I thought i would start a fresh post regarding my search for a new speaker to replace my long term favourite Linn Keltik.
Since moving to my smaller dedicated music listening room the Keltiks have been a challenge to make work satisfactorily in my more modest listening proportions 350 cm by 420cm room . Previously they were firing into 6m x 7 m space.
They were being pulled further and further into the room untill i cracked and said i cant put up with this any more.
My room is very dead sounding ,a feature i engineered in on purpose . I have a hearing issue where i cant cope with harshness or overly bright sounds .But the downside is it can suck the life out of speakers.
After shortlisting speakers at my fantastic dealer Robert Ritchie in montrose.,i settled on trying the ATC50 SCM in passive mode.
Having a quad of NC250 it makes sense.
The 50s can be tri amped if desired. A jumper lead can be easily made to utilise 3 of the NC250s.
Active is brilliant, and i fully endorse it for the right people ,but when its built into the speaker for me that is too restrictive , as i know i love to try different amps or upgrade amps .
So passives it is.
First impressions are fantastic, no overhang on bass ,and the 50s are hard up against the wall,slight toe in . Smooth detailed and intimate.,with an extended bottom end ,working superbly at moderate low volume as well as the not unexpected higher volume.
I can already tell late night quiet time listening is going to be a treat .
And i can now walk about the space without tripping on 48m of naca5.
I have been recommended to try the Sugden Sapphire FBA800 power amp so have it here to swap in once i have got used to the new sound .
Interesting, as many people might say those speakers are too big for that room.(Not something with which I would agree, though I haven’t experience of those particular speakers.)
Can you give details as to your 'engineering of the room to be dead?
I do love those speakers … as I’ve said a few times before! 
Great to hear they work well in your room, I am surprised they’re so close to the wall and the bass is still ok.
Tony as i mentioned above , im an unashamedly box swapper , no point avoiding it . Active with my Keltiks allowed changes to xover amps etc ,for me the ATC amp pack might be too restrictive in the future .ive already got the Sugden ready to try .
Thanks, Keltik. I was editing my post and manage to delete it. I do appreciate your reply and understand now why you decided to go the passive route. It makes sense.
I hope you enjoy them.
One NC250 is amazing , tight as …
I love Sugden. When I was auditioning Naims several years ago, I actually preferred the Sugdens (various models) at my dealers. But I’d hankered after Naim for so long that nothing else would do.
Hello, when I lived in Aberdeen, I used to go to Robert Ritchie in Montrose. Robert senior set up my SBLs and everything for me and I enjoyed many times with Robert senior, hearing DBL systems and also his specially modified Linn Keltik with 8 x 135s. A true gent. His son Robbie, is also a great guy and gave me a famous CD ‘the sound of UK Garage’. Great people. By the way I empathise with your situation. I had the same issue in my new room 3.6 x 4 m. Despite everything, it did not sound pleasing and even active SL2s sounded boomy on some tracks and brilliant with others. Active IBLs sounded too lean. I’m getting an acoustican over to look at the room as I am not keen on putting too much room treatment or making it look like a studio (it is a dedicated hifi room).
So do you mean that passive 50s can be driven with external amps in active mode? If so which cover are you using?
Sorry , im running passive with one 250 then 2 x 250 in mono ,then the sugden.
No external xover im aware of .Its ATC built in amps or passive either 1,2 or3 amps.
So did I and kept on going there after I moved abroad. As you say, Robert and his son, Robbie, are great people.
@Keltik If the ATCs are staying, are you tempted to swap the 250s for a pair of NC NAP 350 monoblocks?
Yes the speakers won’t have active XOs built in, so you’d need a 3-way AXO. There is of course Naim’s SNAXO, now discontinued, but only suitable if the characteristics are appropriate (=24dB/octave slopes, ideally Linkwitz-Riley, and 380Hz & 3.5kHz to match that normally used in the active 50s, though 360/3.6 is also commonly used with the ATC mid unit). ATC used to make one called the EC23, which did have 4th order slope (though I’m not sure if L-R or Butterworths) and unlike SNAXO in addition to level adjustments the frequencies were user alterable as was phase (delay). Not available new for some years now, they are as rare as hens teeth secondhand. Alternatively there are digital AXOs, which allow you to dial up whatever characteristics you like (I used to use an upgraded Behringer DCX2496, which had the advantage of spare DSP capacity which I used to suppress a few peaks measured in the room.
Rob had the passive 50s on the end of that Sugden (in silver) with Auralic source during a visit.
Sounded fantastic.
Love the 50s.
Started a discussion on how many 300DRs we would need.
Couple of observations so far .
Going from a single NC250 in stereo to using 2 in mono definitely gives a lift in dynamics and bass control ( not economic or sane but gives an inkling of what 350s might offer)
The line out outputs to balanced in totally match the output balanced to balanced on the 332 ,meaning biamping in this fashion is no problem at all with the 332.
The Chord Shawline X Tuned array line to balanced cable is more clear and controlled than the mogami balanced cable.
Sugden later…
If swapping out the 250, I’d have thought making the 50s active would be the way to go. The 50A is ATC’s archetypal model and I think pro line models such as the 50 can be converted from passive to active.
Roger
My dealer will convert the 50S to active and then let me continue to evaluate.
Nothing set in stone .
It was just a case of starting sensibly with my current amp . Then let me hear the speakers more optimally passive ie with a better power amp before changing to active .
To evaluate what works best for me and in my room.
The Sugden does indeed sound special.
It sounded remarkably like the 250 when switched on cold . Then 30 minutes in the magic creeps in .stunning midrange and hearing stuff i just never knew existed. Not in a detailed way ,just the noise floor drops even lower than the 250 ,stuff is just there that i never heard before , string decay ,voice inflections etc. Oh and the GRIP jeeze..
Very nice .
Normally run at 7p an hour so not adding too much to leccy
Switched off and sure enough 4p an hour to run Class A
Room will get hot. I had a hot running tube amp in a small room and in the summer it actually was a problem. Better using the power to drive speakers than turn into heat 
So going active will you use a Naim or Linn cover?