The ATC SCM40A is a pair of high-end active floor-standing speakers with exceptional sonic performance and award-winning sound quality. It is quite rare to find floor-standers with their own built-in amplifiers and kind of justify the hefty price tag of the SCM40A. Right now, we just need to worry about finding a matching preamp for these magnificent loudspeakers.
Finding the right preamp for the job will require us to learn more about the sonic characteristics of the ATC SCM40A and also to find out more about your preamp requirements. Once we have gathered enough data we will then be able to prepare a list of the best preamps to go for. This preamplifiers list will be shared with you later.
Table of Contents
Sonic Characteristics of ATC SCM40A and Your Preamp Requirements
These 3-way floor-standing speakers are heavy thanks to their built-in power amplifiers and we suggest seeking help when moving them. The amplifier output delivers 32 Watts to the 1″ (25mm) dual-suspension tweeter, 60 Watts to the 3″ (75mm) ATC Soft Dome MF, and 150 Watts to the 6.5″ (164mm) SC LF driver. The frequency response of the ATC SCM40A is 48Hz to 22kHz (-6dB) which is fine, even though we expected the floor-standers to reach deeper into the bass extension. Still, for sealed loudspeakers, we can’t really expect too much when it comes to bass output.
The sealed speaker cabinet design does give us the flexibility of placing the ATC SCM40A nearer to the walls but they would still need breathing space to perform optimally. The bass performance of this ATC active floor-standing speaker is extraordinary. There are so many details and textures, adding depth to the overall sound reproduction. The transients are fast and articulate, keeping pace with the upper registers so as to provide us with coherent overall sound reproduction. Its low-end delivery is precise and taut, never overstays its welcome, and has just the right impact.
The midbass performance of the ATC SCM40A is superb and adds more realism to the already realistic-sounding midrange reproduction. These floor-standing speakers have top-notch music handling and a wide dynamic range, remaining composed even when the music passage starts to get tough. The level of insights is impressive as well and the ATC SCM40A effortlessly delivered a rich musical performance. Its stereo imaging and separation are amazing, not to mention, it is also precise. ATC SCM40A is capable of delivering an impactful crescendo and it would be slightly better if the overall sound reproduction could reach deeper into the bass extension.
If you require a deeper bass reproduction, you can always go for a preamp with a subwoofer output and connect it to an active sub. We will recommend going with sealed subwoofers to match with the ATC SCM40A speakers. You should also consider other requirements such as a built-in D/A converter or high-quality phono stage for listeners who use turntables. Listeners who prefer the warmth of vacuum tubes might want to go with tube preamp instead. You can also tube roll in the future so as to alter the sonic characteristics of your stereo sound system.
The budget you have allocated to invest in a preamp will determine the price range you can aim for. The dimensions of the preamplifier can be a requirement especially if you have very limited space. Certain sonic traits you are going for when choosing a preamp should be jotted down somewhere and you might want to rank accordingly based on importance. The type of connections the preamp has can be a requirement too. You should consider these preamp requirements seriously and add in more on your own. When you are firm with what you want then please take a look at the best preamps to match with the ATC SCM40A active speakers.
ATC SCM40A Specifications
- Type: 3-Way (Sealed)
- Frequency Response: 48Hz-22kHz (-6dB)
- Drivers: 1″ (25mm) Dual-Suspension Tweeter, 3″ (75mm) ATC Soft Dome MF, 6.5″ (164mm) ATC SC LF driver
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 980mm x 370mm x 344mm | 38.6″ x 14.6″ x 13.5″
- Weight: 36kg (79.3lbs)
Best Preamps to match with ATC SCM40A
The Sugden Masterclass LA-4 is a sanely priced active preamp with impeccable sonic performance for the money and will match well with the ATC SCM40A loudspeakers. The soundstage which the Sugden Masterclass LA-4 projects are spacious and open. It is an insightful preamp with plenty of music details to boot and the subtle nuances can be heard clearly as well. The stereo imaging is amazing and it will match well with the ATC SCM40A active speakers. At this price point, the Sugden Masterclass LA-4 is certainly worth your time to have an audition with them.
Benchmark LA4 is an excellent line preamp and will match well with the ATC SCM40A active speakers. The LA4 line preamplifier adds higher resolution to the already very detailed overall sound reproduction of the SCM40A. The added details help to provide an even more realistic sound rendering of vocals and musical instruments. This is a very revealing preamplifier and doesn’t sound clinical when pushed which is great. Benchmark LA4’s extremely polished background helps to make the ATC SCM40A stand out more and the music presentation is highly defined as well.
For listeners who only listen to their vinyl records, the Parasound JC 3+ will be an ideal choice for you. This is a high-end phono preamp with a modest price tag and will pair well with the ATC SCM40A speakers. The dual-mono design makes the JC 3+ even more suitable to match with the SCM40A active floor-standers. It supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. The Parasound JC 3+ has a clean and clear sound reproduction with ultra-low noise background. Its stereo imaging is equally impressive and adds a bit more solidity to the musicians playing on a spacious soundstage.
The Cambridge Audio Edge NQ is a preamp with a network player and will be an exemplary match for your ATC SCM40A, especially when you are planning to go all digital. Edge NQ is an awesome streaming preamplifier with plenty of features to boot. It has a built-in DAC supporting up to 32-bit/384kHz sample rates and decodes DSD 256 high-res audio files. There are high-quality wireless music streaming features such as AirPlay, Bluetooth (aptX HD), and more. Cambridge Audio Edge NQ also adds its own enthusiasm and energy into the overall sound reproduction without compromising details retrieval.
Naim Uniti Star All-in-One Network Streamer – More Details at Amazon
If you prefer an all-analog design then perhaps you might want to take a look at the McIntosh C70. This is a 2-channel vacuum tube preamplifier and will be a worthy partner to your ATC SCM40A active speakers. The level of clarity is astounding and there is an additional layer of dimension that brings the musicians to life. The ATC SCM40A was able to produce the beautiful sound quality seamlessly with the McIntosh C70 vacuum tube preamp. The sense of realism is astonishing and the allure is simply irresistible. If budget is not an issue, it is certainly worthwhile to hear them out first.
The ATC SCA2 is probably the best preamp to match with your ATC SCM40A especially if you are already in love with the active speakers. We can expect seamless integration sonically between the SCA2 and SCM40A since both are designed by the same company. The sound reproduction of the ATC SCA2 is realistic which complements the ATC active floor-standers really well. It also has a high level of transparency and this suits the ATC SCM40A even further. The overall sound reproduction is agile and articulate with incredible dynamics handling. It handles almost all music genres exceptionally well too.
Naim Uniti Nova All-in-One – More Details at Amazon
To Sum It Up
ATC SCM40A certainly deserves to be paired with the best preamp on the market and the ones listed here are some of the top choices to go for. You might want to shortlist a few of them based on your requirements and arrange an audition in your own listening room. Play your favorite tunes during the auditioning of the preamps and see if you like the sound quality coming out from your ATC SCM40A active floor-standers. Feel free to do a few more rounds of auditioning just to be sure.
