ATC studio monitors

That picture sums up what happened to the Egglestone Works company. Obviously not enough people bought into their hype.

 

Bah...There was a fight and I missed it!

Anyway, I'll start by saying I have never heard a pair of ATC speakers but am regularly exposed to a pair of PMC MB2s which I believe share some traits with ATC most notably a 3 inch dome mid.

They sound superb and that's that. I can see why someone would love them. Detail, bass, speed it's all there, I assume the ATCs are similar from the comments on this thread.

Unfortunately I could never have or for that matter want a pair because the above only applies at about 10 times my normal listening volume. They really need some driving (my friend uses several Bryston monoblocks).

For domestic use I'd have thought there are better options that offer the same but at a more domestically acceptable level.

 

I like ATCs (enough to have owned a pair), but I don't like PMCs at all, the PMC midrange is very congested and the bass is a mess, IMO. ATCs are much better speakers, to my ears at least. But there are better speakers than ATCs too (I haven't yet heard a better active speaker mind you).

-- Ian

 

Jools, That listening level is probably what I use The MB2's are large puppies. Im having a demo of some IB2's next friday with bryston amps. These have the same upper drivers, but with a smaller cabinet and bass. I'll be comparing them to atc 50's.

I am expecting the IB2's to have a lower bass extension, but most probably it will be more 'one note' bass, due to the design. I also expect the ATC's to have more presence at lower volumes. Overall I don't think the PMC's will sound as quite as good as the active ATC's with a valve pre, but we'll see. Although I could be talking kack.

 

Speakers eh always a bit of a knotty one....

 

The MB2s I have access to have 4 Bryston monoblocks behind them. Bass is not as pronounced as you might think but is tuneful and extended (I think many people are used to and enjoy a bloated bass). Oddly he uses a PMC sub to add a bass hump! ( I turn it off and he hates me for it).

I think many home users (well, I) prefer a little more warmth and fullness than most monitors offer.

 

Erm, like getting last year's Stereophile product of the year, having a full range of speakers, now offering high end in walls. Or do you know something we don't?

AFAIK, Eggleston are very successful Stateside - although their products are probably a little expensive for ATC owners to contemplate.

 

And far superior too In all departments,
Yeap Pmc far deeper bass, again one noted ( for most of the range), the Atc top is better & as Ian has said, no mid band muddling.
Still I would have have neither Prehaps Paul would like to come and listen to some alternitives purley as a listening excerise

 

Just winding you up, as many seem to enjoy doing on this forum. :JPS: However, ATC's are very good value for money - that's true.

On the warmth front - try using a valve pre with the ATC's (or any flat monitors I guess). It makes a staggering difference.

 

Blimey those Eggleston Savoy's are heavyweight!

As quoted on their site...
"The Ivy... was created under the guidance of Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering Studios..."

 

WM, where are you and what do you sell speaker wise?

 

Care to expand on that?

 

Wm is about 110 miles from you Paul, I sell No speakers (currently), recomend the odd one or 2, and improve a fair few as well.

 

Which bit?

-- Ian

 

ISTR you like Harbeths better than ATCs. Do you like ATCs better than Harbeths when the ATCs are active, or are you treating passive and active speakers as distinct species and haven't heard better than ATCs only when compared to other active speakers, but you still prefer passive Harbeths to avtive ATCs?

(I'm sure I could have asked this in a more elegant way; forgive me for a rather convoluted question.)

 

Clear as mud

I haven't heard active Harbeths. Or active Tannoys for that matter. Or even active PMCs. I've heard active ATCs, Genelecs, Mackies, Dynaudios. I like active ATCs more than any of those, so all I was saying was that I like active ATCs more than other active speakers I've heard, FWIW (not much, probably).

-- Ian

 

I suspect all comments on ATC's to date are assuming they're the active versions. The passive ones are rather rare as they're nowhere near as good. The whole point of the actives is you get an unusually good match from amp to driver, that wouldn't otherwise be possible. At least anywhere near the same price level anyway.

 

I know a couple people who prefer the ATC passives to the actives. Personally, though, I agree the actives are much better for the most part.

Dunc

 

The main benefet with actives is supposedly they sound much better at lower output levels, with more presence. Passive speakers usually have to be spanked to get the best out of them. Certainly seems to be true on my previous speakers (wilson benesch and dynaudio). I guess the passive x-over's eat up power and low level detail.

 

cant argue there, dynaudio's need a damn good spanking.