In this review, we will be comparing SCM100PSL and SCM50ASLT, two Floor-standing speakers by ATC. The main difference between these two speakers is that the ATC SCM50ASLT is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the ATC SCM100PSL is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM100PSL and ATC SCM50ASLT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM100PSL | ATC SCM50ASLT |
|---|
| Brand | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | — | Yes |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 0.98" |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | 2.95" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12.36" | 9.57" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-17k Hz | 70-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 to 1500 Watts watts | 100 to 1500 Watts watts |
|---|
| Weight | 52.10kg / 114.6lbs | 51.00kg / 112.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 32-13/16" x 15-3/4" x 20-7/8"
834.0 x 400.0 x 530.0mm | 39.49" x 11.97" x 18.5"
1003.0 x 304.0 x 470.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SCM100PSL and SCM50ASLT are 3-way speakers.
ATC SCM100PSLATC SCM50ASLT
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ATC SCM100PSL |
ATC SCM50ASLT |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
0.98-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
1 x 2.95-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12.36-inch
|
1 x 9.57-inch
|
SCM100PSL features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 12.36" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the SCM50ASLT features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 9.57" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz.
Frequency Response
SCM100PSL has a frequency range of 65-17k Hz whereas SCM50ASLT has a frequency range of 70-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the SCM100PSL can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM50ASLT's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SCM100PSL and SCM50ASLT have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SCM100PSL sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SCM50ASLT's is at 85 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the ATC SCM100PSL a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC SCM50ASLT, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
SCM100PSL and SCM50ASLT have the same power range of 100 to 1500 Watts watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SCM100PSL features Female XLR type posts and SCM50ASLT has a Female XLR type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ATC SCM100PSL's and ATC SCM50ASLT's external dimensions. ATC SCM100PSL has external dimensions of 834.0 x 400.0 x 530.0mm () whereas ATC SCM50ASLT has external dimensions of 1003.0 x 304.0 x 470.0mm (39.49 x 11.97 x 18.5inch).
ATC SCM50ASLT is 96mm narrower and 60mm less deeper than ATC SCM100PSL but it is also 169mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
ATC SCM100PSL needs about 48% more floor or shelf area. ATC SCM100PSL is 60mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ATC SCM50ASLT is 169mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ATC SCM100PSL is approximately 2120.0cm2 / 328.6inch2 and base area of the ATC SCM50ASLT is approximately 1428.8cm2 / 221.5inch2. The SCM100PSL requires 48% more surface area than the SCM50ASLT which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.