Overall, I am satisfied with this machine and would recommend it so long as you are not just trying to have a casual home gym. The amount of work needed to get it in your home and put it together (assembly is an unnecessary headache due to poor directions) as well as the weight and price puts this equipment in the serious home gym's only category. This machine is a commitment.
Delivery Pros: it arrived quickly and without damage
Delivery Cons: It arrives in one large 300-pound wooden crate. It has a ridiculous amount of bubble wrap to go through (3 large garbage bags full). I get that this helps protect the equipment - just be aware of it. A few bolts that should have been in the hardware box were in one of the square tubes. These could have easily been lost in the massive amount of bubble wrap and accidentally thrown out.
Assembly Pros: some parts came preassembled (the directions almost make this a con. The directions tell you there are 10 of one item, but you only see 8. Turns out 2 of them were already used in the preassembled part that you find later. I have extra hardware and I have no idea if they are actually extra or not)
Assembly Cons: All of the hardware is just thrown into a box with no way to tell which bolt is referenced in the terrible directions. A few washers of one size were missing and there were a bunch extra of another size. The written directions are a complete joke. It is a picture of the entire unit assembled that has pictures of indistinguishable hardware and arrows. Luckily there is a YouTube video but even that is pretty bad. Some parts of the process are just completely skipped in the video!! One scene an assembly is not there and the next it appears out of nowhere with the guy working on the next piece. And this guy will just pick up hardware but in no way shape or form let you know which one it is. Not all of his hardware looked exactly like what I was given... I have written a lot on this assembly section... it was that bad. The crazy thing is, if this had well written instructions or a well-made video as well as hardware packaged in a way where you knew what each piece was, assembly would actually be kind of easy.
The machine Pros: it looks cool. The pads feel good. While I would still give my usual cable machines at Planet Fitness the edge on max spread and smoothness, this machine is pretty close to being just as good at both. This echo machine beats the cable machine in resistance. I usually use 270 (the max) at planet fitness, but 135 was feeling good on the echo machine.
The machine Cons: It is heavy. My calves rub up against the metal which is uncomfortable.