I have much direct experience with MIT 330 vs. Straightwire, in this case Straightwire Virtuoso. The Virtuoso is the line above the Maestro. Throughout the late 80s to mid 90s I had used exclusively MIT 330 with ARC SP-10 and Adcom and ARC amps. I then tried 2 pairs of Virtuoso ICs here with good results. Where the MIT was mellow with a more distant and rolled-off presentation, the Virtuso was lively, dynamic and extended on the top. I then switched to a 3' pair of Virtuoso speaker cables as well over the MIT 750s.
Years later as my system became more resolving, other components with greater coverage in the trebles, etc., it was very clear the Virtuoso was anything but neutral and natural. In fact, the more refined and extended my system became, the less I could tolerate the Virtuoso because of fatigue. In a word, it was BRIGHT.
I sold off the Virtuoso ICs and slowly moved to Cardas & SilverAudio and then later NBS and now Purist. However I kept the Virtuoso spkr cable which sounds today quite decent in my system. Compared to the Purist Opis I am currently auditioning, the Virtuoso still shows a little forward presentation on the top, but for the cost, it is very good.
Going back to MIT 330 ICs would be impossible because their resolution is simply downright poor in the context of a highly resolving system today. And going back to the Virtuoso ICs would be equally impossible because of the faitgue issue. I have no idea what to recommend in the $200-300 price range for 1-2m ICs, but if you need to go to the 25 feet zone, the MIT 350 Ref Proline CVT and 350 Evo cables I discussed in the other thread have no peers for performance and value.
John
