John
Take a look (above) at the new SCM150ASLT loudspeaker from the UK’s ATC: it sits 1.4m tall but, housing three proprietory drivers – a 25mm SH25-76S neodymium soft dome tweeter, a 75mm soft dome SM75-150S midrange driver and an SB75-375SL bass driver – puts a whopping 116kg on the scales.
An active loudspeaker, we might assume the SCM150ASLT’s mighty mass comes from an internal set of electronics but peer round the back of the speaker and we see no power socket, no power switch and no analogue or digital inputs — only a single ‘aerospace-grade’ LEMO multi-pin connector.
Time to remind ourselves that an active loudspeaker system isn’t defined by the location of its electronics but by a (powered) crossover that precedes per-driver amplification. Contrast this with a passive loudspeaker system whose one-size-fits-all amplifier sits before a passive (non-powered) crossover.
The SCM150ASLT’s electronics are all external, wrapped in an elliptical aluminium chassis whose rear panel accommodates the corresponding ‘aerospace-grade’ LEMO multi-pin loudspeaker output connector and XLR sockets to which we would connect a pre-amplifier. On the inside, a custom crossover first splits the incoming analogue signal three ways before handing it off to a in-house designed P9 Class A/B dual-mono power amplifier that delivers 200W, 100W and 50W of bespoke fit amplification to the bass driver, midrange driver and tweeter respectively.
ATC claims a frequency response accuracy of ±2dB between 60Hz-17kHz and ±6dB from 25Hz to 22kHz, “across a wide horizontal dispersion and at a maximum SPL of 117dB”.
Each loudspeaker enclosure is wrapped in ‘European crown-cut walnut veneer’ and finished with a high-gloss polyester lacquer. The bespoke (and limited edition) plinth is PVD but treated “to create a nickel-like appearance”, according to the manufacturer.
Selling for a cool £46,600/pair, ATC’s SCM150ASLT is made to order and will be limited to 22 pairs worldwide. The earliest shipping date is currently slated for 5th August. The accompanying manufacturer warranty runs six years.
Further information: ATC Loudspeakers
