Ecosse Maestro MA2 review

The Maestro MA2 may be getting on in years but it remains an appealing buy Tested at £177.99

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The Maestro MA2 may be getting on years, but it remains appealing

Pros

  • +

    An even and well-mannered presentation

  • +

    good with detail

Cons

  • -

    Not the last word in dynamic punch or organisation

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 first reviewed Ecosse's Maestro MA2 almost a decade ago, and gave it an Award back in 1999. The 2008 version looks unchanged bar a different RCA plug design.

What has changed is the quality of the competition. Judged by today's standard the Maestro MA2 remains a fine-sounding cable, and has become even more appealing because of a recent £20 price drop. It's a clean and neutral-sounding interconnect that delivers a decent chunk of detail when required.

Add strong dynamics and plenty of finesse and you'll find this cable is as at home with the likes of Radiohead's In Rainbows as it is a Stravinsky symphony.

It's only against the very best that a slight shortfall in punch and ability to keep a very complex production organised mean this Ecosse interconnect falls short of the class leaders. Still, this remains a cable worth considering.

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

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