Ecosse CS 4.2 review

This entry-level wire’s good value Tested at £4

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

A decent entry-level cable, but needs a bit more zip to really shine

Pros

  • +

    Decent price

  • +

    supple bass

  • +

    silky midrange

Cons

  • -

    Treble slightly over-prominent

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Matching the right speaker cable to your system can be a bit of a minefield – especially if you're working to a budget.

At a cost-friendly £3.99 per metre, Ecosse's entry-level bi-wire, the CS 4.2 falls neatly into the budget category.

We gave our reference kit Led Zeppelin's mean and moody Dazed and Confused to get its teeth round, and found that in conjunction with the CS 4.2, its sound gained a level of fine detail, together with an improved sense of timing.

There's a supple bass and silky midrange present here, but pitted against the Talk 3 at the same price, we found the treble of the Ecosse to be slightly over-prominent while it would benefit from a touch more punch to its delivery.

Don't get us wrong, the CS 4.2 is a very worthy cable, and would be ideal to calm down an over-excitable system, but it lacks the verve to really shine.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


Read more about how we test