Audiophilepure

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/12/11/electrocompaniet-eci-6-mkii-integrated-amplifier

During The Firebird, another Watford gem (Classic Records/Dorati/LSO), the ECI 6 allowed the spacious acoustic and the pinpoint imaging achieved by the original Mercury recording team in 1960. Also, the very demanding dynamic range of this pressing (Bernie Grundman cut) presented no problems to the MKII. The control of bass during the bass drum heavy Side 2 was very impressive on transient, note and decay. Excellent control.

The MKII is said to have an improved power supply, and this new version never gave me an ounce of power envy. At times, however, the massive headroom of the MBL allowed a more refined, effortless playback—an ease that only gobs of brilliantly engineered power through the right speakers can bring. In my case, it’s not about speaker matching, though that is important; it’s a comfort and peace of mind thing. And if you hear one of these 20 K plus integrateds, such as examples from MBL, D’Agostino or Accuphase, you’ll know what I mean. The Bugatti Veron rarely uses its 1000 hp, but it’s there underfoot, and the driver knows it and feels it.

I figured I would amuse several peers and community members when I revealed in Part 1 that I had used mismatched HDMI cables in my initial dual HDMI setup. Not only had I employed an Amazon $10 HDMI Y-cable to split the HDMI output of the PS Audio AirLens, but I had paired two different models of AudioQuest HDMI cables! It doesn’t get worse than that! We all know that is how you wreck sound quality, right? Why take anyone seriously who does such things? Their advice can’t be worth much. Wrong! I explained that their use was chiefly for proof of concept, to see if the Y-cable and dual input to the integrated amps via the I²S input would work. I did not have a matching pair of HDMI cables, and the two were so close in performance as to fail my Law of Efficacy, meaning they were so similar that the difference was hardly worth noting. However, when paired properly, nuances between them became more noticeable. They worked very well together. Splitting the signal, even with a lousy $10 Amazon Y-cable, was a major win performance-wise. Aside from proof of concept, I would never pair two different models of cables in any audio system.

If you are looking for amplifiers that have a distinct sound that is ever present on every recording you play, the JC1+ amplifiers aren’t for you. They are just truth tellers plain and simple and these are the highest fidelity amplifiers I have ever had in my system. I find it hard to express all of the ways the JC1+ amplifiers elevated the sound of my system. What I can tell you is that I was sad on my last night of listening to the review pair and having to power them down in preparation for boxing them up and shipping them back to Parasound. I decided that I didn’t want to be without the JC1+ amplifiers in my system, so I purchased a new pair. That is the highest compliment I can give the JC1+ amplifiers.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0425/Class_D_Audio_Premium_GaN_60_Balanced_Amplifier_Terry_Audio_EI30A_Balanced_Power_Review.htm

So do you use the EI 30A? Just plug in an outlet, and plug the power strip for your system into the female plug for the EI 30A. I didn’t have room for the EI 30A to be close to my system, so I got a 12 ga extension cord to make the connection to the power strip. Marshall did warn me that switching-power supplies do not work well with balanced power, so I plugged the Pass B1 Korg Preamp wall wart directly into the outlet. To evaluate the EI 30A I used the Mullard 3-3 amp paired with the Korg B1 preamp.

Listening to the Terry Audio EI 30A with my system, I realized I have been thinking about power supplies all wrong. I always considered them as an accessory. The EI 30A made such a dramatic change in my system, that I consider it as a component just as valuable as an amplifier or a DAC. If you are looking to upgrade your entire system without changing its personality, you might want to check out the EI-30A.

https://pt.audio/2025/03/14/orchard-audio-starkrimson-mono-premium-amplifiers-review/

Maybe times have changed. Perhaps we audio nuts don’t have as much of a bias against “newer” technology such as class D amplification and all of the advantages it can offer. Whatever the case, the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Mono Premium amplifiers never called attention to themselves in such a way that I ever worried about them being class D. In fact, it rarely even crossed my mind. I was just so involved in listening that nothing else really mattered, and that’s about the best one can expect from a really good stereo setup. And the other advantages? Well, moving the Pass Labs X250.8 from one side of my room to the other was a task, not that I really minded. But handling the little Starkrimson amps was nothing- each could be balanced easily in the palm of my hand. I will give the Pass Labs amp points for running a bit warm though, as my listening space tends a tad cool for comfort in the winter. Ask me again next summer, and I’m sure I’ll tell you a different story.