I started following Rossi in 2011. I was at first a willing "believer" and had high hopes. He has long since dashed those hopes to pieces by his own fraudulent ways!
But your question is a good one. However, I am afraid the answer is likely not favorable.
Rossi himself has stated over the years that he was ready for mass production. He had sold plants to secret customers. He had dealt with the Navy, National Instruments, obtained high COP and long running reactors. Yet, now he himself has left the eCat completely behind and is pursuing the low powered QuarkX. (Of which I believe almost nothing of what he says)
So to answer your question.... if Rossi himself has abandoned his past "design" then why would anyone else keep on trying to replicate it? Rossi knows it did not work or he would still be pursuing it.
The argument that the QuarkX is simply better is BS. He was actively designing something completely new when trying to collect $89 million from the old eCat! This makes no sense whatsoever if the eCat worked.
1MW device ready for commercialization (remember he is trying to collect $89 million based upon this premise, 350 days out of 400 at high COP) replaced by a 20 watt device?
So I am very doubtful that pursuing Rossi's leadings will lead to anything of value. I would concentrate on true, valid research such as Piantelli, Celani, Cravens and Storms. Especially Cravens. He demonstrated a self sustaining unit at NI Week a few years ago. Yet no one hardly noticed! Mainly because of all the blather about Rossi and Defkalion. It may have been small, but it worked!
Truthfully, after the revelations of the past 6 years on Rossi, I would not believe a word he says concerning anything. Much less spend precious time and resources trying to replicate his reactors or his "designs".