Just out of curiosity...what kind of speakers are you using...I have the ECI3 also...and although I agree with your romantic yet not-so-detailed system comment...I'm curious to see what other people are running with this amp. I don't find the detail extremely lacking due to the metal dome speakers although it has lost some of it's brightness/sparkle when comparing it to the bryston B60 it replaced. Still 90% of my music sounds much much better, with only a few discs that I feel have gone a little soft...my tube loving friend tells me that is how it's supposed to sound and I was just used to sibilance.
If it were me...I'd probably make a go of the EMC1...face it..we have unique looking amps...why not get the cd player that matches...the reviews seem to be good, and if buying used, I'm sure you could turn & sell it for little loss if any. I'd rather start there and if I weren't happy then I'd look into mixing & matching...after all...wouldn't it suck to get another cd player...yet still have that burning question in the back of your head saying "hmmm...I wonder what that EC would have sounded like?)...I know which path I'm going...I just wish EC made a DVD/CD player.
just my 2c.
Ellery
If it were me...I'd probably make a go of the EMC1...face it..we have unique looking amps...why not get the cd player that matches...the reviews seem to be good, and if buying used, I'm sure you could turn & sell it for little loss if any. I'd rather start there and if I weren't happy then I'd look into mixing & matching...after all...wouldn't it suck to get another cd player...yet still have that burning question in the back of your head saying "hmmm...I wonder what that EC would have sounded like?)...I know which path I'm going...I just wish EC made a DVD/CD player.
just my 2c.
Ellery