Building a Legend
If you had to name one monitor that has genuinely been a “game-changer” in the last decade, it would probably have to be ATC’s SCM25a Pro; a monitor that continues to offer unparalleled performance thanks to its astonishing mid-range clarity, accurate mix translation and compact 3-way form factor. It is a testament to the SCM25’s exceptional design and signature sound that this small but mighty UK-made monitor continues to be held in such reverence and used so widely across the world since its introduction way back in 2009.
A Higher Frequency
A mere 14 years later, ATC have announced the SCM25a Pro MKII. Not so much a radical overhaul (nor should it be), but a small-but-not-insignificant upgrade. The new ATC SCM25a MKII now employs ATC’s own proprietary SH25-76S “dual suspension” high-frequency driver – the same tweeter found in the larger SCM45a Pro, favoured for it’s smooth, detailed and open sound.
In the words of ATC:
“Unlike almost any other 25mm tweeter on the market the SH25-76S is a dual suspension design which ensures pistonic motion, suppressing anharmonic rocking modug, even at high drive levels, and enables the use of narrower magnetic gapsA very narrow magnetic gap for unparalleled linearity and low distortion throughout its wide operating band.”
In layman terms, this translates to more power (30W rms vs the MK1’s 25W), an extended high-frequency response well beyond 20kHz, wider horizontal dispersion (no small feat considering the already superb sound staging of the MK1), lower distortion and a broader sweet-spot with improved off-axis response. Phew! Beyond that there’s very little difference between the two models, with the only physical difference being a slightly modified enclosure (to accommodate the new tweeter housing) resulting in a marginal difference in height (271 vs 264mm), Depth (411mm vs 369mm) and weight (25.1kg vs 24.5kg). The rear panel is near identical, with no change to I/O connectivity or layout. Both the mid-range and bass drivers are unchanged.
In Summary
Whilst the MKII by no means diminishes the calibre and already legendary status of the original SCM25, it no doubt achieves its ambition of elevating an already incredible monitor to greater heights (and frequencies). Available now, we have both the MK1 and MK2 version in stock and on demo, so book a slot today to find out which model best suits your needs.