Suppose you live much of your life as an audiophile on social media. In that case, you’d be forgiven for believing the only high-end integrated amplifiers out of Norway are by Hegel. While Hegel makes a fine product (we have reviewed their products, and they were an advertiser at one time), Electrocompaniet from Tau, Norway, just across the bridge from Stavanger on the east coast of southern Norway, is also a maker of very highly regarded high-end audio gear. All Electrocompaniet components are designed and manufactured in Norway.

Founded in 1973 by Per Abrahamsen and Svein Erik Børja, Electrocompaniet was created to design better-sounding transistor amplifiers. They developed their designs to create an ideal sound based on their perceived live listening experiences, not technical measurements. That design ideal is maintained to this day.

The early days saw success in the audiophile and professional world, reviewed very positively in high-end audio magazines and used by top producers to record albums, even at Abbey Road.

From the company’s strong beginnings, fluctuations in the market caused a few bumps along the way, but it has been on a strong footing for the past decade and continues to promote its brand in North America. One of the difficulties, non-musical, is having a seven-syllable name. But once practiced, the name is distinguished and different from the crowd. The name in English is simply Electro Company.

My thanks to David Jensen of Canadian importer Red Leaf Audio for shipping the 20.5 kg unit across the country to the island. Also, thanks to my BC mainland neighbour John Stratton of Pure Fidelity Turntables for alerting me to Electrocompaniet’s renewed North American presence and for their components’ “incredible value and knock-out sound,” his words. He hasn't steered me wrong yet.

Audiophilia is going “full on” in 2025 with Electrocompaniet gear. I’ll be doing their EMC 1 MKV Reference CD Player in addition to the ECI 6 MKII integrated reviewed here, and Karl Sigman will be reviewing the ECM 1 MKII High-End DAC and Music Streamer. All have the same refined look.

Here, we have the Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MKII Integrated Amplifier priced at $6200 (CAD 10,000). This price is for the fully analog ECI 6, not the ECI 6 DX, with added DAC and streamer ($7200).

My Use

Shipping is very professional, with the unit well secured within double, heavy cardboard boxes. A small box contains the remote control (plastic fantastic, but usable with all Electrocompaniet gear; I hear they are designing a metal remote available for an additional charge). Also included are batteries for the remote, an IEC power cord (unused), manual/warranty info, etc. At 45 lbs, use your knees to lift, but it’s not too onerous getting it into a rack. As usual, with high-end audio, pro shots do not do the unit justice. It’s beautifully built with a cool-looking, thick acrylic front cover with small copper-coloured buttons for functionality.

The ECI 6 MKII’s beautiful fascia. Here, the unit is breaking in on the lowest rack. The ECI 6 doesn’t run too hot, but it was moved to a roomier space in the rack during the full audition.

The power button is on the bottom/middle of the cover, with four buttons known as “Navigator” on the right side (volume and input selection). There are four analog inputs: CD, AUX, DVD, and HT. To the left is the “Navigator Window,” displaying input choices in large blue letters. Below the company name is the volume control LED indicator (more on this later).

I used the Allnic Audio Mu-7R mk2 Intercable Balanced XLR Interconnects to connect my MBL N31 CD/DAC ($18,400) to the Electrocompaniet’s balanced XLR CD input and Ansuz Acoustics Signalz C2 Interconnects to connect my Phasemation EA-350 Phono Amplifier to the AUX single-ended RCA input. DVD, HT and Preamp out went unused. The speaker cable was Ansuz Acoustics Speakz C2. The supplied standard IEC power cord was replaced by the superb Ansuz Acoustics Mainz D2 Power Cable (€8800/metre), which was plugged into the Ansuz Acoustics Mainz8 C2 Power Distributor (€5000)

The volume control uses a rod connected to a fully analog unit—the rod rotates a small blue LED, which shows on the front fascia around a stylized “e” (see image above). It looks cool and works well, but I prefer a chunky rotating knob. The good news is the Norwegian designers have taken as much care for an all-important, low distortion potentiometer as Jürgen Reis did for my reference MBL N51 Integrated Amplifier ($21,400), and Kang Su Park achieved with my reference tube preamplifier, the Allnic Audio L-8500 OTL/OCL Preamplifier ($14,800).

The fascia without a volume knob does look very nice, and the volume control works effectively from the remote, but after the cool factor wears off, it does seem a little fussy for its intended effect. FYI, there are a few videos on YouTube that demonstrate the interesting mechanics of the rotating rod/LED disc.

David Jensen suggested at least a 100-hour break-in period. I complied. Out of the box, the ECI 6 was a bit of an inhibited wallflower. I left it alone for a couple of hours, and in that time, it had blossomed into a lovely sounding, dynamic integrated. Jensen was right on when he texted me, “Once its break-in period is over, the amp will simply get out of the way and let the music flow through unfettered.” Correct, again.

“The input stage is built from discrete circuits running in class A with zero feedback. The output stage runs with moderate amounts of negative feedback, carefully balanced between good bass extension and control, a detailed open midrange and a warm detailed top.”

Specifications

Preamplifier section

Input impedance ( Balanced input ) 47K ohm

Maximum input level 10 Volt RMS

Noise floor ( 1Vrms, 20 - 20 kHz, balanced) -135 dB

THD + N (1Vrms, 20 - 20 kHz, balanced) <0.004%

Gain (Balanced) 0 dB

Amplifier section

Output Impedance < 0,02 Ohm

Frequency response 1 – 150 kHz

Channel separation > 120 dB

THD ( 20 - 20 kHz) < 0.004%

Maximum peak current >100A

Damping factor 8 ohm load >350

Input sensitivity 120W output 1.3Vrms

Input sensitivity HT 120W output 1Vrms

Gain HT Input x36 (31 dB)

Rated output power

8 ohms 2 x 125 W

4 ohms 2 x 200 W

2 ohms 2 x 370 W

Power consumption 110 W

Standby 1W

Dimensions 470 mm / 430 mm / 128 mm

Weight 20,5 Kg / 45 lbs.

Sound

The ECI 6 MKII ($6200) is a well-thought-out, powerful Class A/B design, and it sounds as such. But there is some forward-thinking design alchemy involved, too.

Even though my reference integrated amplifier is not a fair comparison (far more power and a completely different topology for a $15,000 premium!), the smaller, less powerful Electrocompaniet held its own against the German behemoth. So much so that when finally taken out of the system, I missed its wholly “organic” sound.

As an amplification platform, my BØRRESEN Acoustics 01 Silver Supreme Edition Loudspeakers (€47,000/pair) presented the MKII with a 6-ohm load. David Jensen suggested the rating would be about 140W/channel. In my smallish room, the Electrocompaniet had no problems driving the Danish superstars to very loud levels with no distortion while maintaining the unit’s very smooth and musical response. Very impressive. I’ve heard other amps, both tube and transistor rated around 100W on the 01s, give up the ghost on demanding material. Your ears will be crying uncle before the ECI 6 MKII does.

I was enjoying the break-in CD so much that I decided to use it as the first serious audition piece. The splendid Telarc CD with Robert Shaw conducting Atlanta forces in two great requiems by Fauré and Duruflé. I’ve loved these performances with impressive sound since the CD was released in 1987. The MKII unravelled the somewhat reverberant acoustic from an empty Atlanta Symphony Hall and allowed the glowing orchestral and choral sound to be experienced in perfect balance. It’s here, after several runs through both superb Requiems, that I heard what Stratton, Jensen and many others have reported about the company’s sound signature—warm and detailed with enough power to drive all but the most stubborn speakers. All the while, the artsy description of “organic” kept creeping into my thoughts. The dictionary defines it as “relating to or derived from living matter.” And that is how I heard the integrated. Full of life and interest. The performances were very impressive and heard with warmth and detail, even through the recording’s reverberation time. There’s a real connection between the company’s ID, “If Music Really Matters,” and its curated sound design.

Please don’t confuse warmth with loss of detail or resolution. That could not be farther from the truth. The designers have managed to control power and frequency response at a $6200 MSRP. There was no Scandi politeness but a civility that made even rough and ready CDs listenable. But it was no slouch on details on well-recorded materials such as the Harmonia Mundi CD of Monteverdi’s Selve Morale—you can hear birds twittering from their nest at the back of the church. And on the beautiful vocals, there was more superb detail with coherence and control.

Even though the MBL is a formidable point of reference, especially on large-scale orchestral works, I threw the MKII a vinyl curveball to see if it could keep up with the N51 playing Reference Recordings’ Arnold Overtures, rare works by the great English composer Malcolm Arnold. Engineered by Prof. Keith Johnson, played by the LPO, and conducted by the composer from Watford Town Hall—it is about the best orchestral recording I own. Arnold lived his somewhat tragic life in extremes, and you get everything in the extremes in a dynamic cauldron from this spectacular historical document.

There are some crescendos in “The Smoke” that transition from pppp to ffff, which an orchestra like the LPO can graduate like the smooth acceleration when pressing on the gas of a Bugatti Veron. It’s typical of Arnold gilding the lily, but the orchestra and engineer Johnson nail it. Just before we get to the end of each crescendo, any sane person feels like diving for the remote. Now, I’m not going to tell you that the ECI 6 matched the massive power headroom of the MBL, with its 400 watts of Jürgen Reis power. It did not, but even at a fulsome level, there was no coughing and spluttering from the Norwegian. It never lost its composure.

After the Arnold torture test, the playback was all sunshine and roses. So my favourite test tracks from Cat Stevens’ Tea for the Tillerman to a mono pressing of Julie London's Lonely Girl presented zero problems. Here, I was listening for bass resolution (the Arnold proved it had very good bass)—the first note of “Where Do the Children Play?” is a perfect example of tight bass, but not too loud. A great result, and the Electrocompaniet revealed all the beautiful vocal layers Stevens achieved in his masterpiece record. And the wonderful Julie London’s vulnerability was heard clearly while Al Viola’s guitar displayed the subtlety with which the unit could give the listener accurate timbral cues.

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.

Conclusion

Yes, the Electrocompaniet is a Norwegian star component. It is a sexy-looking, fatigue-free integrated that plays well above its $6200 price. Its voicing is admirable and will be loved by those who want accurate instrumental and vocal timbre sounding present in real spaces and compatible with a wide range of loudspeakers. In this, the Tau designers have succeeded admirably and receives my warmest recommendation.

Further information: Electrocompaniet