Perfect match for ATC speakers

I have had ATC speakers for 18 years. The Entry Level speaker line (can ATC market their products any worse?) are different animals than the ruthlessly revealing SCM 20’s with their 80 db efficiency, and are a bit less stark on the top.

First thing I would say is that you have bought superb speakers. They are not a difficult load to drive-their impedance does not vary wildly. Being an acoustic suspension design, you don’t have to listen to bass chugging out of a port. You don’t have to listen to cupped hands hoodiness out of horn drivers (I sold Klipsch back in the day).
Some of the advice here is crap. I drive my second generation SCM 7’s with a 60 watt Adcom GFA 535 II amp I bought off EBay for $100. It drives them to ear watering levels and they sound wonderful. Paired with a Schiit Saga preamp, this shows you don’t need fancy electronics to drive them.

 I have driven my ATC SCM 35’s with a 75 watt tube C-J amp, a rebuilt 200 watt GAS Ampzilla amp, or a 200 watt SST Son of Ampzilla II amp, always with a tube preamp (Cary SLP 05 with ultimate upgrade now). They sound sublime; your tweeter is smoother than that of the SCM35, as they replaced the tweeters in the Entry line with an in-house model that is not as hard sounding with poor material. Solid state amps with big damping factors give better control, and sound best overall.

 I would recommend using a tube preamp with a solid state amp of 100 watts a channel or so. A Schiit Freya+ paired with a Schiit Vidar would be perfect and wouldn’t break the bank. But please keep your speakers!!!

Oh thanks you all! I have so much info now to have a decision. So I will try as many equipment I can and let you know that I do.

Thanks again!

Have a look at Van Alstine. They may have what you need. Few months ago I bought a used Synergy 450 (225 wpc @ 8 ohms) directly from the AVA website to use with my EgglestonWorks Fontaine Signatures (legacy now per EW website) and am enjoying it greatly. It has transformed my listening volume to a lower level because it’s all there - dynamics, detail, space between instruments, full and robust. 

+1 active ATC.  Just do it and never look back.  Roll past the pedantic active vs passive dialogue.   ATC 19A will crush the ATC 11 (a very good transducer in its own right) and any power you will pair them with.  At least seek out a pair of active ATCs and listen.

But they do need something>120w @ 8ohm because they are measured at only 82db efficiency.

George, once again a pile of uninformed BS. Please stick to what you know( (as opposed to what you think you know) I own a pair of ATC SCM11s which I am listening to right now powered by a pair of these:

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/exposure-3010s2-mono-power-amplifier

Steroephile Editor’s choice recommendation - they are a dream team made in heaven and can absolutely rock it it out if need be: nb see Martin Colloms measurements.esp into low impedance loads. You can look them up, I am too tired to bother.

t‘s all a about quality, rather than quantity.