Chord Company CrimsonPlus review

After a minor spec change, Chord's already great Crimson just got even better for only a little more money Tested at £45

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Best analogue interconnect, Awards 2011. Chord’s nailed it with the CrimsonPlus: its control, detail resolution and expression are fantastic

Pros

  • +

    Refined, detailed and expressive sound

  • +

    warm when needed, can cut through when required

Cons

  • -

    Lacks the last word in excitement

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The Chord Company CrimsonPlus bagged an Award in 2010 thanks to its transparency and precision. In 2011 it gained new plastic plugs to dampen vibration, and duly picked up another gong. How will it fare against new competition in this year’s Awards? You’ll have to wait and see…

… But for now, we can say that we still rate the CrimsonPlus. Duly connected between a Cyrus CD6 SE CD player spinning Primus’s Del Davis Tree Farm and a Roksan Caspian M2 amp, with a pair of ATC SCM11 speakers completing the side, it’s as compsed and detailed as ever.

This track will immediately show up any shortcomings in a cable’s ability to convey tight rhythms and sudden dynamic changes, but the CrimsonPlus doesn’t put a foot wrong. Open and expansive sounding, but with an iron grip on Les Claypool’s insane, staccato bass work, it lets the music do its thing without getting too controlling.

It might not be quite as dramatic or expressive as some of its rivals, but the CrimsonPlus is definitely a fits-all-systems proposition.

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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.


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