A tinker's mind.
A love of audio.
And an appreciation for doing things right.

ECB Audio Labs grew from a lifelong interest in electronics, music, testing, mathematics, and understanding how things work.

My professional background is in analytical chemistry, where careful measurement, documentation, troubleshooting, and attention to detail have been part of my work for decades.

Audio has always been another interest. Over the years I've owned plenty of audio equipment, but the classic equipment of the 1960s and 1970s had always remained something I admired from a distance. After upgrading my home theater system years ago, I became seriously interested in audio again. Vintage equipment soon became the focus.

The receiver that started it

A used Onkyo TX-3000 changed things. It didn't work—there was no sound from the speakers. I bought a set of electronics tools, established a small workshop in my home, and started learning.

Schematics led to circuit boards. Circuit boards led to understanding how the different sections of a receiver interact. One repair led to another, and what began as curiosity became a continuing education in vintage electronics.

That learning has never stopped.

The restoration philosophy

Today, I approach each restoration with a simple philosophy: preserve what the equipment was intended to be. I don't want to unnecessarily add to these units or take away from them. I want them to retain their original character and presentation while addressing the components, wear, and age-related problems that can prevent them from performing reliably.

The goal is not simply to make an old receiver work again. I want it to look right, operate properly, be thoroughly tested and documented, and be ready to be used.

Why ECB exists

ECB Audio Labs is not a storefront or a high-volume restoration business. It's my home workshop in Charleston, South Carolina, and a place where I can work with my hands, challenge myself, continue learning, and occasionally help another person rediscover music through a piece of equipment that might otherwise have been forgotten.

I take pride in the work. I want these receivers, amplifiers, turntables, and speakers to last as long as they reasonably can—and I want the people who own them to use them, enjoy them, and rely on them.