What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Best mains cable, Awards 2010. If you’re looking to tweak a hi-fi or AV system, this could be the cable you’re looking for
Pros
- +
Cleaner, smoother sound
Cons
- -
Nothing at this price level
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.
We weren't overly enamoured with the last incarnation of Merlin's Tarantula mains cable, and a three-star rating was duly dished out.
But, the company's MK6 version is a spectacular improvement. Plug it into hi-fi electronics and, compared with your standard kettle lead, the Tarantula helps your system produce a much cleaner, smoother sound.
The lack of noise allows more detail to seep through into the soundstage, with greater separation between instruments and vocals.
But the benefits aren't just hi-fi based: plug the cable into a TV, and images appear crisper, while there's greater punch to the overall picture.
It's not a spectacular difference, but we think it's a worthwhile improvement nonetheless.
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