Power cord upgrade for ATC 100A Active Speakers


Hello:

I've just acquired a pair of ATC SCM100A active speakers, and I'm wondering what other users of ATC actives have done regarding stock PCs versus upgraded PCs.

I did a quick test of a cheap PC versus a Cardas Clear Beyond Power cable, and was surprised to NOT hear a big difference, given that the same cable made a huge difference in my previous (passive) system (a Benchmark AHB2 and SCM 40s).

In that setup, the Beyond PC increased the mid/lower bass, and provided more slam and musicality.  It felt like a component-level upgrade.  I expected a similar improvement with the 100As...not that they sounded lean in any way with the stock PC.

Would love to hear from other ATC active owners who upgraded their PCs.  What did you choose?  Did you find a big difference, or was it just a box-checker?

Thanks in advance for your advice/experience in this matter.

Best, JAMES

jimboman

Showing 2 responses by jimboman

Thanks to all for the responses.  I appreciate the varied perspectives.

@buellrider97  I have a dedicated 10AWG 3-wire 20-amp line, with a Cardas outlet for one 100A speaker (which was originally setup to power the 2-channel Benchmark AHB2), and am running the other 100A off the house 15A circuit (which also powers the digital front end).

We are planning a move, and probably a basement renovation, so I will either run a single 20A for both speakers, or 2 x 20A lines, although I wonder if this might be overkill.  I don't usually listen at high volumes, and the 100As have great dynamics even now, with the stock cables.

I was hoping to hear from some folks who actually are running ATC active speakers, as their real-world experience would be an asset.  That said, my limited experience so far has been that 'everything makes a difference' -- sometimes, even if it's just peace of mind that each link in the system chain is strong.

Best, JAMES.