frequency response from 25Hz -6db in room or something from Graham.
But they are Canadian…
like Rush
