I'm not actually 100% sure that the bar I have is technically an Echo bar because I bought it so long ago that the exact listing on the Rogue website no longer exists. It was called a "Rogue bar." But it's the same general thing- no center knurl, passive knurling, intended for multi-use. This was the only bar I owned for the first 5 years of my home gym, so i did everything with it. As a beginner, this worked fine and for anybody just starting out it's a very high quality bar and you won't miss any of the things that it doesn't do. I actually don't remember what the knurling was like originally because so much of it has been worn smooth from use and being racked into cheap metal J cups. But it couldn't have been too sharp.
I still use this bar in most workouts with a landmine or just on accessory exercises. It got me started so i have a fondness for it but also- it's a perfectly good bar still. For someone who already has some years of training under their belt this is not going to be what they want, but anyone that just wants something basic with sleeves that spin that won't bend under heavy weight, go for this or something comparable instead of whatever Amazon special is the cheapest. Used, new, whatever- for something that will last literally decades paying a bit more upfront is worth it.
Performance
Value
Build Quality