Cables can be overlooked and even deemed less important the units themselves when a hi-fi system is being set up. The difference that cables can make is still a hotly contested category – despite undeniable proof that they do make a difference – quite a dramatic one – on the quality of sound and on system performance. Everything from the mains to the interconnects to the speaker cables – each cable makes a marked difference. And when you’re investing a lot of time, effort and money into building your perfect hi-fi system – why would you diminish its potential by not investing in cables to match? We would recommend always investing between 5 and 10% of the value of your system into cables – that way you are guaranteeing that your system’s potential is fully supported.
Ecosse are purveyors of a wide range of cables, from the low to the high end of the market. And their cables frequently knock the plentiful competition out of the water in head-to-head tests, and they’re the only UK cable company to regularly do so, and are regarded as one of the world leaders. What’s their secret? Well, Ecosse operate under a music first philosophy. A team of music lovers and musicicans, they claim to be the only UK company which has the connections (… geddit?) to the music industry that they do. They work with everyone, from the musicians to the techies to the roadies to the producers – and even the promoters and managers. And in doing this they have mastered the art of helping the music sounding exactly how it should. No colouration, no tricks – just the most clean and natural sound they can manage.
Of course, the higher you go the more you get – but Ecosse differ from many cable companies in one key way: their knowledge and expertise of the science of the cable is applied to absolutely everything they create – from the budget level to the highest end. And when it comes to performance vs. price, there really is no comparison. This means that no matter how much you spend, providing it aligns with the spec of your system, you will be getting the absolute best from your cables. They also have the patented Monocrystal™ and Super Monocrystal™ technology to their name too – which we will go onto a bit later. With that in mind, here are our favourite five products from our Ecosse range.
1. Ecosse The Producer Digital Cable RCA – £22 (0.8m)
Kicking things off, we have The Producer! Digital cables are probably the most hotly contested cables of the lot with most believing that there isn’t a sense in buying anything better than basic as you can’t make a difference to a digital signal. However any signal – even one made up of 1s and 0s – can suffer from interference, in this case interference will affect the timing of the signal – and the quality of the audio suffers as a result. If this is something that concerns you (and it should – we’ve researched the matter ourselves with blind listening tests) then we recommend The Producer. This is an inexpensive but effective digital RCA which benefits from Ecosse’s own Monocrystal conductors. A conductor material so expensive and pure it has, quite frankly, never before been considered in a cable at anything approaching this price point.
Why do we like it?
It is double screened to reduce interference, which – when combined with the advanced conductors – means the signal’s timing is a true as you will find at this price point. This snazzy cable won What Hi-Fi?’s Best Digital Interconnect in 2013 – so it’s not only good, but still wholly relevant.
Why do they like it?
‘Fine interconnect for those on a budget, with accurate reproduction and capable detailing.’ (What Hi-Fi? Magazine)
2. Ecosse MS2.3 Speaker Cables (Terminated) – £68 (1m)
One of the best things about the MS2.3 – other than the fact that your choice of termination is included – is you can chose between Monocrystal™ or oxygen free copper (OFC) conductors, depending on your taste. The MS2.3s offer a level of precise structure, conductor purity, and quality insulation usually only seen at the highest end – all available at real world prices. The result is a dynamic cable with excellent timing and deepness of sound that has won multiple awards and is the choice of many a discerning audiophile.
Why do we like it?
It offers so much more than the price tag promises – and we like a bargain! A truly hi-end cable that can be customised to taste.
Why do they like it?
‘An open and spacious sound that few rivals match at any price.’ (What Hi-Fi? Magazine)
3. Ecosse Big Red HC Mains Cable – £157 (1m)
Some may say that a mains cable can’t make much difference to the quality of the sound – but some people would be wrong. Surely a power lead is a power lead – how can a few metres of hi-end cable make a difference when that power has travelled through hundreds of miles of cable since the power station? It’s a fair argument – but not correct. In the world of hi-fi any improvement is worth making, and a power cable can still pick up interference in the two metres between the socket to the equipment – and if you can improve upon, why not? If you want to improve upon it to the absolute max Big Red is a good bet. A unique rope-lay Monocrystal conductor weave, combined with a double screen of aluminium foil and tinned copper which along with the acoustic damping cotton filler makes this one of the quietest power cables available – and a quiet cable means no interference.
Why do we like it?
It’s tough (and angry!), solid exterior hides some incredibly advanced workings – and it really does make a measured difference to the performance of your units. This cable has been around for over a decade, yet scares its competitors out of the water time and time again. And longevity is pretty important when it comes to real hi-fi.
Why do they like it?
‘This mains lead is a mean looking bit of wire with decent balance and attack.’ (What Hi-Fi? Magazine)
4. Ecosse Master Reference RCA Interconnects DCT– £287.99 (0.5m)
Also available as an XLR (as pictured), the Master Reference Interconnects is derived from the award winning Maestro, but with several improvements enabling a wide, spacious, clear and rich sound. It is tripled screened with a twisted pair topology, which means it is virtually impenetrable by noise or interference. But what makes it really stand out is the DCT – Deep Cryogenic Treatment – which means the cable has been cooled to -185ºC over a measured period of time. This improves the performance of all of the materials by slowing the atomic movement. It seems like great lengths to go to – but it really does work.
Why do we like it?
It’s an incredibly indulgent cable which has had everything thrown at it in a bid to achieve excellence. And it really does sound stunning. Pricey? A little. But it will be worth the investment if you have the kind of system which can communicate what it brings.
5. Ecosse SMS2.4 Speaker Cable – 5m (Terminated) – Open Box – EXCLUSIVE PRICE | £1640
As an Audio Affair exclusive offer – we have five metres of SMS2.4 Speaker Cable – the Super Monocrystal version of the SMS2.3, as seen above – reduced to 20% due to the box being opened to show a customer. It is otherwise brand new, and ready to find a home! The SMS2.4 is a great speaker cable which transmits all audible (and beyond) frequencies with absolute linearity and accuracy, clarity and ease, outperforming all cable we have pitched it against at up to 100% more expensive.
Why do we like it?
By far one of the finest cables we have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. And we have five metres on sale. It doesn’t get much better than that – and we doubt you’ll find any for quite that price.
Why do they like it?
‘It can be regarded as excellent value for high-end systems, its performance sufficiently transparent to do justice to the very best components.’ (Hi-Fi News)
So, there you have a it. A little bit about Ecosse and five of the most sought after products. Remember, we also offer an Ecosse Cable Burn In Service – for up to seven days – which means you won’t have to run them your cables in yourself – they’ll arrive sounding as good as you’ll expect them to.