Electrocompaniet EMC II CD Player

Aluminum Silver (not polished)

Jm88...haven't heard the BAT, but the vocals in my XLR'd EMC-1 are clearly rendered and spookily real. Tubes do this well, too, of course, but sometimes via a mid-band spectral "bump". The power supplies' diodes mod clearly brought the stage forward a bit, somewhat enhancing vocal "push". Steve's modding the transport suspension? Seeing as that's the EMC-1's raison d'etre I'm a bit surprised. I would have thought he'd concentrate on $$ caps and wire bits....

This thread has been quiet for a while, but at one point someone asked others with the Spider to post their impressions. I just got one on Monday, put it in Monday night, but couldn't listen until today. My reactions are more or less in line with Cello's, it was a significant change in the sound, across the frequency spectrum, and it was evident right from the very first cymbal hit on track 1 of the first CD I put in.
Strangely enough, though, my overall reaction is that my system seems to sound more 'analytical' or 'etched', and less emotionally involving (to me anyhow). For 3 hours today I sat there with that 'hmmmmmmm........' perplexed look on my face. By most audiophile standards, it was better, but.....I couldn't convince myself that I really LIKED it better. More listening is needed, under better conditions (I had just shoveled out my 20x60 driveway for the 3rd time in 24 hours). My system (which I finally got around to posting after more than 2 years on here) is oriented toward resolution and detail, maybe too much of a good thing with the Spider? Well, these are just quick first impressions anyhow.