Imagine that you are unpacking not just a box of equipment, but something more. The Electrocompaniet ECG 1 is one of those players that commands respect at first glance. It looks solid, is assembled without fuss, and it is immediately clear that this is not a mass-market product, but a tool for the discerning audiophile. And then you turn it on for the first time, and the journey begins.
The world of vinyl is often shrouded in romance, but behind it lies very specific engineering. This turntable is a bridge between these worlds. It carefully extracts music from the grooves without adding unnecessary noise and distortion. The first thing you notice is the silence. The silence between the notes, from which a pure, lively sound is born.
The ECG 1's design is typically Scandinavian: understated, minimalist, but impeccably executed. No unnecessary buttons, just the essentials. All attention is focused on the most important thing — the spinning record and the smooth movement of the tonearm. It's mesmerizing and takes you back to the roots, to the very process of listening to music.
How do you feel when you put on your first record? It's a mixture of childlike curiosity and reverence. The sound fills the room gradually, enveloping you and revealing new details in familiar tracks. It's not just listening, it's a full-fledged experience where you become part of the process. Let's take a look at how it happens for the first time.
When you turn on the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 turntable for the first time, the sound catches your attention not because it is loud or impressive — it is simply *right*. It's as if the music has finally revealed itself: the voices sound lively, the drums beat in your chest, and the silence between the notes is real. Nothing is exaggerated, nothing is embellished. Just the record, the needle, and you. And at that moment, you realize: this is how music should sound.
First experience
The player turned out to be really beautiful. Although I am by no means a fan of Electrocompaniet's design, and in general I rarely like the look of players, I have to admit that in real life the device looks more impressive than in photos. Harmonious proportions, a combination of transparent acrylic and blackened metal, a transparent end face and a velvety matte top. Obviously, the company's corporate style was taken into account here, and the design elements were selected first based on technical requirements and only then on their visual appeal.
The Electrocompaniet ECG 1 logo can be reflected in the acrylic edges of the table when viewed from different angles.
Although this is the company's first experience, and overall a successful one, there are still some aspects that have not been fully thought through. First of all, there is no cover: it is not included in the basic package, nor is it available as an option. It is clear that a hinged cover would be superfluous, but a dust cover is necessary. The fact is that the acrylic surface of the table, if dust is regularly wiped off it, will sooner or later become covered with micro-scratches. Therefore, I advise buyers to immediately consider ordering a rectangular cover with cutouts for cable outlets: workshops that work with acrylic can be found in all major cities, and such a cover will not be expensive. I should note that the manufacturer is aware of the problem and promises to supply the player with a cover next year.
The ECG platter is three-layered, with a sheet of blackened aluminum between two acrylic plates. The result is a rigid but, thanks to the materials and layering, well-damped construction. At the bottom are three legs with vibration-isolating Soundcare SuperSpiked feet manufactured by the Norwegian company Soundcare (which specializes in such products). There is one drawback — there is no height adjustment. It's funny that the manual suggests adjusting the level by placing a few sheets of paper under the legs if necessary. This is the first time I've seen such a recommendation. However, the vibration isolation system itself works effectively.
Electrocompaniet ECG 1 player with the disc removed
The bearing is inverted. The design is quite unusual: a steel pulley and a steel cup with an insert, but the upper surface of the pulley is flat, and there is a ball bearing in the cup. There is no oil bath or spiral grooves for lubricant circulation. Apparently, it is designed to operate without lubrication: there is none included in the package. This is rarely done. I should note that the turntable I received for testing was already well-used; the distributor had been showing it at exhibitions and in the demo room for over a year, and the condition of the bearing did not cause any complaints.
The main disc is of average weight and is made of acrylic that is transparent at the ends and matte on top. The unit is not polished to zero, which in practice reduces slippage of the disc when cleaning it with a brush. There is no clamp included, and the manufacturer does not provide any recommendations in this regard.
First steps
The Electrocompaniet ECG 1 has a belt drive. There is no sub-platter; the belt drives the main platter directly. The motor is housed in a separate enclosure on a small platform with vibration-damping feet. The motor is powerful, 24-volt, synchronous, AC, with an external power supply.
Motor pulley and belt
One unusual feature is the convex outer surface of the pulley without any flanges or restraints. If you slow down the rotating disc with your hand, the belt slips off. Or the fact that the motor is connected to the player via a short cable with an RJ45 connector. This is a controversial solution, since the cable is non-removable and the connector lock breaks easily. This will not affect performance, and I don't think users will be connecting/disconnecting the motor often, but I still find this solution clumsy.
And the motor housing also heats up. Considering that the belt is thin and operates with low tension, theoretically, the heat could have a negative effect. In practice, 5 hours of continuous operation had no effect on playback stability. By the way, the motor spins the disc slowly and in stages, but considering its power, it could do it faster.
Traditional Electrocompaniet control buttons
There are three rotation speeds: in addition to the traditional 33.3 and 45 rpm, there is also 78 rpm. It is controlled by four buttons (including “Stop”), made in the traditional Electrocompaniet copper design. However, there is no fine speed adjustment, so you have to rely solely on the self-control system. In practice, the player maintains a stable and accurate speed.
Top ten
The turntable is equipped with a 10-inch Jelco SA-750EB tonearm. It can be considered conditionally non-removable — this type of mounting is found on other models, but there are practically no 10-inch ones among them. But even if so, it is a good choice. It may be 10 inches instead of 12, but it is definitely better than a 9-inch arm, with less angular error. In addition, the tonearm itself is one of the best in its class, a high-quality design from the oldest Japanese manufacturer.
Jelco SA-750EB tonearm pivot
The tonearm is easy to adjust and has all the necessary functions. The set includes two counterweights, and a viscous damper can be used.
The default configuration includes a standard shell and a standard DIN-RCA phono cable. Both can be changed if the user decides to select options for specific conditions. The manual states that the effective mass is 21 grams, which should be taken into account when selecting a cartridge. Incidentally, the package includes an adjustment template that allows you to adjust the head with different geometry options.
This photo clearly shows how the tonearm base is attached to the table
It is not difficult to unpack, assemble, and set up the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 turntable, and the manual provides detailed recommendations for adjusting the tonearm and cartridge. It may be a little difficult for a beginner, but for a user with even a little experience, there will be no problems.
First choices
Before starting the test, I had to decide on the components and experiments. I am very familiar with Jelco tonearms, including the Jelco SA-750EB, but the turntable is an unknown quantity. For the test, I chose the van den Hul The MC 10 Special, which I had left over from a recent test, the Goldring Legacy, and the Ortofon Cadenza Red. I wonder what the outcome will be. As for the experiments, I'll just see how the turntable gets along with the mats and clamps.
Jelco SA-750EB tonearm
The situation with the cartridges was resolved as follows: I excluded the Goldring Legacy from the test almost immediately after listening to 2-3 records. The cartridge is good for its neutrality and somewhat monitor-like presentation, but in this particular case, the sound turned out to be a bit dull and lifeless. The Van den Hul The MC 10 Special sounded interesting, but genre-specific. The cartridge's character was smoothed out, with an emphasis on the midrange. Many people will like jazz recordings played this way, especially vocal music lovers. Overall, the versatility of this combination turned out to be lower than I would have liked: for example, symphonic works lacked detail at the edges of the range, and the midrange was sometimes tiring. The turntable's drive performed well, adding dynamics.
Overall, the player tends toward a neutral, cool, analytical, and restrained presentation. After listening and comparing, I settled on the Ortofon Cadenza Red cartridge as my main pair.
Tone arm shell and cartridge
Users can choose useful accessories such as mats and clamps according to their preferences. However, I don't see any particular need for them: the player has no flaws that could be eliminated with their help. I would say the same about the clamp: I would use it if the record was warped, but there is no point in using it to change the sound.
First impressions
After selecting the equipment, I started listening. I began with Terje Rypdal's album Waves. My first impressions were good dynamics and attention to the smallest details, including quiet reverberations. The sound is fast, complex, and agile. Perhaps it is slightly bright and a little cool, but not insubstantial. However, the style of the ECM recording should be taken into account here.
I liked the bass — unexpectedly good even for serious players. It is good in terms of speed and fullness, does not lag behind or smear the rest of the range, and there is no bloat or excessive chamberiness. The midrange is transparent and detailed, with excellent detail. The high frequencies are natural and accurate.
The motor of the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 turntable. The photo shows the power and control connectors.
The dynamics were surprising: after all, a belt drive has its own characteristics, and on top of that, there should have been some roughness in the implementation. It seems that the engineers carefully calculated the operation of the drive and all its components and very carefully adjusted all the elements of the design to each other. Therefore, in practice, it turned out that the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 shows neither haste nor slowness, nor hesitation or uncertainty, which is a valuable and rather rare property for a turntable.
The soundstage is constructed correctly, in detail, with good separation between planes. The emotional character of the recording is conveyed without coloring or the dominance of the character of the treatment itself. There is nothing much to add to these components, at least in the case of this record.
Soundcare SuperSpiked feet
The next recording is John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. It is a well-known record with its own distinctive sound. Here, the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 correctly reproduced the proportions and details, preserved the scale, and accurately placed the accents. Emotionally, the recording sounds a little more analytical and, at times, too neat. Putting all the components together, we can say that the main feature of the player is accuracy.
I continue listening to JJ Cale & Eric Clapton's Road to Escondido. The sound is dynamic, rich, dense, but not heavy or slow. It seems that the player has measured out just the right amount for this recording to sound right. Good sense of rhythm, lively bass. By the way, in my opinion, the last duet was recorded with too much bass, but thanks to careful processing, it turned out well.
External motor power supply
Next, I chose two recordings of opera pieces. The combination of complex vocal parts with the emotionality of the orchestral accompaniment characteristic of each piece is a difficult test for even the most serious player.
The first recording I played was Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, which is also quite old and specific. The opera sounded a little dull, but that was to be expected. What was unexpected was the detail and tonal honesty. If you abstract yourself from the characteristics of the recording itself, it is easy to focus on the performance and the music.
Standard phono cable for the tonearm
With Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, everything turned out to be even simpler — the recording is newer, and its quality is very decent. The sound is accurate and detailed, even complex passages are rendered with minimal flaws — there is just a slight simplification. Otherwise, the entire range is reproduced fully, whether it be rich passages or, conversely, quiet passages.
Initial conclusions
The company has managed to make a decent turntable — solid and well thought out. And the minor flaws have virtually no impact on the overall picture. I would like to note that I can just as easily find ridiculous solutions in more expensive turntables with a long history, and this is a device that is not even part of the company's core business. We must give credit to the Norwegian engineers: they were able to deliver a high-quality result on their first try.
Electrocompaniet ECG 1 vinyl record player
The turntable can work independently of other Electrocompaniet components — it is completely self-sufficient. I wouldn't say that the player is genre-specific, but I would advise you to consider a few things when choosing cartridges. For example, I wouldn't use a cartridge with a cold or dull sound, or cartridges that tend to produce a chamber sound or have a pronounced mid/high frequency spectrum and tight bass. But models with a warm sound are fine. The level of detail, dynamics, and type of cartridge are up to you. The player is capable of revealing the nuances of a wide variety of models and will not be a capricious element in the chain.
So, what was the end result? My first encounter with the Electrocompaniet ECG 1 was a case where reality not only lived up to expectations, but exceeded them. This is not just a piece of metal and plastic, but a carefully designed instrument that makes it clear from the very first record that everything is genuine.
The sound from this turntable does not overwhelm with digital perfection. It is lively, warm, and surprisingly detailed. You hear the music, not the hiss of the needle. You get that “vinyl” feeling of presence, when it seems that the musicians are about to appear right in the room.
Yes, the ECG 1 is a device for those who appreciate the process. For those who value not just pressing a button, but carefully taking out a record, lowering the tonearm, and immersing themselves in the sound. It turns this ritual into a small but very significant event.
If you've been wanting to dive into the world of vinyl for a long time or are looking for an upgrade for your system, this turntable is worth it. It doesn't just play records. It brings back that very magic of listening that made us all fall in love with music in the first place.
