Mapleshade ? ? ?

hearingimpared
hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
edited April 2 in Clubhouse Archives
Has anyone ever heard of MAPLESHADE before???

I received a 5 1/2" X 10" 71 page catalog today in the mail. I don't remember requesting it online or ordering it anywhere else but it is here.

The cover shows:
MAPLESHADE
The Handbook For Good Music And Good Sound
The back cover (1st & 2nd paragraphs only) shows:
An almost-mythical haven for music since 1986, Mapleshade is a mansion-studio in the Maryland woods. Greats recording here include Sunnyland Slim, Shirley Horn, Larry Willis, Junior Brown, Clifford Jordan, Slide Hampton, David Murray, Patato, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Foster, Joe Derrane and Frankie Gavin.

Our relaxed, one-of-a-kind studio is all analog -- like that warm Sun Studio or Blue Note sound of the '50s -- but even clearer and more alive. Here, artists lay down vital, unrestreained mausic. Our CDs blur the barrier between the recording studio and the performance stage.


Selling CDs (classical, blues, celtic, country, bluegrass, swing & jazz), all kinds of tweaks, high end cabling, power strips and cords,equipment stands, isolations racks, speaker stands, tube stuff, etc.

There are short essays on listening positions, upgrades, etc. From what I've seen so far it is pretty cool.

PS: I'm not pushing this I'm enquiring.
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
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Comments

  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2006
    Sounds very interesting, for sure. I had never heard of them before, though. I wonder if anyone else knows anything about them?

    Their website.
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
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    [Home Audio]
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2006
    Yep. I understand their CDs are very good quality. Some of their tweaks and cables are questionable, though.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2006
    Yeah, I was just looking at their various cables and interconnects...can you say...strange?!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB
    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii
    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited October 2006
    My Rives Audio Test CD has some partial tracks from Mapleshade recordings. They are high quality.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,645
    edited October 2006
    The recordings are top notch, the studio and location are way cool (although you don't want to live in that MD county), but they must be smoking a lot of wacky weed when it comes to their wires and tweaks.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited October 2006
    I agree 100% as Mapleshade produces excellent recordings but the tweaks are space cadet style.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • cmy330go
    cmy330go Posts: 2,341
    edited October 2006
    Here is another short thread on the subject.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34420
    HT
    Mits WD-65737, DirecTV, Oppo DV-970HD, XBOX ONE, Yamaha RX-A1030, Parasound Halo A23, Rotel RB-985, Music Hall MMF-7, Parasound PPH-100, LSi-15, LSi-C, LSi-FX, LSi-7, PSW-1000, Monster HTS2600

    2 CH
    Parasound Halo P3, Parasound Halo A21, Sutherland Ph.D, VPI Classic 3 w/ 3D arm & Soundsmith Aida Cartridge, Arcam CD72T, B&W 802 S3, Monster HTS2500,
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  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited October 2006
    $110 for one square foot of maple. I'm in the wrong business.
    Never Forget
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited October 2006
    I got something from them last month. I also got something from someone else, I can't remember who.

    Is Mapleshade the place that sells modded and updated Scott tube gear?
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited October 2006
    Yes.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited October 2006
    Hello,
    The man behind the great recordings is Pierre Sprey who is also regarded as an expert on military aviation. He was one of the main developers of the A-10 Warthog and is a "talking head" on the Military Channel when they rate warplanes. He makes the recordings using a modified Sony TC-880 analogue tape recorder and has developed an unorthodox approach to microphone design and placement. He uses pressure zone microphones placed on large sections of clear plastic. He arranges two of these microphones in a "Vee" shape and places them in front of the musicians. He also elevates the drummer on a platform to improve interaction with the floor and ceiling. He goes beyond the basic recording engineer to create a very warm friendly atmosphere for the people performing. The combination of his house/recording studio and conviction on the musical capability of the performers gets a great result.
    I've owned one of the modified Scott tuners and it sounded very good.
    Ken
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited October 2006
    Great stuff, thanks Ken:)
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited October 2006
    Hello,
    You're welcome. He's a really interesting guy. He has been very outspoken on huge budget, over-designed aircraft (often causing serious problems with Pentagon big shots) that don't work like they're supposed to. I remember hearing his description of the Vietnam era Phantom F4. He said the reason the wings were bent like they were was because the plane was inherently unstable. The bent wings were there to correct a basic problem with the flying capability of the aircraft.
    He got into making recordings as a hobby, he had a real love of jazz music and started going to D.C. clubs and setting up a tape recorder and seeing how good he could get the recordings. He has a real like of Sony products (he's modified a Sony "boom box" that, supposedly, blows away most audiophile systems) and used a Sony open reel tape recorder, the Sony TC-850, I believe. He even developed his own record/playback EQ that is different from standard NAB and IEC EQs. The microphones were, probably, Radio Shack/Crown PZM types and very careful placement techniques. Just guessing on the microphones he might have used early on.
    I bet if enough people expressed an interest in the efforts he takes with his recording equipment and relationships with the musicians I bet he would give a tour ?
    Ken
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited October 2006
    I'm sold. I would love to get to know Pierre, if for no other reason than the fact the he is so into audio and may get to experience some extraordinary music reproduction. Plus I love talking this stuff.:D Maybe we can get a road trip together to get a tour of his "mansion-style" studio.

    Thanks again,
    Joe
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited October 2006
    Hello Zero,
    I couldn't agree more. Here's a link to an interview:
    http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/psprey.htm
    Enjoy, Ken
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited October 2006
    Well, I read all 71 pages of the handbook. His cabling and tweaks seem very eccentric & esoteric . . .this is a man after my own heart. I love tweaking. The more ridiculous it sounds the more I want to try it. I noticed that a lot of his tweaks are things that were done 20 years ago to tweak a system. What Pierre has done is to refine them. He reconditions old tube gear and resells them. The cables look really odd but he has a 30 day money back guarantee on EVERYTHING so it can't hurt to try some of his products. I'm really looking forward to trying some of his recordings.

    I would love to get a road trip together to visit that studio. I'm willing to drive 5 to 6 folks (depending on body size) from the Tri-State areas of South Eastern PA, New Jersey, and Delaware. Maryland is not far from Philly.

    More on this later.
    Joe
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited October 2006
    Cool insight Ken. I've ordered some things from Mapleshade, heavyhats, cone-feet, recordings..top notch stuff, albeit a little eccentric.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited October 2006
    hearingimpared wrote:
    The more ridiculous it sounds the more I want to try it.


    Speaking of ridiculous sounding tweaks, how about the "Totem Beaks" on page 26 of October's Affordable Audio. They seem silly but I want to try them out and if they do nothing, add them to my silly tweaks & outdated audio stuff collection and display them proudly.:D
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,091
    edited October 2006
    hearingimpared wrote:
    Has anyone ever heard of MAPLESHADE before???

    I received a 5 1/2" X 10" 71 page catalog today in the mail. I don't remember requesting it online or ordering it anywhere else but it is here.

    The cover shows:


    The back cover (1st & 2nd paragraphs only) shows:




    Selling CDs (classical, blues, celtic, country, bluegrass, swing & jazz), all kinds of tweaks, high end cabling, power strips and cords,equipment stands, isolations racks, speaker stands, tube stuff, etc.

    There are short essays on listening positions, upgrades, etc. From what I've seen so far it is pretty cool.

    PS: I'm not pushing this I'm enquiring.


    I've tried a couple of their CD's. The sound quality was stunning, but I think I made a bad choice of picking them. They weren't my cup of tea for my listening taste. I'm gong to pick out some others that might be better suited for my listening taste. I did give their Golden Helix speaker cable a try. I was extremely impressed in the way they conved the music. And for their selling price it was a steal. I will definetely try some of their other stuff.

    Hey, hearimgimpaired, I'm right across the river, I lived in Mayfair for almost 10 yrs. My sister still lives there. If you want to get together shoot me a PM. PS, I'm a tweak nut too!!
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited October 2006
    I've A-B'd their speaker wire (if you can even call it that lol) with my Cobalt's and Monster Z-2. The Mapleshade sounded really nice with amazingly airy highs but bass was a joke. For what was there, it was very tight and crisp but so minimal, it was hard to find. I prefer the mellow, smooth sound of my Cobalts for my LSi's. So I figured why not try biamping my 9's with the two wires. Cobalts on the lows for more punch and smooth midrange but Mapleshade on the highs to give me an airy and crisp tweeter. INTERESTING yet so wrong. Each sounded great but they sure as hell didn't mesh well together. They made the 9's sound mismatched and definitely not something I enjoyed other than to say "Huh!" Every company has their own theories but Mapleshade is definitely a strange company. Read their ideas about speaker placement and what-not... They believe you should cut off phase plugs, you should put your speakers 3 feet lower than ear level and aim them up... strange things like that.

    But I definitely recommend picking up a few compilation CD's! Amazingly recorded.
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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