Electrocompaniet
Deliveries over $700 - Signature Required!
No se pudo cargar la disponibilidad de retiro
Electrocompaniet · Reference Series · Made in Norway
The EC 5 is a serious answer to an old question: how much music are we losing before it ever reaches the power amplifier?
A decade of development. Two independent channels. Pure Class A operation. And a volume control that received considerably more attention than most people give their entire system.
The House of Stereo perspective
Power amplifiers get the big numbers. Speakers get the admiring looks. The preamplifier sits between them doing a job that is easy to underestimate—until the rest of the system is good enough to reveal what happens there.
Source selection, level adjustment, channel balance, and the ability to drive the next component all pass through this one box. Our view is simple: when you are building a reference system, the control stage deserves the same care as the components on either side of it. The EC 5 makes that argument with unusually focused engineering.
Discrete analogue circuitry from input to output.
Independent supplies and separate left/right signal circuitry.
Behind the gold-ringed wheel is Electrocompaniet’s own electronic attenuation system. Its resistor network keeps the signal’s route through the control the same length as you change level. Mechanical switching contacts and relays are absent from that audio path.
The practical attraction is precision: 1,000 adjustment steps, with 0.1 dB resolution through the principal −73 dB to +20 dB range. You can make a small change without overshooting the level you wanted. That matters when the ideal setting lies somewhere between “a little more” and “the neighbors have joined the listening session.”
Inside the chassis
Each channel has its own power supply, fed by one of two 80 VA toroidal transformers. Each also receives 15,000 µF of storage capacitance and three stages of filtering and regulation. The analogue circuits occupy a shielded upper compartment; transformers and control electronics sit below.
Electrocompaniet uses its AmpliWire topology with high open-loop bandwidth and low negative feedback. The direct-coupled signal path contains no coupling capacitors, and the output stage is specified to drive 600-ohm loads and long interconnect runs.
The manufacturer specifies 113 dB A-weighted signal-to-noise ratio, greater than 120 dB channel separation, and 0.0002% typical THD+N. Those are engineering measurements, not a substitute for listening—but they explain why this preamplifier belongs in a serious conversation.
The output impedance is just 22 ohms. Combined with a maximum 10 Vrms output, that gives a system designer useful flexibility when matching power amplifiers. We will still check your amplifier’s input sensitivity and gain; more available gain does not mean you need to use all of it.
Your system, properly connected
Four stereo XLR inputs and two stereo RCA inputs accommodate a substantial source collection. Two sets of balanced main outputs and a single-ended main output provide flexibility for suitable amplification arrangements, while separate balanced and single-ended recording outputs serve recording equipment.
A DAC, CD player, streamer with analogue outputs, and external phono stage can all feed the EC 5. It is an analogue line preamplifier: a turntable still needs a phono stage, and digital sources still need conversion to analogue.
Use the included remote, front-panel wheel, EC Play app, or a browser on your network. Ethernet supports control and updates; it does not turn the EC 5 into a music streamer. Network access is optional for normal operation.
The natural partners are the AW 800 M reference power amplifier and AW 300 M monoblocks. For sources, explore the ECM 1 MKII DAC/streamer and ECP 2 MKII phono stage. Existing amplification? Tell us what you own; we can work through the electrical match and the system as a whole.
Read. Watch. Then listen.
September 2, 2026. Stuart’s detailed EC 5 review includes a discussion with designer Geir Svihus and listening with AW 800 M amplification. He highlights drive, clarity, a quiet background, and the pairing with those power amplifiers. The review discloses that the unit was purchased for the reviewer’s system.
October 9, 2026. Huff evaluates the EC 5 alongside AW 300 M monoblocks, emphasizing body, bass authority, and emotional involvement. He also describes the combination as somewhat relaxed, making this useful reading for listeners weighing presentation as well as resolution. These are his system-based impressions.
The reference desk
Manufacturer specifications, primarily from the EC 5 owner’s manual and data sheet. Figures describe the preamplifier itself, not a shipping carton.
| Architecture | Fully discrete, fully balanced, dual mono; pure Class A from input to output |
|---|---|
| Volume adjustment | 1,000 steps; −100 dB to +20 dB overall range; 0.1 dB increments from −73 dB to +20 dB |
| Input impedance | 47 kΩ |
| Output impedance | 22 Ω |
| Maximum voltage gain | 20 dB (10×) |
| Maximum input / output voltage | 10 Vrms / 10 Vrms |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 113 dB, referenced to 1 V, 20 Hz–20 kHz, A-weighted |
| THD + noise | 0.0002% typical, per owner’s manual |
| Channel separation | >120 dB |
| Frequency response | 0.5 Hz–450 kHz, per manufacturer’s descriptive specification |
| DC output voltage | <1 mV |
| Analogue inputs | 4 stereo balanced XLR inputs; 2 stereo single-ended RCA inputs |
| Variable analogue outputs | 2 stereo balanced XLR outputs; 1 stereo single-ended RCA output |
| Recording outputs | 1 stereo balanced XLR REC output; 1 stereo single-ended RCA REC output |
| Control connections | Ethernet; USB programming port; 2 trigger inputs and 3 trigger outputs; IR output; internal/external/off IR selection |
| Power supply | Two 80 VA toroidal transformers; 15,000 µF storage per channel; three filtering/regulation stages per channel |
| Display / controls | 7-inch IPS color display; ball-bearing volume wheel; supplied IR remote; EC Play app and browser control |
| Power consumption | 80 W idle; <0.5 W standby |
| Mains | Automatic 115/230 V selection; 50/60 Hz |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 470 × 190 × 420 mm / 18.5 × 7.48 × 16.54 in; height includes feet; depth includes volume wheel and ground terminal |
| Net weight | 36 kg / approximately 79.4 lb; not packed shipping weight |
Documentation note: the current manual and data sheet specify 36 kg; an inconsistent 26 kg entry appears on the manufacturer’s web table. Trigger counts above follow the manual’s connection instructions and the data sheet; the manual’s summary list reverses them. Specifications may change.
Living with the EC 5
Allow for a 36 kg component and use two people to move it. The manual requires at least 2 inches of free space above, beside, and behind the chassis, and recommends at least 4 inches above. Keep the bottom, side, and top ventilation openings clear. An enclosed cabinet needs proper airflow.
Its 80 W idle draw is a reminder that Class A operation produces heat. Choose the shelf for the equipment you are actually installing, with room for connectors and cable bends beyond the chassis dimensions.
EC Play offers input naming, channel balance, source-level offsets of ±10 dB, a maximum-volume setting, display brightness, and standby control. The same controls are accessible through the unit’s network browser interface. Matching source levels makes switching between a DAC and phono stage much more civilized.
The display has five brightness settings, including off; it wakes for control activity before returning to the selected setting. The supplied remote provides a straightforward alternative to reaching for your phone.
No. The EC 5 handles analogue line-level signals. Connect your turntable through an appropriate external phono stage and your digital sources through a DAC or a source with its own analogue output. Its LAN and programming ports are control/service connections, not digital music inputs.
Yes, provided the connection and gain requirements are compatible. We can check input impedance, input sensitivity, balanced versus single-ended connections, and your source output levels. A coherent system matters more than matching the logos on the front panels.
Connections, remote and app operation, placement, troubleshooting, and technical specifications.
Download the English manual · PDF ↗Architecture, volume control, power supply, interface features, and dimensions.
Download the EC 5 data sheet · PDF ↗Official Electrocompaniet EC 5 product page ↗ · Manufacturer web specifications ↗
House of Stereo · Jacksonville, Florida · Since 1969
Order your EC 5 online, or tell us about your sources, amplification, speakers, and room. We are happy to help with system matching and setup.
Questions? (904) 642-6677Talk with House of Stereo
