I Was Considering Active, Then I Watched This ...

I can say this, we get more calls about active now (regarding info on ATC as we are the importer) than ever before.  I think this bias against active is beginning to change.  Not that passive will go away, but some are beginning to want to scale down (a turntable/streamer, preamp and active speakers is nice simple system that has high WAF). or hear a pair of actives and like them better.  

Brad

One reason active is better is the short speaker wire from amp to speaker and long I/C from pre to amp. I was told by one cable mfg this is the preferred way to do things. 

Brad,

Are the amplifiers different between the SE versions and the classic versions of active ATC speakers?  If so, what would be the sonic gains?

Does ATC makes actives with amplifiers external to the speaker enclosure?  

Thank you.

HI @glai 

The SE uses all discrete amplifers, the best [sounding] amplifiers ATC makes.  More esolution, finer detials are more clear, etc.  

Yes ATC has made external amp actives for a long time.  IN the pro side they make the  SCM200 and 300- both use an external 3 channel power amp for each speaker.  There are tower versions of these for home using a different tweeter (ATC vs the AUdax super high power one for pro) but it still uses the P4 external amp/crossover package liek the pro version.  Tjhese sound great but use fans to keep cool so not the best for living rooms, bu better suited to a machine room where they can be remoted.  RIght now they make a 150LE that uses a 3 channel, passive cooled P6, with intergrated crossover, so this is an "external active" solution that functions the same as our internal active set ups.