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Electrocompaniet ECD-2


shellylh

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Looks like the MSRP is $3099 http://www.stereophile.com/content/electrocompaniet-ecd-2-dac

A lot of people seem to be fans of the ECD-1 so I was looking around the net for some impressions or thoughts on the new machine a few days ago; unfortunately I haven't found much yet.

Edited by Nanoha
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Nobody in any forums I've seen has heard this yet.  There is a post on Audiogon from about a month ago about it, but it was between me and another guy asking about it, but no responses from anyone yet.  Electrocompaniet gear is on the rare side.  I did call a dealer in Baltimore back in January about it and he said he could get it no problem and quoted me the $3099 price.  I'd love to see impressions if any of you buy one or find a thread somewhere.

 

It's interesting they went to the triangular three-foot configuration on this.  The ECD-1 had 4 feet, but if I recall, the EMP-1UP had 3 like this, also.  New on this ECD-2 is USB input, the screen on the front, RS232 (I've never used this) as well as remote control support.  Gone is the AES/EBU input as well as the handy digital outs, which was nice for daisy chaining DACs for A/B'ing. 

 

Edit: I'd also like to know what DAC chip they're using.  I'm betting it's the Sabre which is all the rage these days.  The ECD-1 had a Crystal/Cirrus Logic CS4397: http://www.cirrus.com/en/products/cs4397.html.

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Didn't get this from me... :)

Nice! Pretty decent review. Uses the successor to the DAC chip that was in the ECD-1, CS4398. The SRC is different (TI now, older model used a CS part I'm pretty sure) and I would hope they're using better clocks this go-round. I can't imagine the would change their analog stage sound signature a ton, so I would infer this sounds like a refined ECD-1 with an up to date feature set.

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  • 2 months later...

sorry for ressurecting this thead. Just snagged this baby. Going back between this and Meitner MA-1 (which is around 1.5k more). After some pretty much extensive hearing, climbing 5 lvel of stairs (the ECD show room is 5 floors below the Meitner) and pissing off the meitner salesman (because I didnt buy frm them), here's my humble observation:

1. Technicality, Meitner is better. Vertical soundstage is top notch. The EMM Labs DAC 2x is even better. Separation as well where the Meitner is tad better, and detail. This all sum up to one word : CLINICAL. Bass is what it is, High if its piercing it will cut your ear. True to the recording.

2. Musicality, this ECD beat it hands down. A bit of hump in the mid area but not enough to be annoying. The rest are perfect especially if you're listening to instrumental music. The mid also can be shouty but not to the degree of fatiguing. Toe tapping music everytime I put a new track.

 

One caveat, I auditioned both this DAC on speaker setup AND on different setup. There's a lot that can be differ there if it comes to headphone.

 

One weakness so far for the ECD, the USB section only support up to windows 7. My laptop is on windows 8. Hopefully the release the driver soon.

 

And I should've hunted for the ECD-1 instead.......could've save me lots of money but this brand is quite a rarity down here

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