We should not alarm anybody unnecessarily. EC sold over 150 61mm pulleys and if all of them were falling apart it would not stay a secret for too long. It was acknowledged by EC that the first batch had some issues. That said, there are significant differences in quality and the choice of materials used with the Karmen being superior over EC. Additionally the choice of a smaller bearing allows for a thicker walls on the pulley itself which in turn makes it a safer version in the long run.