Electrocompaniet EC4.8 MKII

Electrocompaniet EC4.8 MKII, reference stereo preamplifier

Narrowing the gap with the original recording: this guiding principle has led Norway’s oldest hi-fi manufacturer since its beginnings, and it is reflected in every choice made for this reference preamplifier. Beneath its low-profile, discreet chassis are two complete mono preamplifiers, one per channel, each with its own power supply. No converter, no tone controls: just a balanced line stage whose sole task is to deliver the signal cleanly to your power amplifiers.

Two mono preamplifiers under one cover

The dual-mono principle is far from a marketing claim for Electrocompaniet: the two channels are genuinely treated as two separate mono preamplifiers. Each channel occupies its own circuit board, with its toroidal transformer and power supply. The logic section and display also have their own power supply, separated from the audio signal. The practical result is channel separation exceeding 120 dB and negligible crosstalk, even at low volume levels, where the stereo image tends to narrow with more economical designs. The circuits are balanced and fully discrete from end to end, with no integrated circuits in the signal path.

Fully balanced design and direct coupling

This balanced approach goes hand in hand with direct coupling from input to output: the signal travels continuously, without coupling capacitors. These capacitors, found in many preamplifiers, can sometimes color the bass and introduce slight phase shifts. Removing them, however, requires rigorous design to control any residual DC voltage. Measurements confirm this attention to detail: harmonic distortion below 0.002%, a noise floor below -130 dB, and frequency response from 1 Hz to 200 kHz. This exceptionally wide bandwidth extends beyond the audible range, helping to preserve transient accuracy.

Volume control and black acrylic front panel

The black acrylic front panel is reduced to the essentials: a gold power button in the center, a small display on the left, and a diamond-shaped group of buttons for volume and input selection. The display shows the active input and represents the level as a horizontal bar. Volume adjustment is entirely electronic, with no mechanical potentiometer or contacts that wear over time, preserving the same channel separation regardless of the selected level. A remote control is supplied with the preamplifier to operate volume, inputs, and standby mode from the listening position. The chassis remains low and rests on four anti-vibration feet. One placement consideration deserves attention: the circuits are sensitive to stray magnetic fields, so it is best to keep the EC4.8 MKII away from high-power transformers and a television.

Balanced connectivity and home theater input

For connections, the EC4.8 MKII offers two balanced XLR inputs and three unbalanced RCA inputs, all strictly analog. The output to the power amplifiers is via XLR: Electrocompaniet favors balanced operation throughout the entire system. A fixed-level RCA recording output completes the package for a recorder. Three SPAC network ports and a USB programming port open the way to integration into a controlled installation and internal updates.

One of the RCA inputs is dedicated to home theater bypass: it passes through the preamplifier at a fixed level to connect directly to the output. In practical terms, your front speakers and power amplifiers can be used both for stereo listening and in a home theater system controlled by an audio-video processor, without double wiring.

This all-analog approach has its counterpart. Without a converter or digital input, the EC4.8 MKII requires a source equipped with its own DAC, or a separate converter, for streaming and network players. Vinyl playback, meanwhile, requires an external phono preamplifier, since no phono stage is provided. And since the only variable output is in XLR format, a power amplifier with RCA inputs requires an XLR-to-RCA adapter.

What the MKII revision brings

Compared with the original EC 4.8, the MKII version revises the mechanics and front-panel design to align with the brand’s other MKII models. Internal developments lower the noise floor and further improve channel separation. The EC4.8 MKII remains the only preamplifier in Electrocompaniet’s Classic range: it sits at the top of the line and pairs equally well with the brand’s own power amplifiers and electronics from other manufacturers.

Technical Specifications

Power Supply

• Supply Voltage: 120 V, 240 V
• Frequency: 50 Hz, 60 Hz
• Power Consumption (no load or signal): 30 W

Architecture

• Dual mono preamplifier

Audio Performance

• Input Impedance: 47 kΩ
• Output Impedance: 100 Ω
• Maximum Input Voltage: ±15 V peak-to-peak (±30 V symmetrical peak-to-peak)
• Maximum Output Voltage: ±30 V peak-to-peak (±30 V symmetrical peak-to-peak)
• Gain:
  • Minimum: -111 dB
  • Maximum: 6 dB
• Noise Level (0 dB gain): < -130 dB
• Frequency Response: 1 Hz to 200 kHz
• Channel Separation: > 120 dB
• Total Harmonic Distortion (input 1 V, output 1 V): < 0.002%

Physical Characteristics

• Dimensions:
  • Width: 470 mm
  • Depth: 372 mm
  • Height: 80 mm
• Weight: 11.3 kg