Alas, after much, much consideration, just today I decided to purchase another brand of monitor speaker.

In the end, I concluded that my amp (~100 WRMS/channel into 8 Ohms), simply is not powerful enough for the occasions I would want to play the SCM19's at high volume, and I really don't want to replace my amp (Spectral DMA-90, which I think is very special) at this time. Also, as I mentioned somewhere here before, the SCM19's to me don't sound particularly compelling at low volume, and I do much of my careful listening at night when my children are asleep.

Ah, but, the SCM19's sound amazing (to me) in my system at moderate volume, and if my listening space could be closed off from the rest of my house, I believe I would have purchased them (or the SCM20SL's).

Thanks, Loftarasa, for sharing your experience with your SCM20SL's. Let's see: In about eight years my youngest kids will be off to college. Maybe at that time I'll be ready to revisit the SCM19/20SL's!

rx7audio April 26, 2013 04:10

Thanks so much for the detailed response. It definitely will help me with my next decisions for my own system!

I spent several days listening to well-broken-in SCM19's in my own home (in a carpeted 12' x 22' room of similar size to your own) and really liked the sound. I haven't had the chance to listen to the SCM20SL (or the SCM40), though, and don't know whether I'll get the chance in the future, so your descriptions/comparisons are very much appreciated.

At this time, at the top of my wish list for speakers are the SCM19's and the SCM20SL's. However, most of my concentrated listening (most often to small scale acoustic music with vocals—like some of what you're listening to) is at moderate to low volume, occurring at night after my children are asleep. But the SCM19's seemed to want to be played louder and louder. So, if I get rid of my kids, and determine my amount of disposable cash, my decision makes itself, it seems!

Thanks again.

rx7audio April 06, 2013 14:22

Great looking system! No doubt it sounds as good as it looks! Couple of questions, if you don't mind: Did you consider/audition the ATC SCM-19 monitors as well? If so, what was the deciding factor for the SCM-20SL? What type(s) of music do you favor? Listen mostly at high SPL, or low SPL? What are your room dimensions and construction? Thanks in advance.

rx7audio

rx7audio April 02, 2013 04:04