You know the saying ”once you go ATC, there’s no going back” 
I started with passive 40’s on 2014 (driven by Naim SN2 + HCDR), then moved to active 40’s in 2019 and in few weeks 50ASL’s should arrive to replace the 40A’s. Good luck with the demo!
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As I listen more, the more impressed I am. Texture is the word that springs to mind, I can actually close my eyes and imagine the live instruments and that midrange is to die for. I’m ridiculously impressed at what they do at low level too which I wasn’t expecting, I thought they would want shoving to come on song but they just have grip on everything regardless of volume. Agnes Obel at low level this morning is enchanting.
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Is that a 272 in charge? For the cost of the ATCs a 555ps would get more out of your ovators.
I’m guessing the room in your previous house was more amenable to the S400s. Perhaps they were on the long wall rather than the short wall as now.
Enjoy your demming of the active ATCs, and your music.
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Told you so right from the start lol, and will only get better once you remove the s400 and play around with positions.
Midrange is in a different league completely, and having matched amps to drivers is the best way to go for any speaker only problem I can see if finding someone that wants the s400
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You can keep on trying to get the 400’s to work, by getting better amps, pre amp’s, etc, as I did just that on my 600’s. But as I found out the problem is just the speakers and whatever I did wasn’t going to change that.
The ATC’s fix that problem and also bring a large performance gain in one hit and will take advantage of further upgrades much more as well.
Sometimes you just have to admit that it doesn’t work and more on.
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Exactly that, they didn’t excite room nodes in the old room and they sounded fabulous, although I am thinking that they are now significantly bettered, even with the lowly 272 holding the reins 
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Any advice in positioning or where to start? Currently have them around 60cm from side walls and front baffle around 90cm from rear wall with slight toe in. This (minus the toe in) is where the ovators would come on song but I could get better bass by moving them back, they really didn’t like being close to side walls though. I may try them further back to see what happens although the bass is already quite Impressive even with them this far from the rear wall
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With the improvement im hearing in room I honestly can’t imagine any psu having the same effect however if I go speakers first I have the option of other upgrades at a later date, besides I’ll have space in the unit if I go active ATC 
@Dannywin42
Now you’ve swapped them over it’s probably a little too late, but I noticed in your first photograph that the Ovators appeared to be leaning forward, like they’re on ‘tippy toe’.
I’m not familiar with them, so is that normal?
That’s what a demo is for. I’m only going on hearsay as far as the 272 goes. Though I’ve heard the S400s I bought the ten year old NBLs that were in the shop at the time in preference, quite a large preference too, the Ovators sounded rather constrained in comparison.
I Hi Danny , glad you’re enjoying the Active’s , I love mine . ATC recommend forming an equilateral triangle from your listening position with 30 degrees of toe in . TBH mine aren’t quite like that , I’m sat a little further away and probably 20 degrees toe in . I have them about a metre away from side and rear walls . I wouldn’t hesitate putting them closer to the rear but aesthetically and acoustically they work where they are .
The ovators were perfectly levelled both front to back and side to side, I was taking the photo from a lower position I think. I’m just about to get the atcs properly levelled and have a little play with positioning as I don’t even think they are even stable at the moment as I haven’t touched the spikes since I plopped them down
I’m definitely not going to be able to get them in an equilateral triangle but I’ll try and point them so they cross over behind my head. My listening position is around 3m away and woth 60cm from the wall only gives them about 1.6m or so of distance between them. Ill experiment with them a little wider once I have the ovators out of the room, im guessing I’ll have a little while to experiment with positioning with the aid of a umik1 and rew anyway, they sound pretty fab where they are at present
I wouldn’t worry too much , just give them the space you can . I’m about 3 metres away also and they still sound great way back into the open plan kitchen .
What a lovely thread! I am looking forward to the delivery of a pair of ATC 40a with a new NAC282 to replace my SN3 and tiny DeVore Fidelity 3XLs. With all this love for ATCs I’m getting excited.
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What colour are you getting ?
haha, cherry
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Speakers approximately levelled and set equal distances, levels matched with AV system and delays set roughly, time to see how much they show up the b&w m1’s
I’ll be buying the matching centre speaker in no time… hoping I can get away with a c1c rather than the c3c!
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@Pete.T
Cherry too! There isn’t a great choice of veneers until you get to the Classic series. I’d love a pair of 50s or 100s but they were wallet busting right now, as I needed to get a preamp and some custom cables made up. So 40s it is.
Luckily the better half likes the cherry and had picture frames made to match as the ovators are cherry so they will fit right in 