Pro users employ atc to do a particular job - this job is not musical enjoyment. A fact you seem not to have grasped. Many of them have permanent threshold shift from motorhead gigs!!

There is no-one saying ATC don't know what they are doing. Its a very competent design. But all designs involve compromises and this is the compromise of the ATC - and one I find particularly tough to stomach.

My ex heard it and so did two others so that is good enough for me. People who seem to buy atcs also seem to buy mana, linn and naim which all offer similar colorations so I conclude they either cant hear the short comings or they find that coloration attractive.