Opinions on the Electrocompaniet ECM1 MK2

My friend has an ECM 1 and upgraded it to 24/192 and it sounds really good -I have one also but decided to bypass the upgrade and buy a Kora Hermes tube DAC which upsamples to 24/192 and gives the tube sound I like - it sounds better than just the upgrade - I see now the Hermes is further upgraded and 2595 - I paid 1500 for mine and am totally satisfied finally with CD playback.

I have an EMC 1 which had been upgraded to 24/192 at Sanctuary of Sound and I was impressed with it, I never though it would sounded any better before the upgrade but it just just blew me away like the first time I had the unit.
One thing though I ended up having to raise my volume a bit like from 60 my normal listening level on my SF Line 2 SE to 74 to get the same volume.

Ligi, did you compare them in the same system in the same room?

I am enthralled by my EMC-1 MkII, and have heard that the Europress is gaga over it. I did NOT have a cjance to compare with the MkI, however. I have heard that NOONE who has upgraded wanted to go backwards, though....

Also, the MkII DAC kits are factory backordered because of unprecedented demand. Maybe some things ya just gotta take on faith? Heresy, I know, but sometimes life is too short, eh?

Yes I did hear them in my room . The ECM is good in any form but its transport is very good.

Was this really in production back in 2001?!

Yes. I had dinner with the tech director of Electro at the NYAS last fall, wherein he assured me that the ECM 1 Mk6, although internally reconfigured, uses the same Class A analog output stage and Cirrus chipset as the original, as it's so good. So yes, an old Mk1 with the diode/cap mod back then is STILL a reference level CDP.

(The food at Hell's Kitchen was great, but of course overpriced.)