Neat and petite
By M.K. CHONG
Model: ATC SCM7 loudspeakers
Price: RM4,750
Distributed by HOME AUDIO DESIGN (M) SDN BHD (Tel: 012-322 3239)
STANDING shy of a foot tall, the ATC SCM7 loudspeaker can hardly be considered large in any sense of the word, but it does present to the persevering enthusiast a large sound that belies its diminutive dimensions.
LOOKS MAY DECEIVE: They may be small and look conventional, but the ATC SCM7 speakers are excellent transducers.
ATC has had an illustrious three-decade long history and represents one of the few speaker design houses involved in both professional and commercial speaker markets, where their speakers can be found in many professional recording studios as well as renowned performance halls.
Characteristic of its pervasive engineering roots, ATC designs have traditionally been known to tilt towards function over form, though the company痴 most recent pro models are bucking that trend. Although the SCM7s look much like conventional Brit speakers, their construction speaks of methods not commonly practised of late. The enclosure is made of finely veneered high-density plywood while the baffle is a metal plate bolted down to the main structure. It is to this baffle that the mid-bass driver is mounted, from behind no less, and secured via sturdy bolts from the front. LS3/5a devotees would be sure to recognise these traits in the BBC mini monitors.
The illustrious LS3/5a, manufactured to the specifications of the BBC, has a three-decade strong history with an ardent international ・if sometimes resolute ・following for a pair of speakers that were designed primarily for near-field studio monitoring and broadcast applications. A cursory once over would have one surmise the SCM7 to be an LS3/5a clone, but beyond the similarities in lines and configuration, the SCM7 turns out to be quite a different animal altogether.
Small talk
From the ground up, the SCM7 speaks volumes of its ATC lineage. Like truly fine watches, the drivers on the SCM7 ・a 25mm soft dome tweeter and a 125mm midbass ・are proprietary designs and factory manufactured, not mere applications of off-the-shelf units, which is a common industry practice. The midbass driver features a die-cast aluminium basket with a huge magnet assembly that physically dominates the entire driver, accounting for most of the driver痴 3.6kg weight.
Despite its modest physical size (160 x 205 x 300 mm), the SCM7s require a fair amount of respect and attention to detail. I secured them to mono-column stands with globs of Blu-tak and experimented with placement for some time before setting the speakers approximately two metres apart from each other and about a metre away from the rear and side walls. Placement closer to the walls reinforced the speakers・bass response, but this also robbed width and depth from the sonic presentation. The toe-in angle, the degree to which the speakers are directed away from dead front centre and veering towards the centre listening position, was also critical and I finally dialled in a moderate toe-in angle to derive a balance between detail and air. The listening position, in keeping with the spirit of the SCM7s, was relatively near field at less than two metres from the speakers.
As with all ATCs, the SCM7s are exacting with ancillary equipment. ATC recommends amplification anywhere from 50 watts all the way up to 300 watts, and at a specified sensitivity of 84dB, you値l need every single watt. The SCM7痴 prodigious power handling and reliability is ensured by the use of high-density, edge-wound, flat OFC wire on the midbass driver痴 short voice coil. ATC, in fact, claim an amazing continuous maximum output of 103dB SPL for the SCM7s!
On the green
I have to say that I wasn稚 expecting very much in the beginning. Having listened to some of the bigger ATCs previously, I had reservations on what the SCM7s, the lowest model in the ATC roster, could deliver. But deliver it did.
DOUBLE THE CLARITY: You can biwire the ATC SCM7 speakers.
After getting the set-up and placement sorted out, the SCM7s literally disappeared, leaving nothing but a wide and musical sound stage to bear. The resident Meridian 555 power amp, paired with the Antique Sound Labs choke-based LH-01 tube preamp, synergised beautifully with the SCM7, bringing to the fore a vivid and open midrange tonality with accurate harmonic structures. The sober lucidity of my solid-state Classe 30 preamp did not gel well in this ensemble and thus made way for the LH-01 for the remainder of the review.
Treble extension is clean and crisp without being too bright, building upon the SCM7痴 open airy nature. This characteristic was particularly apparent with higher resolution SACD recordings. Imaging within the deep sound stage was just shy of being three-dimensional but served to illuminate the communicative flow of the music and the performers. To be sure, I have listened to speakers that have thrown wider, deeper and more defined presentations in contrast, but these speakers also belonged to a totally different price league.
Dynamically, the SCM7 has a sense of rightness to it, setting fingers snapping and feet tapping. Most of that rhythmic integrity derives its impetus from a spontaneous and peppy upper bass. But though the SCM7 may give the impression that it wants to party (and it does), its physical limits do show themselves early on and dramatically at that, with audible distortion setting in with moderately bass heavy material.
That being the case, these aren稚 exactly the sort of speakers you壇 want to listen to Japanese taiko drums or a Brazilian percussion ensemble on. The lack of true bass is an undeniable facet of the speaker and as such will preclude it from some musical genres, but matching it with a high quality active subwoofer would inject a good dose of sorely missing grunt to the mix.
Aficionados wanted
As stated before, this little speaker has to be taken seriously and will have to be paired with ancillary equipment that are on par or beyond for it to really sing. So, is the SCM7 for everyone? Probably not, but for those who are looking for an LS3/5a equivalent, do listen to this speaker before signing on the dotted line.
For: Midrange integrity; robust construction; excellent driver build quality; will reward fastidious attention to detail in set-up, placement and component/ancillary matching.
Against: Needs lots of high quality power; little appreciable mid and low bass; not for everyone; $$$.
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