Mapleshade
Customer Testimonials

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ON OUR POWER CONDITIONING STRIPS


A short while ago I leaked out to Eldon Baldwin VP at Mapleshade that I was using a PS Audio Power Plant Premier to power up and clean up the AC for my Audio System, guess what I got in return? A phone call from Eldon saying, "Hey Dick, how would you like to do a shoot out between your Power Plant Premier and our Clearview Power Stratum AC Conditioner?" I couldn't turn down the offer! So, I said, "Let's do it." Don't we all have a need to know?

In a few days I received the Stratum with it's outlet strip wired to a 6' Double Helix AC Power Cord and firmly mounted to a 4" thick maple base with four brass footers. There was no hesitation for me about the maple and brass as I was very familiar with it's great sonic benefits as my entire system is sitting on maple and brass.

When I first received the Power Plant Premier I began plugging in components and quickly realized after plugging in my CD Player and (tube) Preamp that I had better not also power up my 600 Watt/ch KRELL dual mono amp, with the PPPs 1500 Watt current limit the KRELL could easily double that draw, I wasn't inclined to conduct a smoke test at that time. After listening to the PPP power for a couple of months I was a pretty satisfied PPP user enjoying it's very quiet performance and nice performance feedback features with a couple of exceptions, occasionally the system dynamics seemed to sag a bit, I haven't been able to associate the problem with anything in particular, I can only be suspect of AC line problems, voltage fluctuations or line noise problems induced by computers or fridges.

The primary difference in setup of the two conditioners is in the AC input cords, the PPP using a PS Audio top of the line Perfectwave AC-12 with the Stratum using it's hard wired Double Helix AC cord, the same wall outlet was used for both.

After hooking up the Stratum in exactly the same configuration as the PPP, I no longer experienced the dymamic sag. The Stratum can deliver amazing dynamics, rim-shots can sound like 44 Magnum shots. You can bet that I will soon be ordering a Double HELIX MK II PLUS AC Cord for my power amplifier and I will not be returning the Stratum to Mapleshade it is already installed in my system, the clear winner.

The main reason I would award five stars to the Stratum and only four stars to the PPP is based purely on sonics. The Stratum delivered consistently clean, dynamic power with the ability to deliver wonderful harmonic details not heard so vividly in my systems past history. Also the Stratum brings to my system a more natural timbre to its presentation. This unit seems to be able to reach deep into the program and pull up handfuls of small dynamics and fill up some of the vacant spots in the soundstage. A clear winner at the top of the state of the art. I give a great hand of appreciation to Pierre and Eldon for their talents and abilities to develop such useful and high value products for their customers. - Richard A.


Others seem to have sung the praises of the Power Strips in much the same way that I would. Let me just add that my right-out-of-the-box experience with them was mind-boggling. The fact that they might actually improve with "breaking in" is rather scary!  - Frank


Let me start of by saying that this is an excellent product. I had a $1200 power conditioner in my system that I thought was awesome. That was until I plugged my gear into the Double Helix Power Strip. Everything sounded better, the bass was deeper, the treble was sweeter, and the midrange was also better. The soundstage was incredible, and it just seemed to make my amp sound like it had more power. I sold my old power strip, I don't miss it at all. To sum it up this product has improved my system more than all the other tweaks I have bought put together, and the more it breaks in the better it sounds and the more impressed I am, I love this power strip and I can't wait to buy some more of your products . - Kent


... your top of the line Power Strip has greatly improved the performance in different systems of both fixed power cord older components like my venerable Cary SLA-70Sig amp, and newer removable power cord components like my EVS Millennium II DAC.
To my ears, even your similar appearing and performing power cords sound better through your Power Strip. Bass extension and slam improves. Transient musical sounds throughout the full frequency range are rocket fast and crystal clear, the psychoacoustic illusion of sound moving more easily through the audio system. Somehow, even the rhythm and pace benefit. Come to think of it, most of the audio buzz words describing things getting better could be applied, but it might seem too over the top if I don't stop.  - Joel


I am offering these comments regarding the Clearview Double Helix Power Strip. I would greatly appreciate you not using my name or any traceable identification as I have many established relationships within our industry.

How in the world could these guys at Mapleshade even think to comment that their simple (and rather weird looking) power strip not only compares to but out performs a power re-generation device. I mean, I know that my audio signals are the result of the manipulation of that stuff coming out of my AC wall outlets (in most cases, not so great stuff!).

After years of realizing how important clean AC was to great sound and after installing a separate 240V service (divided into three separate 30 amp 120V circuits, one for the front end gear and one each for the mono block amps) to my listening room, I was so excited about the arrival of the new PS Audio Power Plants and other such devices. I mean what could be better than generating my own clean AC? Nothing?

My experience was positive, at first. When compared to all the other devices on the market, the Plants did make the audio presentation sound cleaner, quieter. But then I read Pierre's little paragraphs of propaganda in his Mapleshade catalog that comes every so often. Additionally, several of my professional audio associates have great systems that simply start with a power strip providing enough outlets for their gear and these systems always sound "live". I have always thought this "live" sound had more to do with the control room acoustics, pro monitors, and (in many cases) the source material. Believe me, all those do contribute to better sound, but I kept thinking about the great "live" sound coming from my Mapleshade CDs (after all, Pierre says the reason his CDs sound so great is partially due to the wiring he and his associate Ron have developed over many years)."

So, I just had to order the Clearview Double Helix Power Strip. When I received it, I must have laughed for 10 minutes before I composed myself and tried to figure out how to set this contraption up. I succeeded. It really isn't that difficult, but you do need to take your time. The wiring is delicate.

I unplugged my Mapleshade Omega Micro AC cords (used for the pre-amp, transport, and DAC) from the Plant and plugged them all into the Clearview Power Strip. No isolation for the digital stuff. Within the first strike of the acoustic guitar cord on one of my most favorite discs, I was blown away! The attack was immediate, the power of the chord was right there in the room. And the harmonics were all there as never before (not bright, just there).

How could this be? This funny looking $270 power strip providing something more positive with respect to the musical presentation than the $2400 PS600! One gives me extra outlets from my wall closer to my equipment rack and the other gives me new power to power my gear with. I don't have the answer. I'm not an engineer. Though I have asked several of my engineering buddies and the general consensus is that the amount of current available directly from the wall is significantly greater than what is available from the PS600 (1000w peak).

What I seem to be talking about here is headroom. There is NO CURRENT LIMITING coming from the wall. Oh, yes the current may be "dirty" in varying degrees, but it is not limited! The only thing I can figure is that even though my front end gear only draws approximately 160 watts total (idling), there is a peak need from the digital signals embedded on the disc for transient attacks that far exceeds what is available from the Plant.

The bottom line, this Clearview Double Helix Power Strip with "PLUS" treatment is staying. The Power Plant is for sale.  (name withheld by request)


Blown away!

That is my reaction to having installed the Clearview Double Helix Power Strip, Plus Version, into my system. Gain, resolution, sound staging and most importantly, musicality have all taken a quantum leap forward. There is just more of the heart and sole of the music present now.

It is beyond me how a $340.00 power strip can transform the performance of a thirty something thousand system. But, it did. The system includes: Krell Mono Blocks, Wadia 850 CD Player, Plinius Pre-Amp, Tara Labs Air One Interconnects and Speaker Cables, and Custom Power Cord Company “Top Gun” Power Cords. Not exactly a slouch system. All I can say is I never knew what my system was capable of. That is, not until I plugged the CD Player and Pre Amp into the Mapleshade Power Strip. What an incredible difference.

In today’s world we should be cynical about advertising claims. After all, our experience is to receive less than a products advertising boasts. In the high-end audio market place we also get conditioned to spending exceeding large amounts of money for small incremental improvements in what we hear. Not the case with Mapleshade products. What a pleasure it is to find the opposite to be true. With Mapleshade products we spend very little for gigantic sonic improvements.

Sorry to say, I had my doubts about the power strip. This is despite the fact that I have had wonderful experiences with other Mapleshade products like the Triplepoint Cone vibration devices. When I pulled it out of the shipping carton I almost put it back in. It looks so unorthodox, kind of like “weird science”. Good thing I did not return it. It is more like “magical science”. So far everyone in the family, my wife, son, daughter and even the dog are enjoying the music more.

Mapleshade products have a cost/value relationship that is off the charts. Thanks Pierre. You will be receiving more of my hard earned money. Please keep doing what you are doing. - Chris


Thanks for a wonderful product. I've been in the market looking for a power strip/treatment for awhile now, but couldn't bring myself to pay ridiculous sums of money for some of the popular products out there. The Double Helix Power Strip with PLUS, not even broken in yet, has already yielded benefits to my system in every conceivable aspect. I listen to mainly jazz, and all the instruments sound so much sweeter. There is so much more of the music; deeper soundstage, better separation of instruments, and more details and depth through out all the frequencies. I've always thought my sub woofer wasn't dialed in correctly, but now the bass line has a real snap (for lack of a better term) to it. The power strip has solved a problem that I've been trying to cure for months with various methods, and much expense, with no success. I have a few other items (Progold spray, Heavyhat Triplepoint, and of course more CDs) that I've recently ordered and can't wait to try out. Best regards - M.H.


I NEVER FELT THE NEED FOR SOME TYPE OF AC CONDITIONING, SINCE LIVING IN THE COUNTRY IT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND. RECEIVING MY MAPLESHADE HANDBOOK ONE DAY, I BECAME INTRIGUED AS TO HOW THERE PRODUCTS WERE MADE AND LOOKED, I WAS ALWAYS INTO THE EXOTIC STUFF, AND AFTER A FEW CALLS TO PIERRE, THE MASTER HIMSELF, AND HE'S ALSO A GREAT PERSON TO DEAL WITH I BOUGHT THE POWER STRIP PLUS! THE RESULT "ONE GREAT WONDER". NOT ONLY CLEANER BUT MORE AND I MEAN MORE MUSICAL. TOOK A LOT OF THE EDGE AWAY YOU SOMETIMES GET WITH DIGITAL. SOUND BECAME MORE PLEASING TO MY EAR, IT SEEM TO SOFTEN, YET REMAINED EXCITING WITH DETAIL FROM CDS I NEVER KNEW, EVER LISTEN TO A SOLOIST, AND HEAR THE ROOM HE'S SINGING IN ? THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED RIGHT AWAY USING THE CLEARVIEW POWER STRIP PLUS. I CALL IT "THE ONE GREAT WONDER"  - TOM SIKORA


This,my second purchase from you guys, is what really evaporated my skepticism and established a firm belief and admiration for your products. From my earliest days as a budding audiophile I had always believed that clean power would be hugely beneficial to any high end system. But,without exception, every single ac conditioner I tried regardless of reputation or cost , sucked the life and excitement out of my system. Yes the noise floor dropped but reduced with it was the pace, timing and dynamics that made music fun to listen to. For better or worse I always ended up plugging straight into the wall. I gave up on clean power. Fast forward ten years and I'm shopping for a multiple outlet strip that wouldn't cause that much sonic harm. Browsing through the Mapleshade catalog and reading the bold,gunslinger claims about the Clearview I say why not? The Ultrathin performed beyond expectation and I can always return it...let's do it. The result? Without intention or high expectation I solved a problem long since deemed unsolvable. Clean power without penalty! Dynamic drive and punch actually increases while the noise floor drops considerably. Out of the cleaner background newfound detail and harmonic complexities emerge in bold Technicolor relief. The soundstage relaxes and expands. Bass has more weight and slam with better articulation. Treble is clearer airier and more elegant. This is a top to bottom literal sonic rehab that has to be my most pleasing improvement so far. This is the only product I have ever tried that not only audibly lowers the noise floor but subjectively doubles dynamic punch. - Jack M.