What is your take on Mapleshade products

I use their Double Helix speaker cables and flatwire ICs as well and can't say it any better than Ivan. I've tried other, more expensive cabling and came back to the Mapleshades.

After reading what Ivan said about Pierres power strip, I just may dig it out and give it a try to see if it improves anything.

Folk should know that he was head of the design team on the F-16 Tomcat and A-10 Warthog and got in the secretary of wars hair over supply line efficiency in Europe (Pierre was right). Music was his second passion and his recordings are pretty darn good as well.

All the best,
Nonoise

Just wanted to chime in on trying my very old Mapleshade powerstrip. My amp is already straight into the wall so all I had to do was A/B my CDP into the Brick Wall surge protector and then into the Mapleshade powerstrip. After a dozen times it was clear to these ears that the Mapleshade PS was like going straight into the wall. Using the Brick Wall surge protector added more than a hint of smoke or fuzz, enough to obscure some detail which added a false sense of body or heft. That, and with the clearing up of details a bit there is a touch more microdynamics present with more air and extension. I guess that's to be expected but it's nice to hear it now.

Just goes to show that even a surge protector can dirty up the sound somewhat at the cost of protection, no matter what they claim. I guess I'm better off getting a longer power cord but for now I'm a bit impressed at what that strange looking power strip can do for keeping things cleaner sounding.

All the best,
Nonoise

True. His methods are quite good are as his recordings but they're not for everyone. I don't think it would take much searching to find recordings he could have done better but such is the nature of the business.

On an aside and in keeping with my earlier post, taking my CDP off the surge protector and now off the Mapleshade power strip, going directly off the wall not only improved what I mentioned but now the dynamics are off the scale. I can't believe how restricting that surge protector was. I couldn't detect any difference when I had the Zu Mission ICs and speaker cable but with the Mapleshade ICs and Double Helix it would be readily apparent to a deaf person.

My Burson integrated has a stepped attenuator with about 2db steps between clicks and I didn't realize that I was using the lower setting of two that I normally use after going straight to the wall. Detail and dynamics were so much improved that at the lower setting I was hearing and enjoying everything as much as with the higher setting the old way.

With the higher setting comes an in your face presentation akin to sitting in the orchestra pit. There is just so much more presence, tactile feel, air and extension.

I know that amps benefit from better power but I thought that CDPs and the like didn't as much. This is from what I've read here and from my own experience but all the ingredients must coalesce to achieve great sound and the Mapleshade ICs and speaker cables do it for me, in my system, now that I've finally figured out the power side of the equation. Any other cables and I wouldn't be hearing what I'm am now.

And loving it. Thanks, Ivan, for mentioning the power strip. I had forgotten I had it and wouldn't have tried it again if it wasn't for you post.

All the best,
Nonoise

Looking back at my last post, lest anyone think I was knocking Pierre's recording ability, what I meant to say is that there are some badly recorded artists out there, on other labels that would have fared better with Pierre at the controls.

All the best,
Nonoise

John, Sorry I missed your post and that it took so long to get back to you. After experimenting with the power strip in and out of the loop, I found that the CDP sounded slightly better directly into the wall.

If I had to use it to satisfy the need to accommodate more devices, I wouldn't hesitate to use it, but I had another outlet close enough to use for my CDP. It hasn't that clean and tidy look (visually suspended across the side of the room) but I never cared about that.

All the best,
Nonoise