Venerable British hi-fi brand ATC has announced a special limited run of two products in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year – the SCM20ASL Limited Edition standmount active speakers and the C4 Sub Mk2 Limited Edition subwoofer.
There are only 150 pairs of the SCM20ASL speakers and just 20 units of the C4 Sub Mk2 available, so prospective buyers with the cash to splash on these high-end editions may want to get in on this exclusive release sharpish.
Back in 2015, we reviewed ATC's SCM20ASL Pro model and gave the speakers a glowing five-star review. We haven't yet heard these new limited edition speakers and they're significantly more expensive, but the brand has a strong reputation and has certainly set itself a high bar for its anniversary products.
The new SCM20ASL LE speakers use a two-way active standmount design. They feature the company's proprietary 15cm 'Super Linear' mid/bass driver alongside a 25mm 'S-Spec' dual-suspension tweeter. The speaker's front baffle is adorned with "royal blue full-grain Napa leather" and the cabinet is finished in a high-gloss lacquer in "ATC company dark blue" for the limited edition pair.
The bass driver is housed in a 20-litre sealed cabinet and is powered by onboard class A/B MOSFET power amplifiers which deliver 200W and 50W of continuous power to the low and high-frequency drivers respectively. ATC has also included an active crossover and an all-pass filter which is said to optimise phase response and provide improved imaging and tonal balance.
On the rear of the speakers, you'll find balanced XLR inputs alongside controls for input sensitivity (which should allow flexibility over which source/pre-amp you use with the speaker) and a low-frequency shelf cut/boost (to help adjust the bass response to suit your room or taste).
ATC says that it went for an active design in these new speakers for several reasons. Firstly, it claims that a multi-way speaker system will only realise its true potential when an active crossover design is implemented. Other benefits ATC lists include a greater dynamic range, more efficient use of amplifier power, improved frequency response, and better driver control.
Moving onto the C4 Sub Mk2, this limited edition active subwoofer features a 30cm driver and also features a high gloss dark blue cabinet and leather front baffle to match the speakers, as well as silver anodised amp hardware for a premium appearance.
Both new limited edition products are set to be available from 1st May 2024 and the retail prices are as follows:
ATC SCM20ASL Limited Edition (pair): £10,500
ATC C4 Sub Mk2 Limited Edition (each): £7495
MORE:
Read our review of the reference ATC SCM50 passive speakers
Read our picks for the best active speakers
And our expert selection of the best standmount speakers