I probably am the first one to receive an EC Insight preamp with phono section. I have had it since Tuesday, along with the T8 repair and have not really had time to do some serious listening. That will come today.
This morning I put the phono section through some tests with my Soundcraftsmen test record. Channel balance (using my wonderful Empire 598 II) was (I would guess) within 1/4 db between left and right channels. Of course this is not an official measurement, but I did use 2 different sources for meters. One source is my analog input section on my Philips CD recorder. On analog input from the table, meters were almost consistently parallel on the all band pink noise track on the record. Unfortunately, I did not have a y cable to put true mono into both inputs, but I swapped both inputs to see symmetry and there was. I then hooked up the Revox reel-to-reel and did the same thing, this time I could calibrate both channels with the same input to get a good reference level. This is the goofy stuff you have to do when you have no test equipment, but it is a good visual. The Revox confirmed the findings with the Philips. Yes, this is slightly unscientific of me, but it's the best I can do for now.
Audibly, I have measured my speakers for symmetry and are dialed in really close as far as toe-in angle (which is very slight) and set back (which is identical for both) as well as being centered around an imaginary line in my studio.
The next test instrument I used was my ears. Test record for a short time was again, the Soundcraftsmen test record with all-band pink noise. Both channels centered at almost mid-point, again confirming uniform output.
Next I used an actual recording of Andreas Vollenwieder (on CBS records, and NOT COLUMBIA). The album is called Caverna Magica and as you can guess from the title, it has plenty of reverb. The sound was very holographic and instruments sounded very real with a very delicate timbre' the hit a very particular spot on the ear drum...as one might hear at a real concert. The soundstage is wide and natural and reverb decay was very even between the 2 channels, leaving me with a very pleasant soundscape. The music also goes way beyond the left and right speakers and I can hear both speakers at either extreme and hear full stereo. Some of that is this room, some the table, but I know the phono section is doing it's job, but afterawhile, I was just listening to the music, forgetting about the electronics altogether.
This thing is sweet. I'm confident that if you like vinyl and can appreciate some of the way excellent sounding MM carts out there, this pre-amp with the optional phono board will make you smile.
Wayner
