I went back to the Electrocompaniet dealer today with my CDs. I was there for quite a while and played through all four of their integrated amps. The clear choice was ECI5 MK II. The sound stage was huge, separation of instruments was clear and nicely placed. When I played Rubinstein playing Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, the strings were almighty while the piano was clear and moving. Then came Mozart's two Sinfoniaconcertante for violin&viola and violin&piano. Midori's Del Gesu sounded as cut-throat as all other Del Gesu violins. Imai's Andrea Guarneri viola was warm yet penetrating. When Midori partnered with Christoph Eisenbach on the piano, I heard the chemistry between these two musicians. They meshed well. The orchestra was clearly set back in the background.
The icing on the cake was a female vocal recording. I was completely surprised. The typical solid state sound would have been a strong image standing in front of you, singing to you through a microphone. The ECI5 MK II had a very different presentation. The voice was strong but not over powering. It was absolutely exquisite. Her voice was very refined. It was if she was seducing me, not just singing to me. It also felt as if she was singing straight to me, not through a microphone. Alright, I exaggerated a little, but you get my point.
I heard the integrated with the Thiel SC2.4 and Pro Ac Response D40R. I am looking forward to hooking up the Electrocompaniet with my FB1i.
Will let everyone know in a bit... Seems to be very promising that I found I can really enjoy...
