ECA-4 Conclusion
Conclusion
My neighbor was in sonic bliss as he never heard music sound this good
in his home. In fact he continually commented to me that no matter what source
material he threw at the system (ie. Led Zepplin, Grover Washington, to George
Jones) it reproduced it with sonic ease. I was happy to put him back in touch
with his favorite tunes.
It’s important to realize however that these speakers work best as a system in conjunction with a subwoofer or two. By themselves in a two channel scenario, they will sound thin and small but properly setup as a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, they will result in a very enjoyable theatrical experience in small to medium sized rooms that won’t draw attention to themselves. The EMP ECA-4 / ECA -44 speaker system is a must have solution for any application requiring a compact clutter free and inconspicuously mounted installation. EMP is a company to keep a close eye on as they continue to add new products to their already high value offerings. Stay tuned for the announcement of their new $479 subwoofer coming soon.
Recommendation
For a limited time, EMP is extending 50% off their MSRP which makes this system even more attractive and a very uncommon value at this price point. So basically $500 gets you 2 pairs of ECA-4s, and 1 ECA-44 (the equivalent of the RBH Sound CT MM-4s and C-4s, respectively). I recommend pairing this system with two small but potent subs such as the Yamaha YST-FSW150 and you’ve got a “cubed speaker system” killer for under $1k. Highly recommended!
EMP Loudspeakers
http://www.emptek.com
382 Marshall Way
Layton, Utah 84041
801-991-1308
phone
801-543-3300 fax
About EMP
Engineered Music Products (EMP) was founded in 2007 by Industry professionals with over thirty years experience in designing, engineering and manufacturing high performance loudspeakers for companies such as Parasound, McIntosh, JBL, RBH Sound, Destination Audio and Fosgate...
The High Performance Loudspeakers designed by EMP differ greatly from the products that sell in mass retail and big box stores. Manufacturers who market their products through mass retail and big box stores have to spend most of every dollar on marketing and advertising, leaving little of that dollar for product development and build quality.
For thirty years, the founding employees of EMP have focused on engineering and manufacturing loudspeakers that stand above the mass produced, profit focused brands that are offered by mass retail and big box stores. In short - these are not your garden variety speakers.
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
— Excellent
- — Very Good
- — Good
- — Fair
- — Poor
| Metric | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | |
| Appearance | |
| Treble Extension | |
| Treble Smoothness | |
| Midrange Accuracy | |
| Bass Extension | |
| Bass Accuracy | |
| Dynamic Range | |
| Performance | |
| Value | |
Seth=L;359203
Hmmmm... *ponders the recommendation of using two Yamaha slim-fit subwoofers*... could it be that AH sells this little subwoofer?
Just curious, will RBH allow AH to sell their products here?
RBH is VERY strict about stopping online sales, they shut down E-Bay's grey market resellers quickly too. No big box outlets either and only a handful of retailers, their business model is designed to sell to and protect margins of custom installers. With the exception of Audioholics, most people are incapable of properly representing the product line, the margins get dragged into the dirt, as so many others have found in their greed to sell volume.
It results in a market where retailers and installers won't touch it anymore because they aren't competitive and yet provide all the service and support.
Why would an installer quote a product that is sold online at 6pts margin, then THEY get called if there are problems?
With RBH architectiural speakers and volume controls, that is a full 25 year warranty!!
audiobug;487746
I would like to buy the EMP 5.1 , but without the sub , I wud like to pair it with a more powerful 10 inch , Do you guyz see it without the sub !!
Thanks
See above, the MS10.1 is more than ample for most rooms, they really pack a whollop!
audiobug;487746
I would like to buy the EMP 5.1 , but without the sub , I wud like to pair it with a more powerful 10 inch , Do you guyz see it without the sub !!
Thanks
Under the RBH brand they make a better sub for this system, either the MS8.1 with one forward and one down firing aluminum driver (very tight!) or an MS10.1 with a single forward firing 10" driver http://rbhsound.com/ctseries.shtml [rbhsound.com]. IMHO, the TS series is pretty weak for an RBH product actually, my clients/installers move one of them for every 10 MS series subs, especially with the equivalent CT series satellites.
Thanks
nygren;400342
How well are the EMP ECA-4 likely to work as "B" speakers mounted up on the walls in a kitchen in an A/B configuration (with Axiom M22s on the A output)?
My concern would be that the lower sensitivity might make it hard to get
the volume levels equalized in an A+B configuration.
(Dealing with cross-over could also be a little tricky here...
Some of the bleed-over of the 60Hz-100Hz range from the adjacent
room might help some, although things obviously won't be perfect...)
I've also considered the Orbs and the Cambridge Soundworks cubes,
but neither of those claim to go quite as low in frequency, making
the cross-over issues harder. I'd rather not cut holes in the walls
until I redo the kitchen in a few years, so in-wall speakers
and the Axiom W2 are probably out...
Nygren,
The B terminals on most receivers are designed to be used with A OR B and not A AND B. Check if your receiver has a powered zone 2 output to run the kitchen speakers. I would recommend a pair of in-celing speakers for the kitchen with a Volume control located in that room for easy adjustments or to trun the speakers off.
