mapleshade = snake oil?

[mtrycrafts]

I tried using some glass cups I had but I found it made the sound too transparent...

You must have used the good glass, crystal. Hope the better half didn't know what you were doing. LOL

 

[Sheep]

I, instead of putting cups under my wires, strung them from the roof. This way, I can wrap the wire around my neck and kill myself for being so stupid.

SheepStar

 

[MDS]

I, instead of putting cups under my wires, strung them from the roof. This way, I can wrap the wire around my neck and kill myself for being so stupid.

SheepStar

Funny, but morbid.

 

[hankdog]

mapleshade snake oil

I agree like an idiot ibought their silclear treatment and tied it on my subs interconnects well the say not to get it on the plastic at the bottom of the rca's center pin so i was very careful and brushed on a very thin layer. well i waited a minute or so and turned every thing on and lo and behold the subs weren't working, i quickly unpluged the rca's and cleaned the stuff off with caig deoxit which by the way seems to work pretty good, mapleshade says to use kerosene or GAS what are they nuts am going to send this stuff back as they say it has a 30 day money back guarentee but the catalog has some fre audio tweaks, and they say to use wood buttons under small bookshelf speakers i tried it, it works prety good also i've been emailing them for two weeks to ask a question and they don't reply back won't but from them again

 

[markw]

Well, you could always put some water in 'em for a more liquid sound.

You must have used the good glass, crystal. Hope the better half didn't know what you were doing. LOL

Ba da boom!

 

[rdar]

Mapleshade hype and help

The Mapleshade catalog is a hoot. Their standard pitch for hardware goes something like, "We tested our product against [long list of prestigious names] and it smoked them all." No further details about test design, who the judges were, the criteria, etc.

Although their crass marketing turns me off, I have to say in honesty that their Mikro-Smooth CD treatment works as advertised. To my ears, the sound is "cleaner" after applying the stuff and rubbing as directed. Their explanation, that a smoother CD playing-side surface reduces tracking errors, seems reasonable.

I do wish they'd knock off the more outlandish claims, however. Anyone who gets an expensive lesson in hype is likely to shy away from other companies' tweaks or expensive equipment that are worth the price.

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Cones and discs of sugar maple have been shown to give a "sweeter" sound, of course.

[Credit to Don Morrison ( http://www.morrisonaudio.com/ ) for that quip. Reportedly, he made it in jest during an audio club meeting in Toronto years back and many there took it seriously.

BTW His ELAD preamp is a very clean and well designed "minimalist" analog stereo unit and his Stu Hegeman-derived speakers are said to be quite fine. I hope to hear them someday.]

 

[Hi Ho]

Although their crass marketing turns me off, I have to say in honesty that their Mikro-Smooth CD treatment works as advertised. To my ears, the sound is "cleaner" after applying the stuff and rubbing as directed. Their explanation, that a smoother CD playing-side surface reduces tracking errors, seems reasonable.

I do wish they'd knock off the more outlandish claims, however. Anyone who gets an expensive lesson in hype is likely to shy away from other companies' tweaks or expensive equipment that are worth the price.

That claim is just as outlandish as the others. If there were tracking errors you would have droppouts/skipping. If you are hearing a steady stream of sound, you are hearing all that the D/A converters in your CD player or receiver can produce.

 

[jcPanny]

When using their analog and digital cables . . .

The ones with the thin wire and clear plastic around them, you do need to position your cables with cups and string to get them away from any source of EMI.

http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/tweaks/interconnects.php

 

[mtrycrafts]

Although their crass marketing turns me off, I have to say in honesty that their Mikro-Smooth CD treatment works as advertised. To my ears, the sound is "cleaner" after applying the stuff and rubbing as directed. Their explanation, that a smoother CD playing-side surface reduces tracking errors, seems reasonable..

The power of the placebos
It would be most interesting to compare the digital data stream before and after treatment or an error checking. I bet, safely, no difference.

To the laser the surface is really nothing as the beam is very wide there compared to the focused spot on the actual pits and lands.

Send it back, or don't buy any more of that snake oil product

 

[heiney]

Mapleshade

Interesting thread - I have 1000+CDs in the collection and most of my references discs are Mapleshade. His CDs are very well done and if you listen on line you can choose wisely. I also have had a Morrison ELAD for almost 4 years and it does everything Don claims for it. A truly great piece of equipment.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Interesting thread - I have 1000+CDs in the collection and most of my references discs are Mapleshade. His CDs are very well done and if you listen on line you can choose wisely. I also have had a Morrison ELAD for almost 4 years and it does everything Don claims for it. A truly great piece of equipment.

The Audio Critic reviewed a preamp ELAD, not sure they have any other components The specs are superb and for that price it must be a steal for some.

 

[krabapple]

Mapleshade catalog + Musicdirect catalog = hours of audiophool fun!

I have had people insist to me that the musicdirect catalog must be a parody.