Electrocompaniet EMC1 CDP owner's suggestions

I'll be the contrarian here. I own one of the first EMC1s off the line and it is upgraded to the current UP configuration (Thanks Ernie!). I believe Mike from Father and Son's addressed this phenomenon in a previous post quite well.

The main difference between outputs is a 6 dB increase in gain using balanced over single ended cables. That's a VERY audible difference - some musicians can detect deviations in sound levels as little 0.5 dB. We all know louder sounds "better". Unfortunately, I think that is what most of you are perceiving.

How many of you have adjusted your volume up/down 6 dB using a sound meter and pink noise to level out the relative gain between trials in your A/B testing? Be honest!!!

I'd like to hear from those who have done this and still claim they hear a "huge" difference between XLRs and RCAs. BTW - I've owned all EC components at one time connected with balanced Transparent Reference interconnects and can make no such statement that there is an overwhelming difference between XLRs and RCAs. I know Ernie will take me to task over this one...;^)

Happy listening everyone...

Some of these guys have great imaginations. I've owned a EMC-1UP for several months now and have heard my player running both ways. Initially I purchased a pair of high quality XLR to RCA adapters so that I could use the XLR outputs of the EMC-1. I could hear very little difference between that and running it straight single ended. I then had the opportunity to hear it in the system of an acquaintance, which is fully balanced. Since I wanted to compare the EMC-1 running in each mode, I also brought my preamp and using a RCA to XLR interconnect, was able to hook it up to his amps. Taking into consideration the differences in our preamps, I was not blown away by the superiority of the EMC-1 running balanced. Yes, there was more dynamic headroom and yes, it was seemingly a touch more transparent and detailed, but the difference was not staggering. Rolled off highs and mids? A lack of detail? Not in my system. If the highs were anymore extended, I'd have to grit my teeth each time I listened to cds. As for the mids, I do believe the EMC-1 is a rather neutral player in that respect. Certainly not possessing the midrange bloom of my previous cdp, the tubed BAT VK-D5. One thing I will do, once the stingy, one year warranty runs out, is intstall a better quality wire from the RCA outs as suggested by Subaruguru. Btw, in looking under the hood of the EMC-1 I found it totally unimpressive as far as build quality is concerned. Not much to it actually. After living with the magnificent build quality of the BAT D5, the EMC-1 is a bit of a disappointment. Oh well, it's sonics that count the most.

Tvad: It's actually a RCA-XLR and it's a Empirical Holophonic my acquaintance owns that he doesn't use anymore. No hum.

Yes, I really like the EMC-1UP sonically. That said, I've had some problems with it that remain intermittant and minor. Occasionally I will pause play and when I press pause again to start listening once more the counter will start counting as if it's playing but there's no sound. I only need to pause and start again to get the sound back. There occasionally are minute drop outs in the left channel. The stop button on the front panel jams so I don't use it anymore. Lastly, the remote occasionally does not work at all. I need to turn the player off and turn it back on to get the remote to work. EC has for the most part done a great job sonically with EMC-1, but despite its substantial bulk, I don't think it's the best built cdp around. Oh, and the Spider Clamp? I've heard it improves focus substantially. Focus happens to be exactly where the EMC-1 is weakest IMO. Now if EC ever gets its act together and produces Spiders for the general EMC-1 using public, I'll be set for sometime to come.