Chrome Bumper Series w/ Power-Line

Aric,

I have a Power-Line on my late 1980s CB 250 and I can confirm that, in terms of SQ, it’s worth the expense. With the Power-Line in place, the sound is a bit less mechanical and grainy, a bit smoother but also more lively, natural and articulate. No negatives that I’ve noticed.

I have a mixture of CB and newer boxes (no olive), but I’ve never been bothered to move the PL around to see if it would sound better elsewhere. As my 250 is my oldest component, I felt like it needed the most help. And my dealer is of the opinion that, because the IEC socket on the CB gear is less sophisticated than the newer ones – less isolation from vibration, etc. – CB boxes seem to benefit more from the addition of a PL.

Hope that helps,

Colm

Aric,

Thank you for your kind comments. I’m very happy with the 7s. I had heard that ATCs generally take a long time to fully break in, and I have found that to be the case. I’ve had them for over four months now, and my sense is that, although very good now, they still have a bit left to give. I was planning on posting a review – “what speakers should I buy?” is a very common question – but I’d like to hold off a while longer, until I feel that they’re well and truly “there.”

They’re certainly more than up to the task of keeping pace with any number of front end upgrades. You’ll have noticed that my system is something of a “reverse mullet” i.e. very heavily weighted towards the front end. I had Linn Katans before the ATCs and I found them a very satisfactory, well rounded speaker, but I never truly loved them. One big improvement the ATCs have brought is the capacity to convey emotion in the music, something the Katans struggled with – if the feeling is there in the music, the 7s will bring it out.

It’s too early to be sure, but they may well be the last speaker I buy, even if I upgrade to a pre-loved 552 which (apart from eventually changing my CB250 to the much lauded 250DR) is my upgrading endgame.

All the best,

Colm

Colm,

Reviewing your system I did surmise - perhaps incorrectly so - that neighbors are probably a concern, and that moving large amounts of air could be problematic for where you live That being said, IMO, one of the truly great things about ATC's are their voicing, a characteristic that is maintained up and down their line. I have 10s, I've heard 20s (the older model) and 100's at length. They all sound more or less the same, you just get more of it as you move up. 

Many here don't like the sheer transparency of the ATC speaker, believing the brutal revelation of shite recordings a poor quality. I couldn't disagree more! To me, nothing approaches the live sound as a pair of ATC speakers. The dynamics, resolution, timbre, speed are all class best, but throw in a system intelligently built around Naim, Linn, and Rega and it only improves. I also think that many American homes have (generally) perhaps softer barriers / room features, and as such, these ATC qualities aren't as exaggerated. Finally, after listening to live music for more than a couple of continuous hours, I think most people's ears begin to tire. Mine do. It's hard to find fault with reproducing what I find with live music, played at enjoyable (i.e. Intense) levels. 

Cheers

Aric

Okay, so the Hicap arrived today! Immediately moved into the system and connected with the Power-Line. Combined with my BB gear the HC has definitely taken everything up a significant notch. 

The simplest description is the system has far greater realism. Every instrument just became that much closer to the real thing playing in my living room. Bass has definitely improved - drums have much greater slam - but I think the overall musical presence has escalated beyond simple "bass improvement". 

I will enjoy this arrangement for a while. Next upgrade is a room upgrade - new house. I'll ditch the AV intertwining function of the setup - which will dramatically improve cable dressing, move the rack from between the speakers out to a side wall, and then and only then will I contemplate a new box.

I say this with the caveat that I might buy a Hi-Line at the right price

When I started out – getting on for 30 years ago – speaker size was certainly an issue. I lived in rented accommodation, and so I needed a speaker that was small and worked close to a wall. I also preferred standmounters, as floorstanders are more likely to get damaged around the base. Loud volumes were also out of the question, but that didn’t affect my choice one way or the other.

These days I live in a fully detached house, and there are times during the day when I have it to myself, so I’m oftern free to crank it as much as my hearing will bear. But I’m still a big fan of the small speaker. I like how they disappear, both visually and sonically, and I can live with their limitations.

I’ve yet to hear a system with big speakers that’s made me feel that I’m missing out, but I keep an open mind. In fact, when I think of systems that I’ve really liked, none of them have been all that “impressive.” The Kans, and then the Katans, were more than capable of keeping up with all my upgrades, so I greatly doubt I’ll outgrow the 7s. Then again, no speaker is perfect, so if I come across one that beats the 7s and gives me something worthwhile in addition, I’d be open to changing again.

Regarding fidelity/transparency, I find that the 7s capture whatever intensity is in the music very well, and they’re certainly revealing, but I still wouldn’t describe them as “ruthless.” If anything, they seem to do a good job of combining speed with a touch of warmth and roundness. Having listened to the 7s and the 11s, my sense is that much of the conventional wisdom about ATCs – they’re aggressive, they’re unrefined, they’re only good for rock, they need a lot of power to wake up, they don’t sound good at low levels, etc. – is out of date.

All the best,

Colm