Recommendation for ATC SCM150 Amp/Pre

I ordered SCM150 passive speakers and awaiting shipment in about 2 months.

Looking for an amp/pre amp combination that would best work with these speakers.

I have a large pretty well treated room, 45' x 16' x 8'

My taste is classical large scale symphony, piano, cello etc.

Dynamics are very important but so is tone and instrument timbre.

I love harmonically rich tube sound but understand that I will be limited by power.

Front end: Technics 1200G with umami red cart, luxman eq500 phono, Aurender A100 streamer/dac.

I am open to Bi-amping options if anyone can recommend from personal experience.

budget 20k for amps, 10k preamp, used market ok.

possibilities : Electrocompaniet AW 300M, single AW800, Audio research Ref 250 or possibly 750, luxman m10x, etc.

ei001h12-19-2024 2:47am

soix Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,976 posts 12-19-2024 at 08:12pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Yeah, I got to hear an Electocompaniet amp and I can definitely understand why you’d like their amps given your sonic goals.
soix Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,976 posts 12-19-2024 at 05:24pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Congrats on your awesome new speakers! I sold ATC speakers for a bit, and if it was me I’d get a Class A amp from the likes of Boulder, Pass, etc. and pair it with a tube pre that would be the Spatial Audio Raven, but the Aric Audio Motherload XL and Backert Rhumba Extreme or Rhythm would also be well worth a look, and all three offer trial/return period. This is absolutely the way I’d go given what you’re looking for. The Class A amp will give you some warmth and fullness in the mids while providing all the current the ATCs definitely need, and the tube pre will likewise provide great tonal properties/soundstage and inject some life/tube magic into what is ostensibly a studio monitor. I would not recommend tube amps with your speakers at all — it’s a mismatch and you won’t get all your wonderful speakers are capable of. Restrict the tubes to the preamp and you’ll be more than fine. Just my $0.02 FWIW, and best of luck.