Opinions on Straght wire?

I think the Maestro and Maestro II (very similar except for a thicker outer jacket on the II) are one of the great bargain sleeper cables in audioland, both for ICs and speaker. I used them for years (years, because I couldn't find anything better in their price range.) I have different cables now (although I still run a pair of Maestro ICs to my sub) but they do more things right than any other cable design in their category. I even A-B'd them with the more expensive Virtuoso, both IC and speaker, and the Virtuosos weren't really all that by comparison.

Good as Crescendo is, I can't imagine why for the same money you wouldn't by a Purist Venustas instead. It's ten times the value.

Drew, either speaker or IC -- I know where you can get some excellent prices on Purist, Siltech, and Transparent. I don't know about AQ or Straightwire.

My systemm's all Purist now, with some Maestro II for the sub, tuner and Nak deck. But I have used CZ Gel, Magnan, SW Virtuoao, MIT to name a few.