Recording - March 2017 - 36
ATC SCM12 Pro Monitors and
ATC P1 Pro Amplifier
These passive monitors and amp bring ATC
quality into any studio environment
PRICES: SCM12 Pro monitors, $2000/pair;
P1 Pro amplifier, $3500; purchased as a system
with two speakers and one amplifier, $4350
have been blessed to try, test, review, and use quite a
few different monitor speakers over the years, from entry level up to some of the most state-of-the-art models
made. Despite that, the one company whose speakers
I have not had the chance to hear outside of trade shows
or demos in other studios has been the British firm ATC
Loudspeakers. A big reason is that ATC monitors live in an
elite studio world where speakers can be the size of small
refrigerators and cost upwards of $17,000 and beyond.
Recently, however, ATC launched the new SCM12 Pro
monitor along with its matching P1 Pro Amplifier. I finally
got the chance to mix on a pair of ATC monitors in my
own space for about a month.
The P1 Pro amplifier, which is designed for use with a
pair of SCM12 Pro speakers, is a stereo MOSFET Class
AB design that puts out 150W per side @ 8Ω. It has a
frequency response of 2 Hz-400 kHz (-3 dB) and THD
<0.002% / -95dB (1 kHz, 1 dB below full power).
It is a high-tech modern looking design in a 3U 19"
brushed silver rack enclosure and it weighs 44 lbs. It's a
simple design, with no onboard level/power attenuation
and a touch-sensitive on/off switch. On the back are standard
binding posts along with XLR and RCA inputs for each
channel, as well as RCA link outs.
Although you can purchase the speakers and amp
separately, they are designed to work together as a system.
There is even a very significant price break when the
speakers and amplifier are purchased as a package!
SCM12 Pro
In use
REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR.
I
The SCM12 Pro is a 2-way passive design. Its low/mid
frequency driver is a 6" CLD speaker. CLD stands for
Constrained Layer Damping and is a proprietary ATC
design that uses a multi-layered composite cone with a
central damping layer sandwiched within. This is made
to reduce cone breakup and distortion. The 1" tweeter is
ATC's SH25-76 dual suspension soft dome design that,
according to ATC, allows "free pistonic voice coil movement
without reliance on ferrofluid."
These are housed in a black sealed MDF cabinet
measuring 15.7 x 9.4 x 9.3 inches and weighing 24 lb.
On the rear of the cabinet are two sets of binding posts
that come linked for stock use, but can be uncoupled if
you choose to bi-amplify the cabinet.
They are designed to handle 75 to 300 Watts per cabinet at an
8Ω impedance. They offer a frequency range of 80 Hz-16 kHz
(±2 dB, extended to 56Hz-22 kHz at -6 dB tolerance), a maximum SPL of 108 dB (per pair @ 1m), and they have an internal
crossover frequency of 2.2 kHz.
36
P1 Pro
RECORDING MARCH 2017
I set up the system in my GIK Acoustics-treated control
room as a second set of monitors alongside my larger 3-way
Focal Trio6 Be monitors. My initial reaction was: Wow, they
could not be more different! For obvious size reasons, the
Focal 3-ways had more room low end due to their 8" drivers,
and their beryllium tweeters are noticeably brighter than
most soft dome designs (not just ATC's). Having said that, I
was impressed that after a few days' break-in time, the ATCs
were instantly comfortable to work and mix with.
Sonically, I would describe them as smooth, full, and
solid, and even a tad warm sounding-not in a mushy
or pillowy way, it's more that they lack the usual modern,
ultra-bright studio monitor high end that we have become
accustomed to. The adjective I keep coming back to when
describing them is that their sound is pleasant.
Note that when I say "warm", I am describing speakers, not
a mic. These monitors are still clear, clean and detailed, with
a very natural fullness of sound across the frequency spectrum from the lows to highs. Nothing sounds hyped or
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - March 2017
Contents
Recording - March 2017 - Intro
Recording - March 2017 - Cover1
Recording - March 2017 - Cover2
Recording - March 2017 - 1
Recording - March 2017 - 2
Recording - March 2017 - 3
Recording - March 2017 - 4
Recording - March 2017 - 5
Recording - March 2017 - Contents
Recording - March 2017 - 7
Recording - March 2017 - 8
Recording - March 2017 - 9
Recording - March 2017 - 10
Recording - March 2017 - 11
Recording - March 2017 - 12
Recording - March 2017 - 13
Recording - March 2017 - 14
Recording - March 2017 - 15
Recording - March 2017 - 16
Recording - March 2017 - 17
Recording - March 2017 - 18
Recording - March 2017 - 19
Recording - March 2017 - 20
Recording - March 2017 - 21
Recording - March 2017 - 22
Recording - March 2017 - 23
Recording - March 2017 - 24
Recording - March 2017 - 25
Recording - March 2017 - 26
Recording - March 2017 - 27
Recording - March 2017 - 28
Recording - March 2017 - 29
Recording - March 2017 - 30
Recording - March 2017 - 31
Recording - March 2017 - 32
Recording - March 2017 - 33
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Recording - March 2017 - 72
Recording - March 2017 - Cover3
Recording - March 2017 - Cover4
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