On the way from Norwegian high-end company Electrocompaniet is an all-in-one amplifier, DAC and network music player, the ECI 6DS.
Selling for £4315 when it reaches shops next month, the new model offers a choice of Ethernet or Wi-Fi network connection, analogue and digital inputs including USB, and a 2x125W output.
It's able to stream music from both a home network and the Internet, including Internet radio, and has both a Type-A USB input for memory devices and a Type-B for connecting a computer.
192kHz/24-bit digital-to-analogue conversion is used, with asynchronous working on the USB input, and the ECI 6DS also has two optical and two electrical digital inputs, along with four analogue ins including one balanced XLR set, and both conventional phono and balanced preamp outputs alongside the speaker connections.
An RS-232 connection is provided for updates, and the Electrocompaniet also has 12V trigger in/out sockets.
It's controlled by the company's ECT-4 remote handset (left), which features a display panel showing the music being played, album artwork and other information, as well as offering conventional adjustments such as input selection, volume control and track/album selection.
In typical Electrocompaniet fashion, the ECI 6DS looks pretty solidly built in the company's Norwegian factory, tipping the scales at a substantial 21kg.
The amplifier stage delivers its rated power into 8ohms, rising to 2x200W into 4ohms and 370Wpc into 6ohms.
