I have a pair of passive ATC SCM40s that I auditioned against several others including the Sopra 2. In the end it came down to either the SCM40s or the Sopras. I suppose it would be easy to say that the SCM40s and Sopras are similar but actually they each have their own presentation. To me the Sopra 2 had a “traditional” presentation (for want of a better word), but a very good one. The ATC is a bit of a different animal. It has a studio monitor heritage so it has many of those qualities but in a form that works really well for listening to music. I have a home studio with nice studio monitors and while they are outstanding for making and mixing music I wouldn’t want to sit and listen to them in a stereo system (too tiring). ATC seem to have got this right in their home audio range.
I do listen to a diverse range of music but, at heart, I am a rock guy. The ATCs are great for my taste in music but I imagine someone with a different perspective or different taste might well prefer the Sopras. It is particularly interesting that the retail price of the SCM40 passives is almost half that of the Sopras but I consider them to be in the same class except for the appearane which is a bit boxy and plainer on the ATCs and pretty stunning on the Sopras.
I had my 135s for 17 years; I didn’t want to get rid of them, but my dealer sold them for me, realising in effect 30% of the ATC’s rrp, after his cut of the action.
Speakers (can) have a dramatic effect on a stereo system, as @Dan_M as found. I thought my Usher 6371/135s were good: for MY tastes, the 40A’s are far superior.
As ever, ymmv, but I would suggest approaching the actives with an open mind, and see what floats your boat. I explained to my dealer before I had a dem at their place that if I thought there was no improvement, then I would not be changing my gear
I am not one for florid descriptive prose, but I find the ATC’s inherently “right” in the same way I found the CB/Olive kit to be.
I don’t aspire to a 552/Klimax Linn-level, but assuming substantial performance gains over my 52/Akurate level Linn, the ATC’s will blow your socks off
I don’t really but it’s amazing what a bit of spare cash can do . The reality is the LP12 May become radikalised and the Prefix replaced with a Urika, but used items only. Possibly a Ekos 2? The 52 would stay and the 135s/Keilidh might be replaced by the 40a’s. But we are talking daydreams at the moment.
I had a spare javelin that came without the lift/lower and we modified the mount to allow a Lifter to be used. I saw a fluted Walnut LP12 on Peter’s web site and thought that it would go well with Javelin. After a long list of the e-mails about a Zeus PS and other issues, the results are in the photo above.
Can’t wait to collect it in February, thanks Peter.
It’s a tough thing to quantify but my Akurate Radikal 1 → Klimax Radikal 2 was around 30% uplift I’d say. Speed stabilisation is dramatically improved though.
I bought this Javelin for the arm wand so that I could swap and change cartridges for the Javelin on my Raven 1. The temptation to use it on an LP12 was an unavoidable itch and the availability of a lovely Walnut example was too much to resist. I was concerned that the Javelin could not be used with a keel but the Tangerine Phoenix was the saviour.
I understand that other after market sub chassis are available but the I think that the Phoenix is the best.
Supposedly, I know I got an early one (once design & production was settled) and Roger came to the Sound Org York and helped David fit it along with the Akula.
. The reality is the LP12 May become radikalised and the Prefix replaced with a Urika, but used items only. Possibly a Ekos 2? The 52 would stay and the 135s/Keilidh might be replaced by the 40a’s. But we are talking daydreams at the moment.
