In our experience, sonically talented, sensibly priced speaker cables aren’t common. There are budget options available from all the major manufacturers but having heard a fair few of them we’re disappointed to report that little has impressed below the £10/m mark. We think the real value in the market starts at the next price point above, which is where Ecosse’s CS2.15 Mk2 speaker cable sits.
The CS2.15 Mk2’s main feature is the use of 1.5mm sq solid core OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) conductors rather than the multi-strand designs used by most competitors. The company claims the use of circular solid core conductors improves high-frequency performance thanks to something called the ‘skin effect’. This refers to the tendency of high-frequency AC current to travel through the outer edges of a conductor. In this case, the ‘perfectly circular’ conductors that Ecosse employs are claimed to be responsible for improved treble detail and reach over multi-strand alternatives, while avoiding unwanted harshness.
Construction
The conductors are used as a twisted pair to improve the rejection of external electrical interference and are covered in a polypropylene dielectric. Cotton fibres are wound with the twisted conductors and then the whole lot is tightly wrapped in cotton paper before an outer sheath of soft PVC is added. The idea is to produce a speaker cable that resists electrical and mechanical interference well.
The CS2.15 Mk2 is a stiff cable, and its solid core nature means that it won’t take too kindly to repeated bending in the same place. But, under normal circumstances and use this shouldn’t become an issue.
Performance
We tested the Ecosse cables in a couple of systems: our reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers combination serves for the bulk of our testing, but we also use a Rega Planar 3/Nd3 record player, Arcam A15 amplifier and KEF LS50 Meta set-up to see how the CS2.15 Mk2 performs in a more price-compatible environment. We have the Audioquest Rocket 11, Chord Company RumourX (2022) and QED’s Reference XT40i speaker cables on hand to serve as benchmarks.
Construction 1.5mm solid core twisted pair
Conductor material OFC strands
Dielectric Polypropylene
It is important to note that cables are passive components that can only degrade the signal rather than make it better. Looked at in those terms, the CS2.15 Mk2 does a good job for the money. Regardless of the system it is used in, it passes a decent amount of detail without skewing the tonal balance greatly. It allows our systems to sound articulate and has the clarity to make demanding music such as Mahler’s Symphony No.5 work.
Dynamic shifts are communicated well, though without the muscle or authority of the class leaders, and there is a decent sense of scale. The cable’s low-end is taut and relatively grippy but could do with a touch more richness and weight. The system's presentation stays insightful and refined at the other end of the frequency spectrum where highs are relatively smooth but retain a good degree of bite.
As we work our way through our test recordings it becomes clear that the CS2.15 Mk2 is a capable all-rounder. Our systems deliver Michael Kiwanuka’s dreamy ’70s-tinged Floating Parade with skill. His voice comes through with texture and passion; it has a convincing degree of natural warmth too. The cable conveys the instrumental backdrop’s easy-going momentum well while delivering a pleasing degree of separation. The recording isn’t the cleanest and the Ecosse’s innate transparency makes that clear without over-emphasising the fact.
Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us is a different kind of test, requiring more in the way of attack, punch and rhythmic drive. Here, the CS2.15 Mk2 continues to do a good job in our systems, without proving quite as entertaining as its rivals from Chord Company and Audioquest. Both of these Award-winning alternatives offer more in the way of verve and preservation of the music’s attitude. Even the slightly cheaper QED manages to reveal a little more when it comes to low-level details and dynamic expression, though at the expense of just a hint of edge in the lower treble region.
Verdict
The CS2.15 Mk2 speaker cable remains a fine choice, though. It is a good all-rounder that is likely to fit seamlessly into a wide range of systems. While it isn’t as expressive or quite as entertaining as the class leaders, there is enough ability here to warrant serious consideration.
SCORES
- Sound 4
- Build 4
- Compatibility 4
MORE:
Read our review of the QED Reference XT40i
Also consider the Chord Company Rumour X (2022)
Read our Audioquest Rocket 11 review
