Mapleshade Speaker Cables


I just received a set of Maple Speaker Cable "Golden Helix" While heavy focal music such as Sade, Nora Jones sounded warmer and more detailed bands such as Earth Wind and Fire sounded very muted -terrible? The comarison was made with old monster cable that I rigged to bi-wire my VR4-jr in the meantine of buying speakers cables.

Any suggestions?

Thanks - Adolfo
adolfo
Check the return policy.May still be able to send back if they don't work out!
Adolfo,
Mapleshade has a very liberal return policy.
You can return them with ho questions asked.
However, your finding surprised me.
In my system they sound open and detailed.
I guess compatibility problem...
Can't imagine why they would sound "muted" -- extraordinary clarity was a hallmark of these wires when I was using them. In fact, they made the biwired Kimber 8TCs they replaced sound very dull by comparison. Must be a system/synergy issue all right. Good luck, Dave


Adolfo,

Not ever auditioned any of Nora Jones recordings, I can only comment on the other two artist, and their recorded material. All of the EW&F recordings are very muted compared to today's better recorded material. Even Sade, though better than EW&F, are muffled as well from early recording equipment.

At a minimum, take Diana Krall for a spin before making drastic cable changes. Close-miked recordings by Shirley Horn and Patricia Barber will also put a grin on your face.
I have both recordings you mentioned, your problems I beleive are indicative of the recordings and maybe not so much the cables.
I have not owned the Mapleshade speaker cables, but I do own their digital IC and some of their other products silclear, recordings etc. they seem great for the money! Could it be that the cables are showing the flaws in the recording's more than the Monster do. I did own the Monster 1.4 and switched to the Signal Shotgun and felt the Monster sounded flat and dull.
I would tend to agree. It is an unfortunate happenstance that, the better your equipment gets, the worse some recordings seem.

However, if you try great CDs (they don't have to be modern), especially some from the Mapleshade catalog (like John Cocuzzi's 'Swingin' and Burnin'), the Mapleshade speaker cables add presence...it sounds like the band is in the room. On classical piano and solo guitar, there is more of a bell-like aspect to many of the percussive and held notes. Also, some of the Mapleshade disc treatments bring additional clarity, namely the Mikrosmooth and Optrix, actually make a difference.

Best of luck in your pursuit of better sound!
first let them burn in and give it at leaset a 100 hrs

second are you using cd or vinyl as a source?

Are you using the monster with the maplesahde or are all conections mapleshade ?

if it is maple shade alone you may want to experement with two sets of cables one for low end and one for highs
Mapleshade seems better oriented toward speakers with a better than 93db sensitivity and tube amplification(my opinion) the (double helix) sound wonderful with my system superb soundstage ,tight bass,glorious mids,sweet extended highs,vocals to die for , tried them with my buddies system ok but not great this is just my opinion,,with system cayin 300b s.e.t. integrated,omega speakers with single driver alnico..best sound i ever had and i have had many big bucks gear used to think mapleshade was all hype .no longer so
Hmm, muted is not the sound I hear with either the songle or double helix versions of these cables. In my systems (both solid state and tube), these cables "lifted a veil" I perceived from listening with other brands and those I had been using.
Incredibly open sounding and detailed with the standard Helix version. Lower mids and bass lacked some body and heft but what is there is detailed. Bi-wired some Clear Day single strand silver cables and it totally transformed the music.

I plan on getting some double Helix soon. And thanks to Dodger4 for the reporting on the cables sounding better with higher efficiency speakers as mine are 95db sensitive.

All the best,
Nonoise