ATC is celebrating – and you can join the festivities with the limited-edition ATC EL50 Anniversary loudspeaker.
The EL50 active three-way tower speaker represents the latest evolution of ATC’s successful design blueprint. Now the company introduces a special edition: “ATC proudly presents the EL50 Anniversary (more info at this page from Dutch importer Hifi Import) to audiophiles and music lovers seeking lasting high performance, design excellence and technical quality. It is the newest evolution of the legendary ATC 50 loudspeaker design, featuring discrete active tri-amp technology first implemented in the SCM70 in the 1990s and further refined in the SCM50 Anniversary in 2004 and the SE series in 2014. The design draws inspiration from the EL150, launched in 2006 – ATC’s first elliptical cabinet loudspeaker, designed by Billy Woodman. Leather detailing on the front and beautifully hand-selected veneers further elevate the design.”
New discrete active amplifier module
This advanced new model features a newly patented three-channel active amplifier module with balanced input, user controls, active crossovers and three power amplifier channels delivering 200W, 100W and 50W continuous power to the bass, midrange and high-frequency sections respectively.
Within the initial line-level stages, new discrete gain blocks have been developed and implemented in a balanced instrumentation input and fourth-order active crossovers to achieve a lower noise floor and reduced distortion. In addition, the power supply has been completely redesigned and enhanced with individual toroidal transformers for each power amplifier channel, plus a separate transformer for the low-voltage circuitry. This topology improves headroom under demanding conditions and reduces intermodulation distortion between channels, offering greater clarity to the listener.
Cabinet and finish
Building on earlier developments, the EL50 Anniversary cabinet construction has been improved and updated using advanced in-house manufacturing technology to increase stiffness and internal damping. According to ATC, this reduces cabinet-related coloration in the upper bass and midrange.
The bass driver is mounted in a precision-turned aluminium ring fixed to the front of the enclosure, further increasing rigidity. A curved front baffle and cabinet edges ensure a smooth transition from driver output into the room, reducing edge diffraction and producing a more uniform on- and off-axis frequency response with lower linear distortion.
Hand-selected and book-matched European crown walnut veneers cover the curved cabinet surfaces, complemented by ebony inlays on the rear panel and finished in high-gloss polyester lacquer. Panels upholstered in fine-grain black nappa leather around the midrange and tweeter, as well as the lower section of the cabinet, add a contrasting texture that integrates seamlessly with the overall form.
Drive units
“The drive units are manufactured entirely in-house with a focus on low distortion and consistent performance at all playback levels with any source material,” ATC explains.
The SH25-76S “S-Spec” tweeter features a compact yet exceptionally powerful neodymium motor delivering 2.0 tesla, a dual-suspension system to precisely control voice-coil movement, and a coated fabric dome for smooth on- and off-axis response extending beyond 25 kHz with very low harmonic distortion.
The critical midrange is handled by ATC’s SM75-150S “Superdome,” covering 380 Hz to 3.5 kHz. Its powerful magnet system and large voice coil, combined with a dome diaphragm, result in a driver capable of reproducing the finest musical detail while effortlessly handling the largest dynamic peaks in complex recordings.
The system is completed by the SB75-234SL bass driver, featuring ATC’s Super Linear motor system to reduce third-harmonic distortion in the upper bass/lower midrange by 10–15 dB, improving clarity and integration with the midrange unit. An optimised combination of spider, surround and suspension enables large linear excursion and controlled low-frequency reproduction.
Limited edition
The EL50 Anniversary is launched as an exclusive run of 50 pairs, each supplied with a hardcover user manual celebrating ATC’s journey from its origins as a drive-unit specialist in 1974 to its current status as one of the world’s most respected loudspeaker manufacturers, trusted by hundreds of recording and mastering studios worldwide. Following the limited edition, the EL50 will enter regular production.
Specifications
Below the main specs of the individual components, in the manufacturer’s own wording.
Electronics
- Brand-new three-channel discrete active amplifier unit delivering 200W, 100W and 50W continuous power to bass, midrange and treble.
- Low-noise balanced instrumentation input.
- Fully redesigned power supply with individual toroidal transformers per power amplifier channel plus an additional transformer for the 12V supply.
- Fourth-order active crossover implemented with fully discrete gain blocks for extremely low noise and distortion.
- Larger bass transformer for improved power regulation and increased headroom.
- Discrete MOSFET Class A/B output stages.
- Trigger input and link for remote power control from source or preamp.
- User-selectable input sensitivity.
- Large heatsink for low operating temperatures.
- Live fault monitoring of DC offset and amplifier temperature.
Cabinet construction
- Formed and laminated multi-layer construction for very high stiffness and damping.
- Curved front baffle reduces edge diffraction and linear distortion.
- Cabinets veneered in carefully selected European crown walnut with ebony rear-panel inlays.
- High-gloss polyester lacquer finish, hand polished.
- Selected front-panel elements upholstered in fine-grain black nappa leather.
Drive units
SH25-76S Tweeter
- High-energy neodymium motor delivering 2.0 tesla.
- Dual suspension for minimal vibration and intermodulation distortion.
- Coated fabric dome for smooth on- and off-axis response.
- Exceptional resolution and seamless integration with midrange.
SM75-150S Midrange
- Large 75 mm (3-inch) voice coil for high power handling.
- Underhung motor (short coil, long gap) for constant drive force.
- 75 mm polymer-coated fabric dome with wide bandwidth.
- Combines fine detail retrieval with effortless dynamic capability.
SB75-234SL Bass driver
- 75 mm (3-inch) voice coil for high power and minimal compression.
- Super Linear magnet material reduces third-harmonic distortion by 10–15 dB.
- Optimised spider and surround for large linear excursion.
- 9-inch (234 mm) SL driver delivers clean, dynamic bass and seamless midrange transition for exceptional realism.