V strongly agree with this. I went from PMCs with all-Naim electronics to active SCM 40s with an Auralic pre/streamer and found this more involving with more air conducting and certainly more foot tapping than the PMCs. Just involved me more in the music.
I’m not really sure what “carrying a tune” means, but I guess it just goes to show we all listen for different things.
Roger
I’m also ex-PMC. I first owned PMC GB1i and after them Twenty.23. Back then I had Naim gear in front of them. Then in 2014 I auditioned ATC SCM40 passives and even though I later found out they would need more power than my SN2 could provide, they were massively better than the PMC 20.23 I owned. PMC sounded distant, flat and lacked midrange presence (which isn’t a fair comparison against the three-way ATC). It didn’t took long until I ordered the 40’s.
I have heard bigger PMC’s since then. 20.26 I once home auditioned and it came very close to ATC but I still kept my 40’s. In exhibition conditions I’ve heard the huge BB5. I liked the sound very much and it has clear resemblance to ATC 50ASL.
At this point I’d first look to the new NSC222 to front active ATC’s. I might home audition that one myself also.
282 should be a great option also but you need custom made cables for the connection.
Same here, in my old house I had fact 8’s and tried the the twenty5’s ( can’t recall exact model but they were £7.5k’s worth and much preferred the focal Kanta…. PMC are pretty pricey for what they are.
Post house move I tried the fact 8 signature against the ATC 40’s - the fact 8 simply didn’t work….
Obviously rooms are at play with speakers but in my last two houses PMC’s were not the greatest and out performed by less expensive speakers.
Gary
Hi Patu, yes I already have the NSC 222 and NPX 300, fronting the 40A’s. I’m not trying to say that the 23’s are a superior speaker to the 40’s. The ATC’s are superior in most departments I.e. soundstage, depth, presence etc. However, and for whatever reason, when playing music my foot taps along to the music when listening to PMC’s and not ATC’s. I can hear more and it is a more engaging listen with the ATC’s, I presume like being in the recording studio, maybe. I guess the best analogy is like hearing a tune, even though you might not like it, that is catchy enough, that makes you whistle or hum along too. 
Cables are easy to make, simple din to xlr connection.
I use Mogami Gold cables, one of the best.
I have the 20.23s bought new in 2015 to replace 20.21 (23 stored in loft at the moment) do you think the new versions are worth the increase in cost? I personally thought PMC were pushing it with the increases. I don’t think I would go back to the 23s after the ATCs. I did extended home audition of active and passive ATCs over lockdown before I bought them ( thanks to Audio T) the sound you describe ie. studio monitor concurs with what I heard with active scm 40 the passive imho is a much better all round performance imho. PMC does however have really good treble which cuts through better than ATC and agile bass which goes deeper but only when driven hard.
Did your new Naim gear prompt your decision?
Best
Terry
Yeah we all have our preferences obviously. For me, ATC gives better and deeper insight to music with more natural and balanced presentation. The midrange is to die for, something PMC just can’t match. PMC’s transmission line structure obviously can give a nice oomph for the upper bass. ATC’s bass performance is more linear.
We all obviously know about Naim, PRaT and toe-tapping 
To some they are. I don’t have skills or means to make them myself.
This is what I have decided to do: NSC 222 fronting the active ATC’s
I’ve been having a play around with preamps. I installed my 32.5/hc and am having a listen. Quite impressive, the little pre holds up well. I don’t think i’ll keep it in though as there are advantages in using the linn Klimax.
Looking forward to hear your thoughts, I want to do the same with 222 and 50s
Or maybe wait for 333
I’ll surely give my feedback but I think I have about four further weeks before it all arrives.
Lots of options for auditioning- fun
Thanks for your input/help
HinTerry. I agree with your findings, regarding the ATC passives and actives. However, I have to add the caveat, that with ATC passives I was using ATC amps (CDA2/P1) and Van den Hul interconnect and speaker cable. I think the PMC price increases, might have pushed people to look in other directions. I know my Twenty5 26 were 7K new, but now cost nearly 10K. - gulp
I have not definitely decided which speaker to replace the 40A yet!
However, I have not had another speaker in my room, that makes my foot tap along to the music like the Twenty5 23’s.
Obviously, with 40A’s going, I need a power amp. So the new 250 will be added to the NSC 222 and NPX. 300. I cannot imagine that PMC made a major change to the 23 with I version. If someone knows differently, please feel free to chip in
Atc scm 40 passive speakers here, I love the presentation very detailed, deep soundstage and more than enough bass. Placed 930 mm from back wall and slight rake around 15 degrees. Have a more open presentation without loosing decay on voices and notes
I was just having a chat with my dealer re upgrading the supplied ATC power chords today. Still undecided but would appreciate any feedback as to improvements.
Any noticeable improvement?
@StuW and @glasnaim: to my ear and tastes yes.
I plugged the mains leads in, turned the system on, and sat back not expecting much at all, to be honest.
I listen to Spotify a lot, and initially played two tracks I know very well (It’s no Secret/Jefferson Airplane & Up the Junction/Manfred Mann). Damn.
I’m not blessed with descriptive creative writing powers, but you know the old “veil was lifted” cliche? Well, it was. I can only describe the sound as more “active”, but in a good way. Jack Casady plays some seriously interesting bass on the JA track, and one can really hear it properly now.
Obviously, ymmv, but I am a happy chappie, and in the context of my system cost, the cables represent a bargain inho
Well if it improves Surrealistic Pillow/Jack’s bass playing that’s promising, thanks.
