Tannoy vs. ATC

Thanks for the responses.  MapleGrove, I would be buying the new SCM40 V2 from my dealer, so you can have the used!  (Although I have to say I think the original SCM40 with the black face look just fine, and now a great bargain used).  Shadorne, yes, the actives are an option, for sure.  If I choose the ATCs I will consider the passive version vs. the active.   

I should add for posterity, if I chose the actives I would still have to buy a new preamp with balanced outputs to connect to the speakers.  Vintage McIntosh have RCA only.  Also, active speakers have power chords, so you have to consider additional power chords and available wall outlets (or extensions) with regard to speaker placement.  Still they are a great option.

Hoggshead and Pani,  thanks for the all the info !  It is very helpful, indeed.  I was afraid I would not be able to find people with experience with both manufacturers, so is this great.  Pani, what do you think about the Turnberry's ability to fill a room my size compared to the SCM40?  I was concerned it might be on the smallish side; also, I like the height of the Kensington - the Turnberry seems like a must for stands.

Thanks Pani and all, appreciate the info. 

Follow up - I decided to try some Tannoy Turnberry SE Loudspeakers to finally audition some Tannoy's in my home and system.  I figured this way I could hear the 'house' sound, and more importantly hear them with my vintage McIntosh equipment.  I received them today, and having unpacked them, true to form they are beautiful cabinets.  After an initial listening period, so far very impressive...  

After a week of intermittent listening, there is a lot to like about the Tannoy's.  I could sum up by saying that Pani's description above seems spot on to me.  Some things I really like:  First, as I listed in my original post I wanted something that was 'child friendly', worked well with my 40 w/ch vintage tube gear, and were easy to place in the room.  Yes on all three accounts.  Second, I like that the screens are very well built - while Tannoy recommends you listen without them, they are pretty transparent.  They are the best built screens I have ever seen, and easy to remove (for the adult but not the kid).  Third, as has been said many times, they work fine at low volumes.  I think this says a lot about the overall engineering and design.  Lastly and most importantly is the sound.  Inner harmonics are fantastic, detail and soundstaging are very good, they are musical, and have a top to bottom (of the frequency spectrum) consistency that is rare in the loudspeakers I have had thus far.  Also very important to me, they do not mind being pushed hard.  All in all these speakers have a lot going for them.  My tube gear never sounded better; I am intrigued by what a good solid state amp would do with them.  I'm also interested to hear the Alnico versions - the Kensingtons still may be a final choice.  I did mention concerns about the size of the Turnberry's.  While they are shorter than I would prefer (I actually sit on the floor when doing critical listening), they are not by any stretch too small for the room - in fact, on some music they almost seem like they would prefer a larger room.  One interesting thing is that these are the first pair of speakers I have had that have such a wide 'sweet spot.'  You can sit anywhere in the room and still get a centralized stereo image from them.  I do think they need stands though, as many have said.  Overall, impressive speakers and definitely in the ball park for what I was looking for.      

Jetexpro, they do very well.  I'm listening to Vaughn Williams' "Sea Symphony" right now, with peaks on my radio shack spl meter upwards of 97 db.  Instruments remain separated, the sound is uncongested, no strain (effortless, as Pani talks about above), regardless of the volume.  At this point (these volumes) my room and possibly amplifier I think will become more of a factor in sound degradation than the speakers.  I think also with a high powered SS amp the large scale classical might even be more impressive. 

After re-reading some of my comments here I wanted to correct a couple things that were probably not exactly what I wanted to say.  First, I mentioned I have to sit on the ground with the Tannoy's.  To clarify, if I want my ears to be level with the speakers I can sit on the floor without slouching to do that.  Sitting in my chair, my ears are about a foot above the tweeters.  The sound is fine sitting in the chair.  At ear level you get a bit more detail, but I did not want to suggest that these are unlistenable in other positions.  Second, I mentioned in the original post that the Klipsch's don't image well.  That's probably not fair (and I'm surprised some Klipsch fans haven't jumped on me for that) - they do pretty well if set up well.  What I was trying to get at is that I don't think the 3 drivers integrate as well as some other speakers somewhat contributing to the overall image, and in my set up they did not image all that great.  But they can.  Lastly, back to the Tannoy's, I may have suggested that my vintage gear was perhaps satisfactory with these speakers, like it was a compromise.  Of course I can not know the truth until I try some other gear, but otherwise I think the match between the old McIntosh and the Tannoys is really quite good.  This is a great system and at this point I am starting to look just at tube rolling to see about possible improvements.