At NAMM 2015 in Anaheim: U.K.-based specialist British loudspeaker drive unit and complete sound reproduction system manufacturer ATC (Acoustic Transducer Company) today announced the launch of its SCM45A Pro — an all-new high-performance, three-way compact active loudspeaker. The SCM45A Pro is a completely new design, yet shares many features with its smaller sibling, the highly-successful SCM25A Pro three-way, compact active loudspeaker.

As a mid-size, three-way design that can be used in near- or mid-field positions, the SCM45A Pro perfectly fills a gap in ATC’s high-performance, professional active studio monitoring loudspeaker range. It has high output and delivers extended low frequency for its size — and all without compromising the overall balance for which ATC is so well known.

Like the SCM25A Pro, the new SCM45A Pro is an active three-way design with an unprecedented linear response across the critical midrange, as well as across the rest of the audible frequency range. In contrast to the SCM25A Pro, the SCM45A Pro features a second woofer for deeper bass response and increased SPL (Sound Pressure Level) capability, as well as ATC’s new proprietary dual-suspension tweeter — the first to be designed and built by the company, and the result of six years of research and development by ATC Managing Director Billy Woodman and R&D Engineer Richard Newman — for increased resolution in the top end.

“Any body who knows ATC will recognise that we very rarely release a completely new loudspeaker model,” maintains Newman, before adding: “All of our products have a very long history, each evolving to become what they are today. The SCM45A Pro is especially exciting since not only is it a completely new addition to the range, but it’s also the first ATC three-way professional monitor to incorporate our new high-performance SH25-76S dual- suspension tweeter. The SCM45A Pro also incorporates a new variant of our existing SB50-164 short-coil bass driver, which we designed and engineered specifically to operate in a parallel wired pair. Given that the efficiency of our three-way models is essentially set by the bass driver, the larger combined radiating area of the two 6.5-inch bass drivers increases system efficiency, putting less demand on each individual bass driver and reducing drive unit excursion for a given SPL and low frequency response. This results in further reduced non-linear distortions in the bass drivers’ 20Hz to 380Hz operating band. With the addition of our renowned hand-built, soft dome midrange and the new SH25-76S dual-suspension tweeter, the drive units in the loudspeaker constitute a formidable trio.”

Those drive units are powered by ATC’s proprietary active Tri – AmpPack, a three-channel discrete MOSFET Class A/B design with 150W, 60W, and 25W for the bass, mid, and high frequency ranges, respectively. Revealingly, the SCM45A Pro is physically symmetrical — not mirror imaged, and is suitably sized for placement on or behind a console meter bridge. It is ideally suited, therefore, to positioning as a centre speaker between other SCM45A Pros and also ATC’s acclaimed SCM50ASL Pro three-way active loudspeakers. “Every aspect of the loudspeaker has been laboured over — from the drive units and amplifier design to the cabinet,” concludes Newman. “The result is a compact, yet high-performance professional monitor worthy of taking its place in our professional monitor range.”

ATC (Acoustic Transducer Company) is a specialist British manufacturer of loudspeaker drive units and complete sound reproduction systems, including all associated electronic equipment. All such systems and components are designed and built in-house to achieve levels of performance far in excess of the industry norm by adopting a thoroughly professional engineering approach to the issues of basic design, materials science, and production technology.