Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII: Exceptional clarity and sound quality

There is probably not a single lover of good sound who is not familiar with the products of the Electrocompaniet company. The brand’s models, laconic, utilitarian and simple on the outside in a Scandinavian way, have a high-tech filling inside, which is literally saturated with the company’s own advanced developments. Premium class components are used during assembly, and the production of each device is carried out only at the company’s own production base in Norway.

The result is exceptional clarity and sound quality. Therefore, it is not surprising that the brand has acquired an entire army of admirers among audiophiles.

The Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII model is a classic integrated amplifier that can easily drive most even the most demanding speaker systems. It was created based on the successful ECI 5 MKII model. A number of key innovations were introduced during development. In particular, a sophisticated design and circuit of the preamplifier module was used, the power section was significantly improved, and other technical solutions were used.

The ECI-6 Mk II produces an output power of 120 W into 8 ohms. In the case of a 4 Ohm load, the power reaches 200 W. With a load resistance of no more than 2 Ohms, the amplifier produces 370 W. The model operates in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 150 kHz with a harmonic distortion coefficient of 0.003%. The amplifier circuit uses a fully balanced topology. To build the input stage, discrete class A circuits without feedback were used. The output stage is built on high power transistors with moderate negative feedback. This provides an excellent balance between precise control and bass extension, midrange detail and treble warmth.

The basis of the Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII power supply is a powerful 500 VA toroidal transformer. It works in conjunction with capacitors, the total electrical capacity of which is 80,000 μF. Such characteristics allow the amplifier to easily maintain high output power values.

Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII is made in the traditional laconic and stylish design of the Norwegian company. There is a front acrylic panel on the neat black body. Below it on the left side is a display that shows the indication of the source being used in beautiful cool blue symbols. Also, if the protection is triggered, information about the causes of the failure is displayed on the display. In the central part of the front panel there is a round golden power button, located under the manufacturer’s logo. On the right are four buttons for adjusting volume and selecting inputs. All switching is located on the rear panel.

The ECI 6 MKII design uses only analog switching. There is a balanced input (XLR) and two preamplifier outputs (balanced and unbalanced). In addition, there are three unbalanced stereo inputs (RCA). One of the inputs is pass-through, which allows you to connect the amplifier directly to your home theater system.

The integrated amplifier has a modular design. This provides the ability to connect a digital unit with streamer and DAC functions. This means that if desired, the ECI 6 MKII can be expanded to the level of the ECI-6DX Mk II, turning it into a universal device with a built-in source.

Conclusion

The Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII produces clear and detailed sound with a wide soundstage and plenty of air and good holography. It delivers great fast bass with good control and detail with ease. The sound is neutral and smooth across the entire frequency range. The amplifier has received numerous awards from various publications for its excellent sound.