Problems with Mapleshade cables


In june of 2013 I bought two pairs of Excalibur I/C's and speaker wire from Mapleshade audio. I've used these before many years ago and realize how delicate they are. On arrival one of the two meter pairs didn't work, was sent back, repaired and told that I ripped the conductor. They reluctantly fixed it for free. Now one week ago the one meter I/C (connected to Oppo-105) suddenly stopped working after being in place for 3-4 weeks, but would function on another piece of gear. It's now being repaired for $45.00. The two meter I/C they repaired is now playing games and dropping the signal intermettently (connected to Odyssey amp), requiring a mild crimping. My question is, has anyone else had this type of problem with these I/C'?
128x128billindie
I've used their balanced IC's and digital IC's for about 3 years now. Sold off the digital IC's so I could try something more expensive that was unique in that those IC's provided passive noise reduction - otherwise I don't think I would've been tempted to sell them. The only issue I ever had with balanced IC's was an occasion where I broke one end of one lead (right where it attaches to the connector) while routing it in a cramped space. Got a little too careless and there you go. My own stupid fault for getting too impatient, really. But, it turned out to be a simple enough fix for me. I cut the tape off that covered the connector, slid back the plastic insulation sleeve out of the way and re-soldered the connector pin to the ribbon - even used the existing solder - just heated the old joint up till it was molten and then dropped the ribbon into place and re-taped. That was more than a year ago. It has since performed as new and without a hiccup.
"Sorry I have little sympathy for anyone foolish enough to actually BUY that hokey trash"

I get your point Elizabeth. I too had my reservations when a friend brought a collection of ics, powercords and strips. If you REALLY want a laugh check out their power cords. Unfortunately the problem is that the stuff actually is quite good. I haven't personally had any problems but can clearly see why some might as delicate as the stuff is. If you want to see REALLY fragile and even thinner conductors the Omega Micros are just that. More unfortunate is that their ics and speaker cables are the best thing I've ever NOT heard. They make every other cable I've listened to sound like tone controls. The coherence and tonality improves the higher up the line you go and the thinner the conductor becomes. I sure would like to know of another cable that does what these do that is less fragile, that's for sure! I suppose this is one reason they haven't really caught on.
I can't speak to the IC's, but I love the Mapleshade speaker wire. Its more dynamic than anything else out there, or at least the 10-20 that I have tried in my system.
Okay everyone, time to disembark the bash the Mapleshade train. Pierre's SC are quite good, if not outright great in my system. I upgraded from his basic Clearview SC to the Double Helix SC and never had the urge to look any further.
They've bettered, by more than a margin, Clear Day SC, Zu Mission SC, Music Metre SC, and Supra 2.5 SC.

Yes, some of his stuff seems like marketing excess but his SCs are not one of them. Do yourselves a simple time line study and see when he came out with his line of SCs and compare it to others who simply copied his design, and or took it one step further, and get nothing but praise here and on other sites.

Like Tubegroover says, these SCs are incredibly coherent.

This guy led the design team for the A-10 Warthog and F-16 fighter jet and bumped heads with Casper Weinberger over logistics in Europe (and he was right) but the SOD won out.

So fragile yes, but he's onto something.

All the best,
Nonoise