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Rivaling or Beyond the ESL 57 for Magical Midrange

For several years now I have been listening to a now well broken in pair of ATC SCM 7's on my desktop.

I may try to write at further length on these speakers, but for now can say they are the only component I have owned since 1979 that I can't imagine selling for fear of seller's remorse.

They are small and not perfect, limited in their bass response, and although I treasure amazing imaging, I don't get much with them crammed on my desktop amidst other components, computers, keyboards, books and papers.

Yet turned in at about 45 degrees - a mere 24" from each ear in a nearfield, speaker / headphone like configuration, I continue to love, love love them for WAV files, television, iTunes, computer sounds etc.

I enjoy them so much, that I usually ignore my ARC SP11, Levinson amp and Magneplanar Tympani IVa's which need to be warmed up and turned up, preferably with my head in a vice for the perfect sweet spot.

With the ATCs, I marvel at their clear but to my ears fatigue free midrange, particularly at low volumes - even with pretty ordinary, middle of the road components: currently Crown D75A amps used as monoblocks, generic cabling and the admittedly good Antelope / Zodiac DAC as a DAC and a preamp / switching device of sorts.

This reminds me of my lifelong theory that after the neurotic pursuit of high resolution airy highs, powerful bass and high dynamics and volume - at the end of the day, it's really the midrange that separates and defines the sustainable classics.

I suspect this is why dusty and quirky old Quads and original LS3%as are still coveted by collectors for prices far above their original retail prices.

Of course as an audiophile, I still can't resist the thought of an upgrade.

So I would love to hear your thoughts on MAGICAL MIDRANGE particularly at low volumes.

Thinking about trying Harbeth P3SERs and open to suggestions.

In the meantime and until further notice the overall balance and midrange on my ATCs are about as good as anything I have ever heard and bravo Mr Woodman.

Cheers,

cwlondon
cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 


New pictures of system as discussed!
dhcod
706 posts
 
I've been on the hunt for an ESL57 rival since we moved to a smaller place. P3ESRs are nice but hardly satisfying if you are a real ESL fan. I listened to them for few weeks and a few other stand mounts before ending up with Audience ClaireAudient 2+2s and I've been basically happy for a while but I'm really missing that sense of fingers on instruments and that lushness. Thinking of trying SF Cremona Auditor Ms. Sadly trying to replace ESL57s is a long and disappointing journey. If you can get the STAX do it!!
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Dhcod,

Yes, not easy hence the reason for this thread!

I have always thought not only "speed" and transparency, but perhaps coherency is a key ingredient for the uncanny, holy grail like sound of 57's and certain other classics.

Can't imagine they would have the same transparency, but therefore have otherwise wondered if single driver speakers including The One might work well for this application.

I had a pair of Sonus Fabers years ago which were unusually beautiful but a bit bright, at least to my ears and in my system.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
at the end of the day, it's really the midrange that separates and defines the sustainable classics.
If you listen mostly to vocal, small chamber, non-amplified music, I don't think that there can be any dispute. Not sure how big your speakers are but for a nearfield desktop set-up, I am thrilled w my NHT M00 active monitors. They even have a near-field setting and manage to image pretty well even w dual, 20" flat screen monitors between them. I have them set up on the angled Aurulex foam wedges and could not be happier. Driving them w the output from an HRT II+ DAC, playing FLAC files and also streaming Pandora 1. MUCH smaller than the TSMs; not much bigger than the NHT Super-zeros, and there is also a matching (S00) sub. And this from a confirmed tube-aholic.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
The closest I've ever come to an ESL-like midrange was Merlin VSM with Atmasphere's S-30 OTL amp. The system had some issues re bottom end and SPL capabilities, but that was some bad ass midrange right there.

BTW, this was one of the first S-30 amps shipped, so I don't know if later production units (which, I'm told, were slightly modified here and there) would offer similar results. Were I in your place, tho, I'd still think hard about the Atmasphere/Merlin combo.
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