ATC active 10's

has anyone heard these 'speakers. i am attracted by the prospect of getting rid of my power amps (cyrus apa7's) and speakers (cyrus iconx4) and putting my cash into a pre-amp and cable upgrade.

does anyone have any views that could document the possible improvements or pitfalls

many thanks

 

They're great. Buy them. The CA2 preamp is excellent too, especially at secondhand prices.

-- Ian (active 10 owner).

 

I agree with Ian they are very very good.

 

I couldn't disagree more with the previous 2 posters. Heard them on a side-by-side basis with some Meridian and Genelec actives and they were left for dead. No detail or imaging IMHO. Other people will no doubt tell you otherwise though...

Sam

 

Sam, you are clearly deaf if you prefer Genelecs.

-- Ian

 

Thanks for that Ian, I didn't for one minute expect you not to defend your rather expensive mistake...

Sam

 

No, I mean it. You should see a doctor. Genelecs are rough as a badger's arse (that's the second time I've used that expression here in as many weeks, must copyright it). And every Meridian speaker I've heard has been dull as ditchwater.

-- Ian

 

Ian,

From what you have said about your ATC 10s, they dont go that deep, so I suspect that if muffinman is a bass freak then he need not apply. perhaps bigger ones would be better.

 

Now ditchwater I have seen and it is indeed dull but I can't say I've ever felt a badger's arse

Michael.

 

Mike, about the same as p30 reduction paper I reckon

 

Ian, you really are a character aren't you? I wonder if you resemble that caveman in your avatar?

Whilst I have to agree with you about the Meridian speakers sounding a little dull, they were nowhere near as dull or closed in as those ATC active 10s. I'm not just saying this, these are my findings!

As for Genelec being rough, have you ever considered the possibility that they might in fact be very neutral and it's the recording that is in fact at fault?

You'll learn, it'll take time but you will learn...

Sam

 

Sam, "that caveman" is Harry Smith, shaman and all-round god-like genius.

He'd never have stood for Genelecs. He had taste.

What are you using as your source, btw? A buzz-saw?

-- Ian

Edited for typo

 

I do love an informed discussion...

 

I actually had a pair of these at home for a couple of weeks courtesy of a friend before hearing ATCs:

http://www.turnkey.co.uk/tkweb/stockdetail.jsp?sku=GENE-1030AM&context=WEB

I was underwhelmed.

-- Ian

 

I own a pair and they are great. And for the money they are a steal. And so is the CA2 preamp (got one of those too).

Don't blow a load of money on cables, mic cables by Canare, Belden, Mogami will work perfectly. Same goes for mains cables, don't have some Charlatan hit you up for silly power cords - spend the money on stands that are the proper height.

The only downside to the 10's is that they run hot - I can put my hand on the heatsinks, but can't kept it there very long. In other words, don't back them up against the curtains.

The 10's play quite loud, I was listening to them last night and too my surprise they have slightly more bass than the 50's. [The 50's play a hell of a lot louder though and seem to have a flatter bass - please don't write to tell me "that can't be so because they are ported" ]

I don't know why "Fireman Sam" is winding up "sideshowbob". Go hear a pair of the Meridians (which I think cost a lot more) and the Genelec's (which I don't object too, but don't own either ) After all the fireman hasn't told us which Meridians and Genelecs he listened to yet..

I'll admit I'm an ATC owner and biased [I have the Active 10's, the CA2 in one system with Active 50's and an SCA2 in another system.]

And Wm, I can't tell the SCA2 and CA2 apart in a DBT Perhaps now would be a good time to mention M@ckie, again

 

I think Sams problem may have been caused by a bad dem, ATCs are ruthless to poor set up. poor sources and poor pre amps. .. I would also not use ATCs own stands which IMO do them no favours.

Get them right though and they are very good. Just looking at the above I feel it could just as easily apply to Dynaudios as well.

 

Hi,
I've heard the 10's at ian's place and I wrote my impressions somewhere in this forum. I don't think that those impressions are either so important except for the fact that the 10's worked lovely for Ian's jazz music but let say for classical not too much. I haven't heard the other speakers mentioned here so I cannot say anything about the differences.
Another point I would like to mention is that Ian seems not to care much about imaging so I wouldn't think he would be the right person to talk about that subject.
Muffinman, why don't you just try them at your place with your music and let us know? And why not still keep in consideration the possibility of non active speakers?

dat19:
the 10's play quite loud? Wow hopefully also right!
Another point though makes me very skeptic about the 50's (which I never heard). If you say they have less bass than the 10's I wonder if they do have any at all. I had the impression that the 10's didn't have so much (or did Ian turn them down?).

But again these are impressions based on a short visit so nothing serious.

cheers

 

thanks for your replies.

my interest is still burning and i am suprised that wilson benesch has not been mentioned.
the rights and wrongs do lead me to believe that a home demo is essential. i will endevour to do this and will of course let you know

ta

 

Titian hated them, btw, as does GrahamN, they're not a classical music speaker I guess.

The imaging thing is a matter of how you choose to set them up, I think, same as any speaker. In any event, they have no problem disappearing, they are not in any way boxy sounding. They image just fine to my ears.

Paul D is absolutely right about ATC's own stands, I much prefer his suggestion of Kan stands, and the quality of your sources, they sound awful with an edgy front end.

As for LF, I'm no bass-head, and in the 8 months or so I've been using the ATCs I've become even less so. Virtually every speaker of similar size I hear nowadays sounds, in comparison, a bit ponderous on occasion. This is definitely a matter of personal taste, however. On paper the 10's go down to 45hz or so, which is respectable for their size, but it is quite definitely tight and quick bass, and something you either like or don't. I'm playing with a pair of Cura CA10's ATM (a secondhand buy I couldn't resist, I really like Cura speakers), which in theory have similar LF response but sound as if they're going quite a bit deeper, but they do have a tendency to one-notedness to my ears on some bass-heavy material. I now have the 10's in front of a solid concrete wall (when Titian heard them they were in front of bookcases, and either side of a TV, now gone), which has filled them out quite significantly, but I still prefer them further from the wall than nearer, leaner rather than heavier. YMMV, caveat emptor, etc.

Get a pair at home for as long as you can possibly dem them is the best advice I can give. I haven't heard a speaker at the price that can touch them.

-- Ian

 

The demo I had of the active 10s included the SCA2 pre amp and a Naim CDX2 CDP. Don't get me wrong I wanted to like the ATCs, I had a 2k budget for a pair of active speakers and had heard great things about the active 10s. Unfortunately they disappointed me BIG TIME.

Sorry if I don't conform to your 'standards' Ian, but I prefer my music with realism and life.

My advice to you muffinman is don't believe the hype! Get a demo before you waste your money. I'm not saying you won't like them, I'm just saying make sure they are to your taste.

Sam