ATC SCM40 - PAIR

ATC SCM40 – the reference loudspeaker of the Entry Series

SCM40 by ATC are the reference floorstanding speakers of the Entry Series, bringing the technologies of the best speakers of the English brand to the entry line, which also includes the SCM7, SCM11 and SCM19 bookshelf speakers.

All components are made in house by ATC, including drivers, crossovers and cabinets. The SCM40 offers a true 3-way design and boasts the iconic 75mm dome Midrange, considered by some to be the best midrange driver ever made.

It has a declared very low sensitivity (85 dB) and an impedance of 8 Ohms – relatively easy to drive, therefore ATC recommends a generous amplification, between 75 W and 300 W. The indicated frequency is quite broad and extremely linear, including between 48Hz and 22kHz.

SCM40 is an analytical and very gritty loudspeaker that offers a very sharp and detailed reproduction. In the low range it is gritty, visceral, powerful never exaggerated: it returns an extraordinary combination of articulation and precision. These speakers have all the characteristics of the "Pro" sound: dynamic, expressive and physical, they give a good taste of that thrill you feel at live concerts.

The closed case cabinet is extremely massive to guarantee extraordinary precision in the sound rendering. The available finishes are Satin Black, Satin White, Black Ash and Cherry; the design is completed by the protective metal grille with magnetic hooking clearly derived from studio monitors which allows excellent permeation of the air flow.

The true 3-way speaker

SCM40 is a true 3-way loudspeaker with the famous drivers designed and built internally by ATC.

The tweeter is a 25mm soft dome with a neodymium magnet and precision alloy waveguide. Interestingly, the company avoids the use of ferrofluid damping found in most tweeters, using proprietary technology. The crossover point is at 3.5kHz.

The legendary 75mm Midrange driver is considered by many to be the best midrange driver ever made. The dome is a doped acrylic diaphragm on a highly linear double suspension system, designed to provide uniform dispersion, wide bandwidth, and low distortion. Since both upper drivers are domed, they have similar acoustic properties to offer a correct phase relationship between the critical mid-range and the lower treble range, where the human ear is most sensitive, especially around 3.5kHz.

Under the two domes we find the 164 mm bass driver with SC - short-coil - design that enters below 380Hz. Boasting a unique design with a coated paper pulp diaphragm and huge voice coil, this powerful motor package is capable of delivering excellent magnetic linearity and low distortion, even at high sound levels.

Closed cash cabinet

As the name reveals, the cabinet has an internal volume of no less than 40 liters and uses the closed case principle, in pneumatic suspension, and is made with an extremely massive and inert structure; the 18mm reinforced panels are composed of 3 layers of MDF to provide extra stiffness and damping.

Thanks to the lack of a Bass Reflex port and compact design, the SCM40 is easier to place in a listening room than you might think. The extension of the frequency response extends up to 48 Hz at -6 dB: if necessary, to complete the listening experience, we recommend the active subwoofer from the same C1S line, available in the same finishes.

The infinite baffle cabinet design – i.e. closed box, without bass reflex – allows excellent control of the bass driver over its entire operating band and, in turn, reduces non-linear distortion: it thus manages to return a bass that it sounds fast, controlled and fully representative of the audio signal.

The gently curved side walls are designed to reduce internal reflections and the front baffle is wider than the rear of the cabinet. On the back is a set of sturdy 4mm binding posts with tri-wiring capability.

SCM40 is an analytical and gritty loudspeaker that offers a clear and detailed reproduction of sound and is also available in the active version SCM40A.

Pairings

The ATC SCM40 loudspeakers require a good power delivery to be able to express themselves at their best. To obtain excellent sonic transparency, we suggest using Hegel integrated amplifiers, in particular the H390 model or the top of the range H590, which offer dynamics, musicality and detail.

If you want a Made in UK setup, you can consider pairing the SCM40 floorstanding speakers with the Cyrus i9-XR integrated amplifier, which guarantee an excellent detailed, precise and reactive sound rendering. If you want more power, we recommend the Pre-XR solution in combination with power amps of the same English brand: such as the stereophonic X Power and Stereo 200, or a pair of monophonic Mono X 300 Signature.

The Chord Electronics electronics, used in the same recording studios where the ATC monitors are used, can surprise for the level of detail and sharpness offered, thanks also to the famous proprietary technologies integrated in their DACs.

For those looking for a great solution at an affordable price, Cambridge Audio's Top Range Edge line is definitely worth considering.

Accessories

To obtain the best performance from the SCM40 loudspeakers, it is important to use high quality power cables, for correct transmission of the current from the amplifier to the loudspeaker terminals. In this regard, we recommend the use of Chord Company cables, such as ClearwayX power cables or - for better quality - ShawlineX, which guarantee extraordinary clarity and sound transparency, fundamental values also shared by ATC.

The SCM40 speakers have rather modest dimensions and are completed with a bolted MDF base with adjustable spikes to allow perfect positioning on any type of flooring.

To improve sound clarity and spatiality, we suggest using the solutions of IsoAcoustics – a leading company in the production of passive systems for the management of unwanted vibrations in audio components (Hi Fi and Professional). In particular, for the floorstanding speakers we recommend the Gaia stands, to be installed in place of the original screws. In the case of the SCM40 we recommend a set of 4 Gaia II to be installed using the special M8-1.25 screws already included in the package.

SPECIFICHE TECNICHE

SCM40

Drivers: HF ATC 25mm Neodymium, Mid 75mm ATC Soft Dome, LF ATC 164mm SC

Matched Response: ±0.5dB

Frequency Response (-6dB): 48Hz-22kHz

Dispersion: ±80° Coherent Horizontal, ±10° Coherent Vertical

Sensitivity: 85dB @ 1W @ 1metre

Max SPL: 112dB

Recommended Power Amplifier: 75 to 300 Watts

Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohm

Crossover Frequencies: 380Hz & 3.5kHz

Connectors: Binding Posts/4mm Plugs, tri-wire

Cabinet Dimensions (HxWxD): 980 x 370 x 305mm (inc. foot plinth, spikes add 25mm to height, grill adds 34mm to depth)

Weight: 31kg

Spikes: 4 per cabinet, M8 x 1.25mm