I've never tried Straightwire IC's but in my system the Maestro II speaker cables are more balanced and open with my Thiels than a long list of contenders mentioned above and then some. The top end is impressive, totally open, extended, and airy but not bright or splashy as some cables can be, especially with Thiels. They also have tons of low level detail in the midrange. The SW's just really surprised me!
I know Thiel uses SW for internal wire or used to, don't know if they still do, SW's web site is older than dirt. Surely, that can't be the connection! That would be too easy.