Thanks @monkey_Jim & @Patu - note that we are talking about different speakers, as out of the ATC actives I have only tried the SCM20ASL.
@Nico suggested the hiss was from my preamp. This is actually possible: These ASL’s are the pro model, which has two input sensitivity selections at the back: a switch and a trim pot. I had the switch at the lower setting (1V/+2.2dBu), but I didn’t try turning the trim pot from the factory setting. According to the manual, the trim pot would have actually provided 6 dB more sensitivity reduction, so if the hiss was from my preamp, that would have fixed it. I did this comparison with my Krell KRC2 preamp which is balanced throughout (running from the same Krell with same cable to the single-ended NAP300 with SCM19: no hiss).
When I auditioned SCM19A at home back in 2019, I tested different DAC-preamps with it at the same time. With Bryston BP17 preamp with dac-card I experienced strong hiss on the background. I guess Bryston had just extremely hot outputs not suited for ATC’s.
With 50ASL’s I’ve actually adjusted that trim pot you mentioned to 2V input sensitivity. This gives 6dB more range in the volume control of my Linn ADSM/3. And since Linn uses digital volume coontrol, the louder I can play it the better.
The trim pot is there in the domestic models also but there’s no text on the amplifier packs indicating this. It’s still quite easy to locate by looking at the manual. There’s only two trim pots on the amp packs, other one being bass boost IIRC.
Regarding speaker hiss, there is hardly any hiss on the SCM 40 actives that I own. If I jam my ear right up to the speaker there is a tiny bit of hiss, but less than other systems I’ve owned or heard. There is certainly no transformer hum, which is something I’ve always struggled with regarding Naim amplification.
I home auditioned passive and active SCM40s and found the differences between them noticeable,
though more subtle than some others report, and this was using a SN3 to drive the passives. I didn’t hear any noticeable differences at low volumes - both sounded good, though I think the actives really come into their own as you crank the volume up. In general, the actives had more gip on the music with everything a bit tighter and sharper. I’m sure that a more exotic amp with more power would close the gap, but that was part of the attraction of the actives, it removes the upgrade rabbit hole. As my dealer said, he’d much sooner sell me the passives with the SN3 as I’d likely be back in the future looking for upgrades on the pre/power side of things!
I can’t recall now as I have now moved to a new home. In my new home, the tweeter is about 60cm from the back wall I would guess and the speakers are about 3 metres apart, toe-ed into my listening position about 3 metres away. However, what works in my room may not in yours, so you would need to experiment to get optimum placement.
I’ve yet to read a review where they don’t say get the active versions or spend a LOT more on external amplification to get as good: “If you choose to go the passive route, expect to budget significantly more than the $8000 difference in cost between the active and passive SCM50 variants for your amplification.”
Ardbeg - good spot, it made me feel a great sense of belonging to read ‘Our JonathanG’!
This was a very interesting feature to write because it’s pretty rare for the actives v passives to be compared directly like that in the same room and system by an ATC owner who runs Naim amplifiers and sources.
I hope Richard won’t mind me saying that I’m currently working on a big feature on Naim for Soundstage which should appear before Christmas. Having used their equipment for very nearly 35 years it seemed a good time to go down to the factory again to explore where Naim came from, where they are today and what’s at the core of their philosophy. Perhaps Richard or I might highlight it on here when it is finally released.
Plans are also afoot for a full Soundstage video crew and team to visit Naim HQ in 2023 which will culminate in a video including interviews with key players, a tour of the factory etc so there’s quite a lot to look forward to for naim lovers…
I’d be intrigued to hear an Unity Atom HE with ATC SCM19As which strikes me as potentially a very neat set. Anybody heard it? What are your thoughts please?
Meh - not heard that combo, but would not be that excited by the idea. I’ve heard the SCM19A’s and much prefer the 40A’s. Atom HE is great with headphones, but I think there are better options as a pre/streamer into active speakers. My two pennies…
Not heard that exact combo but have auditioned 272 into active 19s. I thought it sounded great: perhaps rather forward but extremely tangible and involving. I preferred the active 19s to passive 19s driven by a 250DR that were heard in the same session. But, someone sitting next to me felt the actives were too “in your face” and would have gone for the passive setup. You pays your money and takes your choice, I guess.
The scm50 review was a fantastic read, just what I was looking for as an active dbl user with thoughts of downsizing and simplifing always entering my head. Ultimately though, the final preference was not really decided on as both sets ups must of been so good. I have a 552dr, 300dr and 2 x 250dr’s into dbls and the idea of selling them and getting a 500dr is tempting, but I dont have passive crossovers for the dbls. So scm50 passive would be pretty amazing with a 500, i think Martin Colloms said that it had the edge over the built in amps in the hifi critic review. But getting rid of at least 6 boxes if you count the supercap and snaxo is a rather appealing idea. The $64000 question, is atc active good as naim passive with a 552,500? Or would I miss the naim active thing too much? Very hard to decide and I understand why Johnathan went back and forth so much. Very neat solution with the amps strapped to the back of the speaker, I may go down that path one day!
