The ATC SCM11 is one of the more popular loudspeakers designed and made by ATC which has undergone various upgrades and improvements over the years such as having a new soft dome HF unit. It is well-received by discerning critics and garnered quite a few accolades under its belt. SCM11 speakers are also highly regarded by audiophiles due to their high sound quality.
Pairing the ATC SCM11 stand-mounters with a matching amplifier is essential in bringing out their sonic prowess and quality. We will be listing out the best amplifiers that you can choose to go for and pair up with the SCM11 bookshelf speakers but first, we will need to find out more about their characteristics and how they sound. This data is important and you can even use it to look for amplifiers on your own in the future.
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Sonic Characteristics and Merits of ATC SCM11
There are changes been made to the visual aspects of the ATC SCM11 as well, it now looks more modern and has curves which not only make it look good but also help to reduce internal resonance. This newer look does make it easier to fit them right into modern home interiors and listening rooms. There are no bass ports as the ATC SCM11 uses a sealed box design and is great for listeners who have limited space as you would be able to place them closer to walls. The drawback of a sealed design speaker will be the lower and less pronounced bass reproduction when compared to ported speakers.
That said, the ATC SCM11 can reach quite deep into the bass extension which belies their size and cabinet design. Their frequency response is 56Hz-22kHz (-6dB) and is pretty impressive for a stand-mounter with only a 6″ (150mm) mid/LF driver and doesn’t have a bass port to support the low-end delivery. The speaker sensitivity of the SCM11 is low and it is only at 85dB. Its nominal impedance may be 8 Ohms but when you look at the recommended amplifier power of 75W to 300W and the low speaker sensitivity, these do indicate that the ATC SCM11 speakers will need high-powered amplifiers to drive them.
ATC SCM11 is a revealing speaker, it could unravel layers of music and clearly reproduce them to its listeners. The level of music details it could dig out is immense and has the ability to organize them, delivering them all out in a cohesive way. The music presentations are not only rich and detailed but also faithful to the artists’ intentions. Surprisingly, the ATC SCM11 never once sounded clinical and we are still able to enjoy listening to our music without analyzing it too much. This is due to how balanced and rhythmic the SCM11 speakers can get, the tweeters can produce extended and detailed highs but never sound harsh.
The spacious soundstage projected by the stand-mounters is also what makes it enjoyable to listen to the ATC SCM11. The scale of the sound is larger than expected and the stereo imaging is impeccable, not to mention the precision is on point as well with nice separation and spacing. Its bass performance on the other hand lacks weight and punch but the details and textures are clearly produced. The low-frequency response is taut and blends in seamlessly with the rest of the higher frequencies. These are honest bookshelf speakers and are musical enough to not sound over-analytical which makes them ideal for most listeners.
The ATC SCM11 has tight control over its music, never losing its cool and the treble doesn’t sound overly bright when pushed. It is a very accurate speaker and capable of delivering natural-sounding music without any audible colorations. They are very neutral speakers and will scale well with power too. For listeners who find the lack of bass unbearing, you can always integrate a high-quality sealed subwoofer to supplement the low-end performance. We will now start sharing with you the list of the best amplifiers that you can go for and pair them with your ATC SCM11 bookshelf speakers. The amplifiers’ prices will be taken into consideration as well and they will be quite closely matched with the ATC loudspeakers.
ATC SCM11 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 2-Way (Sealed)
- Drive Units: 1″ (25mm) Neodymium soft dome tweeter, 6″ (150mm) Mid/LF CLD
- Frequency Response: 56Hz-22kHz (-6dB)
- Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 75W to 300W
- Sensitivity (1w/1m): 85dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 381mm x 232mm x 236mm | 15″ x 9.2″ x 8.5″
- Weight: 10.9kg (24lbs)
Best Amplifiers to match with ATC SCM11
Parasound Halo Hint 6 is an ideal amplifier choice for the ATC SCM11 even though the price point is on the high side but the level of sonic performance and features you are getting are well worth the investment. This is a powerful integrated amplifier with high bias class A/AB operation and has a power output of 180 Watts RMS into 8 Ohms (270W RMS @ 4 Ohms) which allows the Hint 6 to drive the SCM11 with ease. It is an enthusiastic sounding amplifier that adds energy to the overall sound reproduction and will provide its listeners with a more engaging listening experience when paired with the ATC SCM11.
More Details at Amazon – Parasound Halo HINT 6 (Silver)
This is another amazing integrated amplifier with plenty of power and packed with features but is more affordable than the Halo Hint 6. The Peachtree Audio Nova300 uses the ICEpower amplification (Class D) with 300 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms (450 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms) which is enough to make the ATC SCM11 sing. Even though the Nova300 is using a Class D amp, it still has a hint of warmth in its overall sound reproduction and the musicality is well suited for the SCM11 loudspeakers. Due to this, Peachtree Audio Nova300 doesn’t make the sound quality leaner and the finesse of this integrated amp will complement the ATC speakers.
More Details at Amazon – Peachtree Audio Nova300 Integrated Amplifier (Piano Black)
If you are looking for power amplifiers instead, then perhaps the ATC P1 is a fine choice to go with your ATC SCM11 speakers. This is a dual-mono power amplifier with 150 Watts into 8 Ohms (both channels driven) and will be enough to drive the SCM11 stand-mounters. The ATC P1 uses high-quality Class A/B output stage circuits which are used by popular ATC active speakers. This power amplifier has tight control and remains composed even when the music passage starts to get more complex. The stereo imaging of the P1 amp works seamlessly with the ATC SCM11 to produce a vivid and rich musical performance without compromising accuracy.
The Parasound Halo A 23+ will be an excellent stereo power amplifier to match with the ATC SCM11. Like the Halo Hint 6, the A23+ uses high bias Class A/AB operation and can efficiently drive the SCM11 stand-mounters. It has up to 45 amperes peak current per channel and has a power output of 160W / 240W into 8 Ohms / 4 Ohms (both channels driven). Parasound Halo A 23+ is an agile power amp where it could handle almost all sorts of music demands without losing its footing and composure. There are plenty of music details been produced as well and the neutral characteristics with a hint of warmth will match well with the ATC SCM11.
Do you prefer mono-block power amplifiers but don’t wish to break the bank? Then please take a look at the Wyred 4 Sound mAMP mono-blocks. They may be compact in size but the mAMP can drive up to 250 Watts into 8 Ohms and 430 Watts into 4 Ohms. It is an incredibly powerful mono-block amplifier with a modest price tag and uses (ASX2) ICEpower technology, providing its users with exceptional sonic performance. The small footprint of the Wyred 4 Sound mAMP will be suitable for small listening rooms or for listeners who have limited space. This award-winning amplifier will be a suitable match for the ATC SCM11.
For listeners who have a tight budget and don’t want to compromise the sound quality, you might want to take a look at Emotiva amplifiers. The power amplifiers made by this HiFi brand are highly regarded by audiophiles for their excellent sonic performance and also how affordable they are been priced. You can start with the very modestly priced BasX A2 Stereo Amplifier, it has up to 160 Watts RMS power with both channels driven. For listeners who have a bit more budget, the Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3 stereo power amplifier will be an ideal choice for you. It is a lot more powerful and has slightly better sound quality.
More Details at Amazon – Emotiva Audio XPA2 Stereo Amplifier
To Sum It Up
These amplifiers listed here are worthy of your time to take a look and hear them out. You can pick the ones which suit your requirements the most and have an audition with them. It is best to listen to these amplifiers in your own listening room together with your ATC SCM11 stand-mounters. If you are planning to integrate a new subwoofer, the potential active sub should be auditioned together with your SCM11 and amplifiers. It may be difficult to arrange all this but the sound quality test results will be as accurate as can be.
