Hdmi cable (cheap)

dholmes
dholmes Posts: 1,136
I noticed a lot of us me included have Monoprice hdmi cable & was thinking that we spend thousands on are equipment & only spend 7.00 on a hdmi cable.You know when you buy a car you dont put 5.00 tires on it,I guess I think theres a cost mismatch.Why spend all this money & then buy cheap hdmi cable?? I know there is a mark-up on everything but I was thinking about replacing hdmi cable to something that cost more,am I suffering from too much $$$ & not enough brains?? thanks
My HT set-up Panasonic front proj, 120 in ws screen, ATI amp,Integra 9.8 pre-pro, 2 Polk rti150, cp 1000, 4 fx 1000, Pioneer blu-ray 2 SVS sub pb 12-ultra 2, & Paragon popcorn popper. ps 3 Coaster leather HT recliners.
Post edited by dholmes on

Comments

  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,205
    edited September 2008
    dholmes wrote: »
    ... am I suffering from too much $$$ & not enough brains?? thanks
    Maybe, maybe not, but you have discovered the same truth that the Monster Cable marketing team came up with :p.
    Alea jacta est!
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2008
    IMO, you don't need to spend much to get your hands on a decent digital cable. I use monoprice for all my HDMI cables also.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited September 2008
    I use Monoprice HDMI cables and 4-port Monoprice HDMI switch - work like a charm (Harmony controls the switch too).
    Can't really compare cables to tires... :cool:
    Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
    Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
    Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
    Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
    B&W CDM1-SE fronts
    B&W CDM-CNT center
    B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
    JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
    Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
    DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
    Belkin PF60 Power Center
    Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
    Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited September 2008
    I have a "Premium" Monoprice HDMI and two of their "Premium" Toslink cables and all three work great. I think I spent $20 on all three and feel the sound and video quality is as good as anything I've tried in the past. Plus, I don't know if the "Premium" lines adds to the VQ or SQ, but they are a big improvement on the fit and finish for just another 10% or so. (And remember, that's 10% on a $3 Toslink cable... :D)
  • dholmes
    dholmes Posts: 1,136
    edited September 2008
    Thanks,it just seems like we should spend more on them since everything else is cost a lot.The tires is when I was young & they where recaps!!
    My HT set-up Panasonic front proj, 120 in ws screen, ATI amp,Integra 9.8 pre-pro, 2 Polk rti150, cp 1000, 4 fx 1000, Pioneer blu-ray 2 SVS sub pb 12-ultra 2, & Paragon popcorn popper. ps 3 Coaster leather HT recliners.
  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited September 2008
    DH, when audio technology is the topic, there's no need to bring up cars or other irrelevant analogies. There's no such thing in reality as a suitable ratio between what we spend on various audio items; if it does the job then the lower the price, the better, of course. This particularly applies to wires where there's no correlation between price and the capacity to fulfill its function. I long ago came to the realization that "You get what you pay for" is simply a slogan relied on by sellers of high-priced goods or services who don't have an objective way to justify themselves.

    In my case, I recall that when I commented here last year about the $4.50 cable from MonoPrice that I'd gotten for my new $1100 sub, there was amused astonishment in some of our members which in turn left me a bit amused.
  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited September 2008
    I'm amused that your amused at their amusement..............:D
  • wutadumsn23
    wutadumsn23 Posts: 3,702
    edited September 2008
    I have always wondered the same thing and so I tested this exact theory. I bought an HDMI cable for my Sony t.v. when I first got it at Best Buy, and though the salesman had no luck talking me into the $150 Monster Cable, I did however buy the BB equivalent (Rocketfish) for about $75 for a 6ft cable and am very pleased with it. Later I upgraded to an HDDVR from Comcast and was S.O.L when the repairman asked my for my other HDMI cable that I had forgotten to purchase so I wouldn't have to switch back and forth from my PS3 to my DVR. He said he may have one in his tuck he could give me, much to my amazement he did indeed give me a free HDMI cable and it literally is a black wire with two male HDMI plugs on it. I thought I would suffer greatly from this obvious imposter of a cable, but I tested them both and IMO there is no difference between the Rocketfish cable and the $2.00 cable the Comcast guy gave me. Now with V 1.3a and V1.3b there may be a difference, but I don't know for sure.
    HT Rig
    Receiver- Onkyo TX-SR806
    Mains- Polk Audio Monitor 70
    Center- Polk Audio CS2
    Surrounds- Polk Audio TSi 500's :D
    Sub- Polk Audio PSW125
    Retired- Polk Audio Monitor 40's
    T.V.- 60" Sony SXRD KDS-60A2000 LCoS
    Blu-Ray- 80 GB PS3


    2 CH rig (in progress)
    Polk Audio Monitor 10A's :cool:

    It's not that I'm insensitive, I just don't care.. :D
  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2008
    I have always wondered the same thing and so I tested this exact theory. I bought an HDMI cable for my Sony t.v. when I first got it at Best Buy, and though the salesman had no luck talking me into the $150 Monster Cable, I did however buy the BB equivalent (Rocketfish) for about $75 for a 6ft cable and am very pleased with it. Later I upgraded to an HDDVR from Comcast and was S.O.L when the repairman asked my for my other HDMI cable that I had forgotten to purchase so I wouldn't have to switch back and forth from my PS3 to my DVR. He said he may have one in his tuck he could give me, much to my amazement he did indeed give me a free HDMI cable and it literally is a black wire with two male HDMI plugs on it. I thought I would suffer greatly from this obvious imposter of a cable, but I tested them both and IMO there is no difference between the Rocketfish cable and the $2.00 cable the Comcast guy gave me. Now with V 1.3a and V1.3b there may be a difference, but I don't know for sure.


    It is a digital cable, and depending on your other equipment, and length of run you don't have to spend a lot on an HDMI cable. The more you upgrade the more better cables become apparent. Now analog video(component), and analog audio is where you'll see the most improvement with cables.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben