Optical cable for $40-$50...What to buy?

MSkeezer · February 2006

I purchased a Denon 1720 a couple of days ago, and was "conned" into a buying a $60 Monster Lightspeed 200 optical cable. I let my guard down, what can I say? The Denon is a great player and I got it for a good price, but I feel like I can do better when it comes to the cable, especially for that price. Anyone have any suggestions?

danger boy · February 2006

check out this optical cable on Ebay. Very well made and usually half the price of Monster cables.

Another good cable is Cobalt Cable optical both of these companies are local to me.. and i've meet with the designers of both. I know both are high end, high quality cables. I've seen and use their products in my home theater and 2 ch. system.

MSkeezer · February 2006

I like that Raymond cable. I'm going to be watching that one. The Cobalt looks like a great option, too.

tryrrthg · February 2006

Check out DH labs cables. They make some very nice cables at a decent price.

http://silversonic.com/docs/products/Toslink.html

You can buy the toslink here:

http://audioc.com/accessories1/dhlabs/toslink.htm

Skynut · February 2006

+1 for the Raymond cable.
I have this one in my system and like the build quality.

halo · February 2006

Audioquest / Cinemaquest - I'm using the OptiLink-G and I'm very happy with it.

dragon1952 · February 2006

How long do you need? I might have one lying around. Also, have you considered using a digital coax? You can get a real nice one for around $20.

aaharvel · February 2006

what's wrong with the one you have? I mean these things transfer light- what's the difference? The one you already have seems nice.. i could be wrong

danger boy · February 2006

aaharvel wrote:

The one you already have seems nice.. i could be wrong

yes you could.

MSkeezer · February 2006

Originally posted by aaharvel

what's wrong with the one you have? I mean these things transfer light- what's the difference? The one you already have seems nice.. i could be wrong

Nothing wrong with it. It does a great job, but I thought I could do better for less. And I do hate giving Noel $60 to pay for legal fees

Originally posted by dragon1952

Also, have you considered using a digital coax? You can get a real nice one for around $20.

I've tried a coax, but I get some distortion on the screen. Lines that appear diagonally in the picture. I'm guessing because the dvd player is next to the cable box and the line coming in from the wall. I don't get that when using optical...

WilliamM2 · February 2006

Radio Shack has a Fusion style optical cable, really heavy duty with nice connectors. $14.95

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062041&cp=&kw=optical&parentPage=search

They have 6ft. and 12ft. for a little more $.

aaharvel · February 2006

WilliamM2 wrote:

Radio Shack has a Fusion style optical cable, really heavy duty with nice connectors. $14.95

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062041&cp=&kw=optical&parentPage=search

now imo that's a very good buy.

MSkeezer · February 2006

Accessories For Less has that cable for $4.00.

http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/item/RS1501091

I may even stock up on some of those...

dkg999 · February 2006

I went from a Monster 200 series optical cable to an Outlaw Audio optical cable and I still maintain that the sound opened up and is much better. I know, as was pointed out on these forums, that it is technically impossible. It's all light representing 1's and 0's. Doesn't change what I think I hear

steveinaz · February 2006

DH Labs toslink, best bang for the buck IMO.

WilliamM2 · February 2006

For $4 I think you found your solution, as long as shipping isn't bad.

I have 3 of those cables, great build quality, solid metal connectors. The ones at my local RS look the same as AC4Less, not the picture in the link I posted above.

aaharvel · February 2006

i really like the Fusions. I use them for everything, much better quality than Monster STD although that's not saying much.

mantis · February 2006

The monstercable optical you have is fine. Basically optial cables are very close but what I found about better quality cable is the finish end. the connector locks in better. the cheaper ones seem to fit loose.

You will not gain any performance getting a better cable. No sound quality difference.

Dan

John K. · February 2006

MS, sure there's nothing technically wrong with the monster, but you're right to want to avoid paying Noel(probably the major culprit in starting the wire and cable nonsense that pollutes audio today)his rip-off prices. The Ac.4Less would be a good buy or this similarly good buy with lower shipping charges.

drew spelts · February 2006

yeah they were clearencing some nice cool looking philips brand optical cables out at wallmart one day and I snagged them all up. I still have one in the original box I think. The only difference as stated above will be the quality of the connection not the transmission of information. Heck I just use the digital coaxial cable because I think it sounds maby better but the sound never dropps out like it has from my DVD player to my receiver like it would with the optical cable. Its a crappy DVD player, probably worth $10 now. LOL. So thats why I use the Dig-Coax.

MSkeezer · February 2006

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I still haven't decided what to go with. Give me a couple of days

I may just keep the Monster cable just so I don't have to go through the hassel of returning it. But then again, there are some great options out there and they all cost less than the Monster. I will at least stock up on those Fusion cables from Ac.FLess. You never know when those might come in handy

StopherJJ1980 · February 2006

When I bought my first AVR and speakers for HT years ago at Best Buy I was a newbie and let the guy talk me into buying the $50 monster optical cable I 'needed'. When I went to check out the lady missed it in the cart as the other stuff was covering it up so I ended up getting it for free. So I look back on it as an ironic tale of karma, BB upselling me an overpriced monster cable but getting burned in the end for it.

Having said that, it has worked fine for me and have never been able to tell the difference between this an any other quality cable. I figure optical cables are the definition of the law of diminishing returns. As the poster above pointed out an optical cable passes light signals. Light is light. There is no "high quality light". Sure there are crappy optical cables out there but just pay at least 15-20 bucks and you should be fine. Beyond that light cant be transferred any better or more accurate.

Sure some people can sell their snake oil when it comes to cables passing electric current, but here I think optical cables should be a no brainer.

danger boy · February 2006

StopherJJ1980 wrote:

When I bought my first AVR and speakers for HT years ago at Best Buy I was a newbie and let the guy talk me into buying the $50 monster optical cable I 'needed'. When I went to check out the lady missed it in the cart as the other stuff was covering it up so I ended up getting it for free. So I look back on it as an ironic tale of karma, BB upselling me an overpriced monster cable but getting burned in the end for it.

Having said that, it has worked fine for me and have never been able to tell the difference between this an any other quality cable. I figure optical cables are the definition of the law of diminishing returns. As the poster above pointed out an optical cable passes light signals. Light is light. There is no "high quality light". Sure there are crappy optical cables out there but just pay at least 15-20 bucks and you should be fine. Beyond that light cant be transferred any better or more accurate.

Sure some people can sell their snake oil when it comes to cables passing electric current, but here I think optical cables should be a no brainer.

although you got your Monster optical cable for free... you were in fact willing to pay $50 for it.. but you got it free instead. so if optical cables are all the same in your opinion, why then were you prepared to pay so much for it? Why did you choose Monster cable and not brand X while in the store?

I know the answer.. everyone loves Monster cables.. because they are better than all the rest right?

halo · February 2006

db - I think he chose it because he was a newbie that bought into the hard sell from BB. Like he said:

StopherJJ1980 wrote:

When I bought my first AVR and speakers for HT years ago at Best Buy I was a newbie and let the guy talk me into buying the $50 monster optical cable I 'needed'. When I went to check out the lady missed it in the cart as the other stuff was covering it up so I ended up getting it for free. So I look back on it as an ironic tale of karma, BB upselling me an overpriced monster cable but getting burned in the end for it.

:eek:

MSkeezer · February 2006

I hate salesmen. The guy who sold me my Denon was great(that's why I hate him

). He answered all of my questions, he knew his stuff. I knew I f***ed up when I asked him about cables, cuz if there was one thing he was good at selling, it was that. I was the one who left with a $60 Monster optical cable. THAT is how good of a salesman he was. I've seen him in action before, and I used to feel bad for his "victims" lol. He does particuarly well with the ladies. He's attractive, charming, and he asks questions. The ladies love that. Hell, I should just keep the cable now

I think I owe him that lol.

StopherJJ1980 · February 2006

danger boy wrote:

although you got your Monster optical cable for free... you were in fact willing to pay $50 for it.. but you got it free instead. so if optical cables are all the same in your opinion, why then were you prepared to pay so much for it? Why did you choose Monster cable and not brand X while in the store?

I know the answer.. everyone loves Monster cables.. because they are better than all the rest right?

As Halo was so generous to point out already, yes, At the time I got it because the guy handed it to me and said "Here, you'll need this if you want the 5.1 surround". I didnt choose it, I didnt even know I had a a brand choice at the time as it was the only brand I saw on their shelf at the time. If I could go back with what I know now I wouldnt get it.

Read carefully what someone says before you make smug critiques about it

StopherJJ1980 · February 2006

MSkeezer wrote:

I hate salesmen. The guy who sold me my Denon was great(that's why I hate him ). He answered all of my questions, he knew his stuff. I knew I f***ed up when I asked him about cables, cuz if there was one thing he was good at selling, it was that. I was the one who left with a $60 Monster optical cable. THAT is how good of a salesman he was. I've seen him in action before, and I used to feel bad for his "victims" lol. He does particuarly well with the ladies. He's attractive, charming, and he asks questions. The ladies love that. Hell, I should just keep the cable now I think I owe him that lol.

LOL sounds all too familiar. I was at best buy a couple months ago and a lady was buying a new big screen HDTV. The sales man was literally piling up Monster products she "needed" to go with her TV. After you figured in a Monster power center, HDMI, and other cables she must've had 500 bucks worth of stuff added on. She was very nonchalant about it too (she looked liked she didnt care with the prada shoes and Gucci glasses and Luois Vuitton purse etc). I was almost going to say something to her but I had a moral dilemma of watching someone getting upsold enneccesarily versus stepping in and possibly ruining the guys commission.

danger boy · February 2006

StopherJJ1980 wrote:

As Halo was so generous to point out already, yes, At the time I got it because the guy handed it to me and said "Here, you'll need this if you want the 5.1 surround". I didnt choose it, I didnt even know I had a a brand choice at the time as it was the only brand I saw on their shelf at the time. If I could go back with what I know now I wouldnt get it.

Read carefully what someone says before you make smug critiques about it

enjoy your Monster cable.

HiPerf360 · February 2006

The "spiffs" are insane to the salesmen for selling Monster Cable at places where the salesmen are on commission.

I have some monster stuff as the price was right, less than 1/2 msrp through a friend at Ultimate Electronics.

But after learning of the strong arm tactics MC uses I will no longer buy anything from them.

MSkeezer · February 2006

Update:

The Monster cable is a piece of s***. I tried pulling it out of the back of my dvd player and the connector broke off. WTF? Did I really spend $60 on this POS?! It's going back tomorrow and I swear to never buy another Monster product.

I did pick an optical cable from Better Cables and so far I'm very impressed. It was cheaper than the Monster but it sounds just as good and it doesn't look it's going to break anytime soon.

Again, thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions.

Optical cable for $40-$50...What to buy?

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