What Hi-Fi? Verdict
If energy and fun trump ultimate precision for you, The Name could be The One
Pros
- +
Energetic, enthusiastic sound
- +
punchy and weighty in bass and midrange
Cons
- -
Could do with more focus when it comes to rhythms
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.
Van den Hul tends to operate at the pricier end of the market, so we were interested to see how this £60 interconnect performs against its similarly priced peers. First impressions are good, thanks to solid construction and well-made plugs (although on a superficial level we’re not sure about the colour).
Our reference system for this test comprises a Cyrus CD6 SE CD player, Roksan Caspian M2 integrated amp and ATC SCM11 speakers. So, with the interconnect hooked up between the CD player and amp, we set a copy of Radiohead’s In Rainbow’s spinning and tuned in our ears.
It definitely has an energy that other cables don’t, letting the likes of Metallica’s Holier Than Thou unleash its full fury on our system, while Cee Lo Green’s F**k You bounces along with musical (if rather profane) enthusiasm.
Punchy and weighty, with an expressive midrange, it doesn’t harden up towards the top of the frequency range, either – good news if you’re into your long listening sessions.
The downside to all this esprit, though, is a slight lack of focus when it comes to rhythm and timing. And that’s something the Chord Company CrimsonPlus nails, for fifteen quid less. So, four stars it is.
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