The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Electrocompaniet EMC-1 CD player which must be purchased separately.

This is a service for modifying Electrocompaniet CD players (please ask for other manufacturers & models)

The EMC-1 is beautiful in design and minimalistic in approach. From a design point the EMC-1 centres around a Philips CDM-PRO 2 transport. The CDM-PRO mechanism and DSP board are housed in a proprietary rectangular metal block consisting of 4 sheets of metal alloy with soft rubber coupling feet. This patented electro-mechanical damping system purportedly isolates the transport’s laser mechanism from vibrations. The EMC1’s circuits are fully balanced and symmetrical (the latest employing updated 24/192 kHz DAC’s) for both the left and right channel respectively. Additionally, four separate power supplies using their exclusive Floating Transformer Technology (FTT) feed the digital, analogue, drive mechanism and fluorescent display. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Electrocompaniet EMC-1 CD player which must be purchased separately.

The sound of the EMC-1 has been compared quite favourable to the Linn CD12 Stereotimes magazine stated; “In summary, the EMC1 simply is the best sounding CD player to have graced my system. It humiliated the highly touted SACD’s in the all-important sonic parameters - richness, tonality, sound staging, resolution, image specificity and quietness - right out of the dog-gone box. The EMC1 outperformed SACD discs through the almighty Sony SCD1.”

While we did not have a Sony SCD-1 at the time of making our own listening tests the performance of the EMC-1 sets it apart from almost every other CD player within its price range and some. Is it perfect no, can it be improved; certainly.

Unlocking EMC-1 Performance.

Users of the EMC-1 will know that it has it faults and is by no means perfect.  Low frequencies can sound ‘loose’ lacking control and timing. Placement of instruments & vocals in the sound-stage can be fuzzy, lacking focus and depth. The presentation is often ‘too soft’, lacking dynamics and drive.

While component quality of the EMC-1 is generally high there are several areas which can be significantly improved. The master clock of the CD player is the Philips 0EM version that is supplied with the DSP board. The clock is CMOS based using the internal CMOS logic of the SAA7324 servo processor. Master clocks based on the CMOS gate of servo processors have poor phase noise performance and high levels of power supply noise injection when compared to a discretely designed, external, low phase noise oscillator.

Passive components like the electrolytic capacitors, diodes & voltage regulators are also ‘general purpose’ types. While this statement is no reflection on the quality of the EMC-1’s circuits, by correctly upgrading the capacitors, diodes & voltage regulators the EMC-1 is drastically improved. The potentially here is vast, and we have developed upgrade paths starting by addressing the master clock system, and strategic replacements for passive components, electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, wiring. This ‘level-1’ modification seriously elevates the EMC-1 and the player reveals a quality of sound that surpasses the stock player in every given area.

For those looking for what may be the ultimate CD sound this side of £15K+ consider the Ultraclock reference clock system matched with several stages of ultra-low noise regulation, Black Gate N (non-polar) electrolytic capacitors and Cryogenic treated cables.

The level-3 modification is the definitive statement for the EMC-1 producing a sound from CD that matches a high-end vinyl set-up. The sound is so much more ‘analogue’ that you are detached from the fact that you are actually playing compact disc. Every inner detail and nuance is presented, shift in tempo felt, emotive clues, the music has a charismatic quality considered absent with CD; the music is enthralling. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Electrocompaniet EMC-1 CD player which must be purchased separately.

Electrocompaniet EMC-1 Level-1 Upgrades (GBP 525.00 inclusive)

1.      Superclock 4-S ultra-low jitter master clock.

2.      Superclock 4 ultra-low noise clock PSU.

3.      Digital + Analogue power supply reservoir capacitor upgrade.

4.      Digital + Analogue regulator bypass capacitor upgrade.

Electrocompaniet EMC-1 Level-2 Upgrades (GBP 850.00 inclusive)

1.      +5V digital regulator upgraded to Invisus PPR2, discrete, ultra-low noise regulator board.

2.      +9V digital regulator upgraded to Super-regulator 2, discrete, ultra-low noise regulator board.

3.      DAC/Upsampling de-coupling capacitors upgraded to OS-CON SP.

4.      Audio power supply reservoir capacitor upgrade.

5.      Audio power supply de-coupling upgraded to Black Gate STD.

6.      Audio output signal wire upgraded to UP-OCC.