IC's for Electrocompaniet EMC1

I started with Red Dawn (RCA) and then Pro-Silways MkII (XLR) both of which were too lean with the EMC-1. I then tried HT Truth-Link (balanced) which were too rolled off up top. All this makes sense....
I then tried Siltech ST48 (or whatever), and again found them too lean.
The magic occurred when I tried Discovery Essence (balanced)! Detail and air similar to the others, but with a sweeter balance. Truly great.
Note that I have a MkII version.
I've heard enough evidence of the MkII improvements in bass slam AND top end air and extension that I get a couple of the DAC upgrade kits now and again from EC and sell them near cost. See the auction if you want one.
I've also played with four PCs: Belden 14AWG, Harm Tech ProAC-11, DIY Belden 83802 (better), and finally Virtual Dynamics Cryo P2, which I can't tell from the DIY 83802...although I haven't performed a rigorous comparison as I should.
I'm trying to not be self-serving here, but I WOULD suggest you spend $600 on the MkII upgrade before you go crazy with interconnect and PC experiments. Or if your budget requires waiting, then try any decent, neutral BALANCED IC for now.
But great bass slam AND top end air won't be had until you get the MkII upgrade. So don't do things backwards....
Note that I run the EMC-1 MkII through AlephP/2 monos, via Red Dawn XLR, RD cables to Verity Audio Parsifals in the nearfield in a relatively dead medium-sized room.
I had 30+ guests over last night to celebrate my belated 50th b-day, and absolutely made several of them cry after listening to samples of everything from Miles, Evans, Tony B, as well Shostakovich 5 (Bernstein...wish Columbia had gotten the strings better, though). It was great!
I then finished with ME playing the Brahms Sonata 3 Andante on my B. What a great night! Sorry to bend the thread....Ernie
What a great night!
(sounded the same),

Thank you all for the information and the ideas. I have just received my EMC1 and will try to audition certain of the IC's suggested. My only problem is that I am not sure how to do that... How do you get to try IC's in your system (other than buying and selling)? I know that this is what I need to do but frankly I'm not sure how. Any ideas??

Thanks again.

Raanan

I have a 1/2 meter Ensemble Dynaflux XLR for sale for $285 that is in like-new condition. Nothing sounds better for the money, or anywhere close to it, with the Electrocompaniet.

AudioQuest Anaconda XLR, the only choice.

KiD

I auditioned a bunch of interconnects with my EMC1 mk2 such as Acoustic Zen Silver, Cardas Golden Reference, Nordost Quatrofill and purchased a pair of Siltech SQ88-B Gold balanced interconnects. Very transparent and pure. More musical than the others I listened to in my system! You must listen to the cables in YOUR system and let your ears decide. Good luck.

Purist Audio Design Maximus or Colossus are great.Any Cardas is garbage by comparison,this is not system dependent.PAD Proteus is even better but expensive.

You do not state a budget so I will just list some cables that work very well. Nordost Blue Heaven and Synergistic Phase 1 if you are on a tight budget.

If you are willing to spend more look at Synergistic Phase 2 and Cardas Golden Cross.

If you are willing to spend even more consider Synergistic Designer Reference. A great match with the EMC 1

I tried the Nordost quatrro fil, NBS Monitor 0, Synergistics Resolution Ref,Transparent Reference, Acoustic Zen Silver ref and a bunch of others on my EMC 1 over the years and I settled with the Siltech SQ-88B Gold SE. Of course YMMV depending on the rest of your equipments, and another thing I think the EMC 1 sounds better with balanced cables than single ended.
Happy Hunting.

Electrocompaniet makes their own cables...