World’s best IQ set

Under 10K euro

With only 1 pair of speakers and an all-in-one amplifier/DAC/Streamer. Is that possible?

Yes it is!

The attentive reader may notice a small ‘disclaimer’ in the bold statement. Namely: the world’s best IQ set. What exactly do I mean by this?

What does IQ mean?

If the extreme qualities of this set are described, words such as “detail, dryness, neutrality, resilience, tightness (in the low), placement of voices and instruments, silencing of tones, speed of piano plays” come to mind.

Audiofile’s definition of a set with a high IQ factor is a set that meets the above statements. A set that – in the case of the combination ATC SCM19 and Devialet Expert Pro 140 – communicates at the level of perception. So a set that communicates perceptually. You perceive, you determine that something is happening.

You actually hear that tones last a lot longer. You literally see the musicians playing in space. You suddenly hear the hoarseness factor of your favorite singer.

A set with a high IQ naturally has negative properties. Properties that are logically present, or should be present, because the positive properties are also there.

For the ATC/Devialet combination, that is the extent to which this set lets you sink into a bubble of sound. Or where you can say that the sound is big and full. Or a set where you have the feeling that the musicians are almost playing in front of you. Spoiler alert. This set does not do any of that.

Sorry, dear reader. It is simply the case that a set that sounds extremely detailed simply has allergies. Don’t let anyone tell you that this is not the case. It is. By the way, every set (read: every set) has its negative characteristics.

So, the quote the world’s best IQ set under 10K is one that, according to Audiofile, makes sense.

Worthy of punishment 

What this 9.315 Euro set does in terms of playing extremely dry, adding nothing to your own taste and therefore letting the recording be the recording, is… extraordinary. So extraordinary that most of the multiple more expensive sets would like to reach this level, but simply cannot touch it. There, that’s out.

What makes this set so special?
Only two components, so it must be the two components. Both of which deserve the predicate “the manufacturer should be fined for this”.

Let me start with the ATC SCM19 speakers. And let me immediately mention an earlier written ATC article (Durft u te kiezen?).

The article, in short: if you are a fan of zero coloration, authenticity and the highest recording information in combination with affordability, then-you-of-course-buy-an-ATC. And if you don’t. Well, then I don’t know either.

At the time of writing that article I was quite afraid of negative reactions from the market… which did not come.

ATC SCM19

The ATC SCM19 speakers are, for a monitor, quite large. The bass, on the other hand, is not large. The bass is ’tightfit’ tight, with a very high tonality. Typical for closed cabinet systems.

You perceive tonal differences of instruments such as cellos, double basses, bass guitars and of course the lower octaves of pianos. In addition, another typical characteristic of ATC, is a clear placement of the bass in the stereo image.

So no bass that fills your room, but bass that is perceptible where the musicians are. Between and behind the speakers. There are people who want to experience the bass in the room, and not between and behind the speakers. For this group: do not buy an ATC, or try to make the stretch to genuine.

The SCM19 is therefore an IQ speaker. However, because of the larger cabinet compared to its smaller brother, the SCM11, the bass has marginally more roundness. As a result, the SCM19 fills the emotional quadrant (EQ) with 1 to 2 toes.

Load bearing capacity

We’re not there yet. The SCM19, a 2-way system by the way, can be loaded up to 108dB. Extreme for a monitor. Even extreme for a floorstander. If you connect a suitable amplifier to an SCM19 (more on this will follow later), you can really push/drive/groove with an SCM19.

Perhaps not necessarily typical audiophile parameters, unless you realize that experiencing music also has to do with being able to process dynamics (jumps).

Ergo
the SCM19 lets you hear a lot. That hearing a lot, provided the amp has the required properties, will never sound sharp. Unless the recording is sharp. The ATC SCM19 can play loud and dynamic. And the SCM19 can ‘stage’ wonderfully. So, a sharply cut stage, but not sharp in sound.

Not surprising
It is therefore not surprising that it is regularly asked whether it is possible to trade in the customer’s current speakers for a set of ATC speakers. It is no longer surprising that this question is asked when the purchase price of such a trade-in speaker is far, far above the price of the ATC.

Importance of the amplifier

Making an ATC sound good depends on the right amplifier. If it fits, then you will perceive everything that was described earlier. Tonally correct, fast, detailed, tight, homogeneous, width, depth… and never sharp.

By the way, a right amplifier is always important in that sense. Do you have 10K to spend? Spend as much as possible on the engine of your set. Your amplifier. Pairing an extremely good amplifier with an honest set of speakers of 500 Euro? You will be amazed by the end result.

An ATC SCM19 demands a lot from the amplifier. Micro speed and dynamics up to and including macro speed and dynamics. A high damping factor. And a little bit (but not too much) of timbre. A linear straight sounding amplifier is often too much for an ATC, since ATC itself is already quite linear.

If not played loud, the macro properties may be omitted. Then an amplifier that sounds fast and refined. You hardly lose any resolution at whisper volume.

Devialet Expert Pro 140

“You should get a fine for this” – 2nd product

There is a second product that, in my opinion, should be given the predicate ‘you should get a fine for this’. DEVIALET EXPERT PRO 140

The Devialet Expert Pro 140 is an all-in-one amplifier, D/A converter and streamer. The Devialet Expert pro 140 is a rare product that, with its price tag of 4.990 Euro, is unrivaled. I repeat: unrivaled (so no Hegel or NAD either).

Speed, infinite refinement, being able to play in an organized way, being able to let nano details be heard (if the speaker can do that), control in the low end, dynamically fast.

And now comes the kicker: these properties do not change in the entire volume range. Playing at whisper volume? No problem. You really want drive? No problem. Expert Pro 140 will always sound clean and organized. Even at loud volumes.

The unchanging DNA of all Expert Pros in all volumes is something that is rarely talked about, but which I think is the most insane feature of Devialet. Which is essential to be able to enjoy different music styles at different volumes without any disturbance.

Why can Devialet do this, while even the biggest brands can’t? Because the Devialet Expert Pro is a completely non-old school design. Which is also protected by more than 160 patents. In that sense, Devialet has a powerful weapon in its possession. Until the patents expire.

Back to the music

Do you want to be able to perceive complex pieces of music in an organized way? So you don’t tolerate a bunch of musicians between and behind the speakers? Expert Pro 140 is your partner.

Do you want to be able to spot vocalists with a few centimeters accuracy between and behind the speakers? Expert Pro 140 can do it.

Do you want all of the above, but have trouble with neutral amplifiers because of fatigue when listening for longer periods? Expert Pro 140 will partly help you with this.

The extreme properties of the Devialet Expert Pro 140 can actually only have a right to exist if the amplifier is neutral. However, with the latest generation of Devialet, Devialet has managed to make the amplifier sound a little less open (which was also allowed since the previous generation was really too much open), in favor of a lot more emotion.

This means that the Devialet Expert Pro 140 is indeed a neutral amplifier, but with a hint of tubes (feeling).

Devialet Expert Pro 140 costs only 4.990 Euro. There are hundreds of amplifiers that cost 2,3,4 times as much, but can’t (read: never can) do what a Devialet always does. Why are so many non-Devialet Expert Pro’s sold? You can answer that question.

Wiring

A little bit about the wiring
Although the Tellurium Q Black II cables do not receive the predicate “the manufacturer should be fined for this”, I would like to report that these cables, with a total amount of 465 Euro (2*3M), are among the most competitive price/quality cables in my range.

Why? Because these cables do not do anything wrong. At most they play a little bit withdrawn, but always make the set sound more fluent, analogue and realistic. These cables actually excel in ‘not being too much’. So they do not stand out. In combination with the Devialet and ATC it is a spot-on combination anyway, since the Telluriums add just that little bit extra analogue to the set.

Last but not least

…the speaker stands.
Although a necessary evil, since monitors prefer not to be on the floor, the Solidsteel SS6 stands are. (Special) Price per pair: 465 Euro.

In my opinion the most interesting stand on the market, regardless of price. Because, due to the tripod, the stand is always stable. Because of the tripod, you can see through the stand, which gives you more stereo depth experience compared to solid stands.

You would expect that such a tripod stand would drop stitches in, for example, the bass. The answer to this. No. The bass is indeed less big compared to other stands, but that bass always has more tonality and definition. 465 Euro for these stands is actually a best buy, regardless of the speaker used. P.S.: have you ever experienced a TAD ME1 speaker on an SS6?

Summary

I realize that opening an article with “The world’s best IQ audio set under 10K Euro” may come across as a bit provocative. Or perhaps even raise one or both eyebrows for some. Anyone who knows me a little knows that, in addition to passion and enthusiasm, I see reality, analysis and being fact-based as personal core values.

This means that I have no interest in praising something that is not something. It means that I tend to report dryly and honestly what needs to be reported. Regardless of what the market thinks and tells. Regardless of an optimal revenue model. My motivation? Consultative Selling 7.0

If the above is really true, then you can without any hesitation 1) schedule a session here for your IQ experience or 2) just buy the entire set blindly. The disclaimer is: you really have to be a fan of IQ audio sets (and be prepared to spend less money).

Musical greetings,

Michel