What amplifier does the ATC SCM40 need?

Pick a speaker and tell us how loud you listen and how big the room is. We work out the power it actually needs, check which amplifiers can safely drive its impedance, and rank 196 amplifiers against it.

Your system

Four questions. Nothing is hidden on price.

Passive speakers only — a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
Changes the order only. Nothing is hidden for costing too little or too much.
ATC SCM40
ATC SCM40
Floor-standing
85 dB · 8 ohm
$7,999 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
24–300 W
per channel, into 8 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of ATC SCM40, you need at least 24 W a channel. More than 300 W is wasted here — that is all ATC rates the speaker to take.

Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -83.0 dB effective sensitivity
  • 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
  • Published sensitivity 85 dB, used as 83.0 dB per watt.

Rotel Diamond RA-6000 with the ATC SCM40

Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Full Rotel Diamond RA-6000 specs · Clear this amp
 
$199 $10,500

176 integrated amplifiers suit the ATC SCM40

Also show the 2 we do not recommend
1
NAD Masters Series M33
NAD Masters Series M33
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,999
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $7,399
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Anthem STR
Anthem STR
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,000
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Marantz PM-10
Marantz PM-10
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $8,999
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 300 W into 8 ohms · $3,999
Excellent match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 550 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
6
Michi Prestige X430
Michi Prestige X430
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB · 210 W into 8 ohms · $4,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (210 W to 340 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
Arcam SA45
Arcam SA45
Integrated Amplifier · Class G · 180 W into 8 ohms · $5,500
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (180 W to 300 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
8
Advance Paris NOVA A-i190
Advance Paris NOVA A-i190
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB-T · 185 W into 8 ohms · $7,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (185 W to 275 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
9
Rotel Diamond RA-6000
Rotel Diamond RA-6000
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $4,500
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
10
Advance Paris A12 APEX
Advance Paris A12 APEX
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB-T · 180 W into 8 ohms · $4,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (180 W to 270 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
11
Advance Paris A12 Classic
Advance Paris A12 Classic
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB-T · 190 W into 8 ohms · $4,499
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (190 W to 280 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
12
Mark Levinson No.5802
Mark Levinson No.5802
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $8,500
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 300 W.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
13
Rotel RA-1592 MKII
Rotel RA-1592 MKII
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $3,200
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
14
HiFi Rose RA180
HiFi Rose RA180
Integrated Amplifier · Class AD · 400 W into 8 ohms · $6,995
Good match
12 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Rated at the same 400 W into 4 ohms as into 8 - the power supply runs out before the load does.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
15
Naim Nova PE
Naim Nova PE
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $9,999
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 250 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
16
Advance Paris NOVA A-i130
Advance Paris NOVA A-i130
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB-T · 125 W into 8 ohms · $6,499
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 300 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (125 W to 185 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
17
Mark Levinson No.5805
Mark Levinson No.5805
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $10,500
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 300 W.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
18
Peachtree Carina
Peachtree Carina
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 300 W into 8 ohms · $1,999
Excellent match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 580 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
19
HiFi Rose RS520
HiFi Rose RS520
Integrated Amplifier · Class AD · 250 W into 8 ohms · $3,695
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Rated at the same 250 W into 4 ohms as into 8 - the power supply runs out before the load does.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
20
Devialet Expert 220 Pro
Devialet Expert 220 Pro
Integrated Amplifier · ADH (Analog Digital Hybrid) · 165 W into 8 ohms · $10,000
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.

Showing the best 20 of 176. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.

18 power amplifiers that would also drive them

Listed separately because they are not a complete system: a power amplifier has no volume control and no inputs to speak of, so you need a preamplifier or a streaming preamp as well. Worth it if you already own one, or if you want to buy the two halves separately.

1
McIntosh MC830
McIntosh MC830
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 300 W into 8 ohms · $5,500
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
NAD Masters Series M23 V2
NAD Masters Series M23 V2
Power Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $4,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Anthem STR Power Amplifier
Anthem STR Power Amplifier
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 400 W into 8 ohms · $6,500
Good match
12 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Rotel RB-1590
Rotel RB-1590
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 350 W into 8 ohms · $4,599
Good match
12 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
5
McIntosh MC152
McIntosh MC152
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 150 W into 8 ohms · $6,500
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
6
TEAC AP-701B
TEAC AP-701B
Power Amplifier · Class D · 170 W into 8 ohms · $4,000
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
7
Cambridge Audio Edge M
Cambridge Audio Edge M
Power Amplifier · Class XA · 200 W into 8 ohms
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
No current price on file for this amplifier.
8
Advance Paris X-A220 EVO
Advance Paris X-A220 EVO
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 220 W into 8 ohms · $2,999
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
Were these amplifier recommendations useful?
It helps us tune the matching, and we read every comment.

Sensitivity and impedance figures are the manufacturer's own. We read sensitivity as dB at 2.83 V/1 m and take 2 dB off it, because published figures run high. Treat the result as a well-founded starting point, not a measurement. Full ATC SCM40 specs.