ATC SCM40 stumbles the SN2?

Blimey

such a huge disparity in opinions 

So strange

Perol posted:.

ATC otoh are really tempting, the stand mounts I've heard were great but, as discussed here, need hefty power.

Hi Perol, as a long time user of ATC passives and almost as long user of Naim, I can say that the earlier standmount ATCs such as the SCM12s and the rectangular boxed SCM11s with the non ATC tweeter did require a stiffer amp because of quite a demanding crossover response. 

However the newer curved case designs with the ATC tweeter and redesigned crossover are quite different propositions, and work with relatively modest amplification, even the NaitXS 2 can drive the SCM19s for example, with a slightly bouncy and soft presentation (which I think is the appeal of that amp)

I run my current SCM19s with a 250.2 and I think it’s a wonderful combination... a lovely full bodied and natural presentation with startling realism (where the recording permits) and tight and surprisingly extended bass (ie the stuff you feel rather than hear.. perhaps my room is helping here along with my 552 because the speaker is not designed to be efficient at those frequencies ). I have used a NAP200 before and that worked well too, albeit not as detailed or extended as the 250..

However what I would say is critical are the stands, after all this is the key ingredient that allows many of the benefits over floor standers. I had a lot of trial and error here with open frame and high mass stands... get it wrong and the speaker can sound slow and lifeless, smeared or too ‘zingy’ and artificial. In the end I opted for wooden and Torlyte open frame stands with the speakers placed directly on the stands with no extra coupling for the most natural and dynamic presentation in my environment.

analogmusic posted:

Blimey

 

 

If your wish was granted it may assist your listening...

analogmusic posted:

No quarter posted:

The Sopras do ALL genres well,I just happen to be listening to a lot of Jazz and classical lately,which they are awesome with.Perhaps I worded it wrong,seems like everyone just want to jump all over Focal for some reason,I love mine,and have stopped thinking about upgrades.If something l like better comes along,I will demo them,I just don’t get all this hatred.

Neither do I. ...

I recall Emre of this forum also changed his Sonus Faber Cremona for Sopra 2 or Sopra 3? 

 

So what do you expect all your citings and quotes changes for the non Fok'alls people ?

No quarter posted:

The Sopras do ALL genres well,I just happen to be listening to a lot of Jazz and classical lately,which they are awesome with.Perhaps I worded it wrong,seems like everyone just want to jump all over Focal for some reason,I love mine,and have stopped thinking about upgrades.If something l like better comes along,I will demo them,I just don’t get all this hatred.

Not liking the sound and looks of a speaker means not that I hate it, hate is something more substantially, perhaps you hate a person, maybe some food, TV hate crimes comes to mind

I just think fuk'alls do not sound good, looks ugly and are way overpriced, nothing to do with hate

Innocent Bystander posted:

analogmusic posted:

Blimey

 

 

If your wish was granted it may assist your listening...

Since a poster had "Blimey" in the header it seem to become a wording mostly used

Is it smart ?

Perol posted:

No quarter posted:

The Sopras do ALL genres well,I just happen to be listening to a lot of Jazz and classical lately,which they are awesome with.Perhaps I worded it wrong,seems like everyone just want to jump all over Focal for some reason,I love mine,and have stopped thinking about upgrades.If something l like better comes along,I will demo them,I just don’t get all this hatred.

Not liking the sound and looks of a speaker means not that I hate it, hate is something more substantially, perhaps you hate a person, maybe some food, TV hate crimes comes to mind

I just think fuk'alls do not sound good, looks ugly and are way overpriced, nothing to do with hate

I suppose you are entitled to your opinion,what Speakers do YOU use?...so I have some idea where YOU are coming from.Love your nickname for Focal,by the way.

Perol,

I absolutely agree to your opinion on the Sopra's, but being Dutch, I like these:

some people's systems..... 

It's a mystery what speakers, which amplifiers and which sources they use.

No quarter posted:

Perol posted:

No quarter posted:

The Sopras do ALL genres well,I just happen to be listening to a lot of Jazz and classical lately,which they are awesome with.Perhaps I worded it wrong,seems like everyone just want to jump all over Focal for some reason,I love mine,and have stopped thinking about upgrades.If something l like better comes along,I will demo them,I just don’t get all this hatred.

Not liking the sound and looks of a speaker means not that I hate it, hate is something more substantially, perhaps you hate a person, maybe some food, TV hate crimes comes to mind

I just think fuk'alls do not sound good, looks ugly and are way overpriced, nothing to do with hate

I suppose you are entitled to your opinion,what Speakers do YOU use?...so I have some idea where YOU are coming from.Love your nickname for Focal,by the way.

Fair asking but it would make little sence and to someone not at all

it's funny how this ATC thread became a Focal Thread. It is really fascinating , because in France , Focal speakers will be rarely partnered
with a Naim amplification ( they are not sold by the same dealers). the Focal brand is regrouping very different speakers. I did not hear the new Kanta Range ,
but the hifi range used to start until recently with the Sopra range ( it works very well with 250-300 amps). The Aria range that somebody is mentionning in the previous posts as a good partner to naim amps,  is only found in "high end" home theatre setups .

analogmusic posted:

some people's systems..... 

It's a mystery what speakers, which amplifiers and which sources they use.

 

the mystery of my non intended naim sound perhaps....

Not referring to your system at all 

It  would be nice to understand the context of some posts to understand better.

with such a huge variation on the opinion on the same product it’s helpful

Stringerbell posted:

it's funny how this ATC thread became a Focal Thread. It is really fascinating , because in France , Focal speakers will be rarely partnered
with a Naim amplification ( they are not sold by the same dealers). the Focal brand is regrouping very different speakers. I did not hear the new Kanta Range ,
but the hifi range used to start until recently with the Sopra range ( it works very well with 250-300 amps). The Aria range that somebody is mentionning in the previous posts as a good partner to naim amps,  is only found in "high end" home theatre setups .

As someone with the Uniti2 and Aria 926's do you mind if I quote your post to Naim and demand my money back under the trade descriptions act? I was sold the pair as a HiFi set up and on the understanding that Naim themselves had voiced the 926's using the Uniti2. Clearly they don't actually know what they are doing and I'm sure they will be pleased to be put right.

analogmusic posted:

Not referring to your system at all 

It  would be nice to understand the context of some posts to understand better.

with such a huge variation on the opinion on the same product it’s helpful

 

If you’re referring to speakers, nothing strange at all. They all sound different, imposing their own character, clearly all far from perfect, whatever that is (except possibly one...). Back in the mid 1970sI went on a speaker hunt with £300 to spend - around £2500-3000 in today’s money, so getting into the serious speaker category (and in those days there were few speakers, if any, more than double that). And I was shocked at how different they all sounded. I had a shortlist of 12 or 13 that I auditioned, and three quarters of them I rejected in just a couple of minutes, with the first track played - awful to my ears, yet all had reviewed well in the hifi press. One in particular gets occasional fond mention from people who still have them, Gale 401 - yet they didn’t survive the first track for me.

But what I settled on stood the test of time - I upgraded to their biggest brother some years later, my brother-in-law gratefully taking them and wondering what he ever saw in his IBLs, and then when I changed to my current PMCs - very much in the same character, just a bit better - a couple of years ago said b-i-l took my big IMFs and my original TLS50iis returned home, now my awestruck son’s, and actually I could live with them quite happily if I didn’t have the PMCs.

So for some people to love the focals and others hate them to me is just normal for speakers. Just as although I haven’t heard them, I suspect I’d hate Kans, but some people love them.

analogmusic posted:

Not referring to your system at all 

It  would be nice to understand the context of some posts to understand better.

with such a huge variation on the opinion on the same product it’s helpful

 

better understood now .....   Perhaps my response will be too simple, but i would say it is just a question of preferences, tastes, different ears sensibilities.   For instance Focal speakers :  it is just difficult to say that they are bad speakers.  Acclaimed all over the world audio community, but some like, some dislike.      The same for naim, some doesn’t like this kind of sound and prefer 8w audio note amp in avant -garde speakers....

I have ordered some new speakers!

Ive ordered a bacon roll and coffee. Bet mine arrives before yours.