ATC SCM-100A vs SCM-50A

[Harmonic]

Anyone who has experience with both the scm 50A and the scm 100a, could you characterize the difference. I have heard that the 50 has 'better' bass and the 100 needs a larger room. The cost difference is not great so I am reluctant to go with the smaller speaker unless there is a reason to do so. The room is 11ft x 20 ft with 8 ft ceilings. Genre is mostly classical and vocals. SPL levels will vary considerably, from max spl of 80 in some instances, to max spl of 105-110 in others. Listening distance from speakers pretty much fixed at 6 - 7 ft. Recommendations with rationale welcome.

[basshoss]

I have a pair of SCM100As in my bedroom studio. The bass is good and can adequately reproduce the dynamics of a full drumkit played loud. I have also heard SCM50s (presumably the 50A) but in a different setting and as part of a hifi setup. They sounded great too and no lack of bass response, but I doubt if they would reproduce large drums at realistic (loud) volumes.

[fifthcircle]

For classical stuff, you definitely want to go with the 100's... The 50's are very nice (don't get me wrong), but the bass extension and larger soundstage of the 100's and 150's is definitely worth it.


--Ben

I had a pair of SCM 100A's in a room about your size. I wanted to keep them, but I felt that they were just too big for my room. I am doing rock and pop, though. Amazing speakers though. There's a bunch of cats whining about them (the "A's") not being the latest amp and so forth. Just G/S-B/S, I'm afraid...

[Harmonic]

Great responses. How are the 50's and the 100's at the lower spl levels, both differences between the two and the two in general. In other words, is is just less volume or do they go 'flat' (for lack of a better word).

[fifthcircle]

If you're asking if you get a punchy sound with them at higher levels, then the answer is no... One of the things about ATC speakers is that they sound the same regardless of the volume that you are listening to. Big and transparent is what they do well at any volume.

I'll add a couple things as well:

1. they should work in a room that size, but you'll definitely want to make sure it is treated well.
2. You will want to make sure you have good monitor controllers for them. As the fidelity is so high, the weak points of a system become very obvious...

--Ben

[Suriv]

I don't know if you have actually seen any of the ATC's but they are massive..

Your room is a bit small even for the 50's .. My contol room .. Its 30 Sq , yours is 20 square so a third smaller and I have 50 x 600mm by 300mm wall panels with owens in and 16 bass traps and that's what it took to tame the room and get the speakers sounding good...

And they need space to breath otherwise they sound shit ... And considering you need to have a good space between you and the speakers , and preferably the speakers not too close to the walls is your room might not even handle the 50's especially at loud volumes...

my only suggestion just be 100 % on what the room can handle..

Surely you could send an e mail to ATC and ask them their opinion on your room size ?
Most amazing speakers tho

[fifthcircle]

As I post here, I'm listening to a set of SCM 100's facing the short direction of a room that is about 18x14x9. In other words, not much different than the OP's situation. You do need to be a bit careful with volume as they can overwhealm the room. That being said, the room has been well treated with some big bass traps, smaller traps and diffusion. It isn't too dead, but not live either.

I can hear great on these speakers- no major complaints.

(back to my Turina and Beethoven quartets)

--Ben

[Ben F]

We have the SCM 50s (active) here as well, with a 12" sub. They do need a lot of space. Sound amazing though very truthful monitor.