In this review, we will be comparing SCM40 and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ATC and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM40 and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM40 | ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|---|
| Brand | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.46" | 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 28-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 75 to 300 Watts watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.00kg / 68.2lbs | 32.18kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.58" x 14.57" x 12.01"
980.0 x 370.0 x 305.0mm | 52-3/8" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"
1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ATC SCM40 and ELAC VELA FS 409 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
ATC SCM40 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SCM40 and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
ATC SCM40ELAC VELA FS 409
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 SCM40 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.46-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
SCM40 features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 6.46" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the VELA FS 409 features a " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
SCM40 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the VELA FS 409 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM40's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
SCM40 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the VELA FS 409 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the VELA FS 409 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SCM40 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the VELA FS 409's is rated at 89 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the ELAC VELA FS 409 a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC SCM40, 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.
SCM40 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the SCM40.
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.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
VELA FS 409 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM40 has a Binding Posts/4mm Plugs, tri-wire which doesn't 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 SCM40's and ELAC VELA FS 409's external dimensions. ATC SCM40 has external dimensions of 980.0 x 370.0 x 305.0mm (38.58 x 14.57 x 12.01inch) whereas ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm (52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch).
ATC SCM40 is 351mm shorter and 40mm less deeper than ELAC VELA FS 409 but it is also 92mm wider.
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 SCM40 needs about 18% more floor or shelf area. ELAC VELA FS 409 is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC VELA FS 409 is 351mm 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 SCM40 is approximately 1128.5cm2 / 174.9inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The SCM40 requires 18% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The ATC SCM40 weighs 31.00kg / 68.2lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the VELA FS 409 4% heavier than the SCM40.
Here is a comparison of how SCM40 and VELA FS 409's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base plate
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Pucks
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Machine screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
980mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.46 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
1128cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7400USD
vs
7999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ATC SCM40 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Brand |
ATC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
75 to 300 Watts watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-22k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.46" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.98" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2.95" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
380Hz & 3.5kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
980.0mm (38.6") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
31.00kg (68.2lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC VELA FS 409 digs deeper - 28Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | ELAC VELA FS 409 is more sensitive (89dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | ATC SCM40 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | ATC SCM40 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC VELA FS 409: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($7,999 vs $7,400 a pair). |
A ATC SCM40 B ELAC VELA FS 409
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
ELAC VELA FS 409 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate ATC SCM40 the better fit for a small room, and ELAC VELA FS 409 for a large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.