mapleshade

I'll second your research into Gregg Straley's cables. Listener57 turned me onto them, I tried 'em out and bought them immediately. The speaker cables were excellent on immediate hook-up, the IC's taking a little longer to burn-in but they really are impressive and ridiculously (though realistically for a change) cheap.

Listener, the safety standard that they violate is the lack of a durable insulating jacket over their power leads. Their power products have leads that are nothing more than thinly enameled conductors twisted around one another inside a plastic film (which I jokingly refer to as "saran wrap".)

Several audiophiles have experienced tearing of this film, and report that it's very easily damaged. The thin plastic film and thin layer of enamel are expected to insulate 15a of current - as compared to the more durable teflon or plastic casings used in almost all other power cord designs. If the Mapleshade's plastic film is torn, which is commonly reported, and the enamel is nicked, you have bare copper exposed, carrying wall current. This is easier to achieve with these flimsy products than it is with more robust power products (ie. almost everything else.)

Extreme sports indeed. While they can be used with care, I caution anyone against using a power product that doesn't feature a properly and safely insulated cord.

Mapleshade makes great cables as they get the directionality thing correct, but think their claims are a little strong as have replaced their speaker wire, interconnects and power cords in several systems....My customers like the tightness of my cables in the lower mids/upper bass in comparison to the signature softness of the Mapleshade wires......To each their own.......Nothing is perfect!