Tidal vs ATC

Well, well, well, the Sunray, eh? Now we're talking big boy speakers! I have heard them, and they are in a word magnificent! To do it up right you need to part with some serious green to do the amps, cables, etc. 
Sonic Impact T amp won't cut it with those!  ;)

It was at RMAF in 2013, so it was likely G1. Quite impressive, I must say. They were not in a huge room, so they had to moderate the level. 

Another thought for you to consider; I reviewed the also prodigious Legacy Audio Valor Speaker System for Dagogo.com. I would classify it also as a "will not take a back seat" type of speaker. It also would easily fill your large listening space. Like the Sunray, it's the designer's best effort at SOTA. You will get quite a bit of insight into it from my review. Do not be thrown off because it was reviewed in a smaller room. This is a speaker that can do justice to big environments. I have heard the larger Legacy speakers in the large ballrooms of shows and they have no problem generating appropriate sound to flood the space.  

I especially enjoyed the enormous 15" mid-woofer/midrange coaxial driver. I have heard nothing like it, and the utter ease of such a midrange presentation is alluring. The fact that it is coaxial is also unusual. The Valor does imaging quite like a full range speaker, something that I have not seen in too many big floor standing speakers. Though I did not get to hear them in direct comparison, I believe the Valor would be able to compete well with the Sunray in terms of LF, both in quality and extension.  

You may have your mind made up, but I thought I would mention it as there is a dealer, Audio Excellence, in Ontario. At least might be able to hear it if you have not previously. Legacy is also very good about working with customers to do custom orders. You may enjoy reading the several articles I did for Dagogo.com in regard to the development of my Legacy Whisper speakers. They were taken from stock to being given upgraded internal wiring with upgraded caps, and finally reworked entirely to become what I call "crossover speakers", that is, fitted with 12 binding posts allowing for use as 1. fully passive with internal crossover and as little as two channels of amplification with Triwiring (can be configured that way without the Wavelet DAC/pre/room correction),  2. Hybrid with active x-over bass with four or six channels of amplification, or 3. Fully active x-over and six channels of amplification. The last two options use the Wavelet DAC/pre/correction. The room correction would likely be very important in your installation.

I have had these speakers with four 15" bass drivers each running with a pair of Legacy XTREME XD Subs, for a total of twelve 15" bass drivers. That proved plenty of easeful LF, at least for me. So, that is yet another option, the Whisper with subs. No problem generating enormous sound, however it doesn't have quite the openness of the big midrange of the Valor. If I was not limited in terms of cost, I would go for the Valor. As it is, I try to simulate some of the same characteristics with the Whisper and subs.  :) 

Very different critters (the speakers, that is)!  ;) 

Briefly, I have heard both companies products several times at shows and Tidal has been impressive, while ATC has been precise, but not as emotionally involving. I have thought of reviewing Tidal several times, but never ATC. I know I could build kick ass systems with both. The ATC strikes me as a much more in your face speaker, like the Vapor Audio Joule White (reviewed and owned), a laser sharp speaker with outstanding resolution, imaging and transients. 

Take your pick/poison: 
Tidal: more options to contour sound with outboard amp, cables, etc. but likely much more expensive to achieve superior/gratifying result.

ATC: easier, all inclusive, but fewer options to contour sound and mange issues in achieving gratifying result. 


Not overly impressed by the bass extension specs of either speaker you mention. :(  I didn't see any frequency response discussion in the specs of the Tidal, and a not too impressive 25Hz -6dB. for the ATC. The Tidal has twin 9" ceramic drivers, so I'd guess it's going to be in the same zone as the ATC, about 32Hz +-3dB. Ok, not horrible, but certainly not what I would call end game for myself in that price category. I would want more prodigious bass if I was going to be chasing The One. That's a pretty harsh, strong assessment, and I do not mean to disdain them, but I am a reviewer and will see weaknesses as well as strengths. I require an ultimate speaker to be closer to 20Hz +/-3dB than 30Hz or higher. For some that is not absolutely necessary, but it is for me. 

Even the odd and magical Tri-Art Audio Series B 5 Open Speaker, with open baffle is 27Hz +/-3dB. That speaker system, with it's outboard crossover and attenuated full range I prefer to many of the more expensive box speakers I have reviewed and owned, even ones $15K+

Maybe you can really "have it all," by keeping current speakers and adding another pair of different genre. Perhaps OB, panel, horn hybrid, line array, omni? The variety, done up at a nice sound quality level, is the end game experience for me.  :) 

smodtactical, thank you for keeping the shopping radar running for me; I think that was your intent. However, $50K is still way out of my budget for speakers.