I use Audience Au24 interconnects and speaker cables almost exclusively in my systems. The only exceptions are the use of the Maestro speaker cables in my office system and another brand of interconnect when i need a really flexible cable. To me, there is no need to look elsewhere. The Auddience cables are smooth and articulate. With them, I could really hear a difference and justify the cost. I have not compared the Au24 and Maestro speaker cables, but I would say they are very close. The Maestro is a chunkier cable. I use both unbalanced and balanced interconnects. Yes, the balanced cables cost more, but I wanted AU24 wherever i could get it!
