Monster Cable question.

stormbringer3
stormbringer3 Posts: 14
edited December 2008 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I am getting my LSI's tomorrow and the amp I need is coming next week. I now need to decide which cable brand to go with. I have been going through the threads about this and I'm aware that Monster is not highly regarded and that the favored brands are Signal, Blue Jean etc. My favorite vendor is having a sale tomorrow and you get a 10%-50% discount depending on the luck of your draw. My question is are Monster cables a mediocre product that many here feel are overpriced, or a good product and if I get lucky with a discount of 20% or more I should consider buying?
Thanks.
Post edited by stormbringer3 on
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    Even with 20% off, you would do better with Signal Cable or Blue Jeans Cables.
    "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
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  • jaysonbarnett
    jaysonbarnett Posts: 257
    edited December 2008
    Monster does make great products but i do not agree with thier business plan. They sue everyone and sell thier products way more than they are worth. I would never buy a monster product but i do have one which i got for christmas (look at my signature). Mono price.com or bluejean cable or even on amazon is where i would go.
    Audio:
    Onkyo :tx-sr805
    Polk: rti8's
    Polk: rti4's
    Polk: fxi3's
    Polk: csi'3
    Velodyne: VRP 1200
    Epik: Caliber
    Video:
    Panasonic:TH-42PX60U 42"Plasma
    Power Conditioner:
    Monster Power    : HTS 3600 MKII Home Theater
    Dvd:
    Sony: BDP-350
    Game Systems
    WII
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited December 2008
    +1. They are a bully company who makes decent product that are over priced. Getting cables here is a great way to get a good price on quality products. Audio Advisor can also have great sales on premium cables, but you can't go wrong with any of the about brands. Make sure you check out monoprice.com if you want quality cables for next to nothing.
    Jake
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited December 2008
    This Monster cable:

    http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=41

    is proven to be inferior to this Signal Cable:

    http://signalcable.com/classicspeaker.html

    How do I know? cause I auditioned, tested, and compared them both! The difference is not subtle. Very distinct and obvious. Signal Cable Classic is more articulate, open, and clean.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?cablspkr&1233716674&/Signal-Cable-Speaker-Cables

    BUY THESE
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited December 2008
    Here is what I suggest to you to buy. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_703142250I/AudioQuest-FLX-14-2-14-Gauge-In-Wall-Speaker-Cable-250-feet.html?tp=1432

    This is my personal wire of the year. I now use it on my entire system. Even my mains which I used to have Cv-8's(a better cable but way out of the league in price). I find this wire to be extremely good. Musical and true. For the money I have never used a better speaker cable. No were no how no not going to happen no.

    Do yourself a favor and buy a spool and run your entire system with it. You will not be disappointed.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2008
    jaysonbarnett wrote:
    Monster does make great products but i do not agree with thier business plan. They sue everyone and sell thier products way more than they are worth.

    Monster DOES NOT make great cables. Decent may be the best I would be willing to rate them...and yes...they are overpriced for what they are. Given the alternatives...I would never buy monster.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • MLZ
    MLZ Posts: 214
    edited December 2008
    Don't buy Monster - buy from BlueJeans which has better cables and is helping defend Monster Mini Golf which Monster Cable, as is there main business strategy (I guess it easier to go to court than sell cable at a fair price) , is suing because they use the name "Monster":

    From Bluejeans http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/blue-jeans
    "First, Blue Jeans Cable will match contributions to Monster Mini Golf's defense fund, up to a total of one thousand dollars,

    "Second, we are placing several products on a special Torches and Pitchforks" Promotion. We will donate, without limit, ten percent of our gross revenue from this promotion to Monster Mini Golf's legal defense. This promotion runs through December 15; if you need cables, have a look."
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,203
    edited December 2008
    jaysonbarnett wrote: »
    Monster does make great products

    Ummmmmmmmm.....no they don't. Even for free they suck. Go with Signal for best bang for the buck performance.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited December 2008
    M sucks. Are you looking for IC's, or speaker cables? I like AQ Type4's for affordable great sounding speaker 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
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  • stormbringer3
    stormbringer3 Posts: 14
    edited December 2008
    I thank you for all your replies. I am now aware that I was not clear enough in my original post. I should have said interconnect cables since I need to connect my soon to arrive amp to my receiver, and also my new sub. I am sorry for the confusion. I bought an Audioquest Sub-X yesterday. I was unsure if it was worth the extra $60 for the Sub-1 so I cheaped out. There is a 30 day return policy so I am open to opinions on this. I am down to Audioquest, Signal and Blue Jeans for my amp to receiver cables. I am unsure at what pricepoint to buy. I am going to use these for HT and I would like any opinions on how high to go for quality.
    Thanks again.
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,781
    edited December 2008
    I am unsure at what pricepoint to buy. I am going to use these for HT and I would like any opinions on how high to go for quality.
    Thanks again.

    Don't know what length you need, but I like these, less than $20.

    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=181-652

    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=181-644

    Or depending on length, somewhere under $10.

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=2869&seq=1&format=2

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236

    You won't get better sound, no matter how much you spend.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    William, not everyone is as deaf as you.

    I have those monoprice cables in William's link and can tell you they sound dull up top.
    "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
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,119
    edited December 2008
    Looks like Monster is being hated as much as Bose. I agree Monster is way over priced, but is the product that bad? I have Z2 speaker cables that I bought back in the day and paid too much I'm sure, but they sound decent.
    Seems like AudioQuest type 4 is my next choice. I have not heard any bad about them for the $.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2008
    Face wrote:
    William, not everyone is as deaf as you.

    That's for sure. There is not a cable he has mentioned that I would consider using. Cheap generic cables sound like cheap generic cables.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,781
    edited December 2008
    Face wrote: »
    William, not everyone is as deaf as you.

    I have those monoprice cables in William's link and can tell you they sound dull up top.

    I guess since you have no real evidence, insults is all you have huh? My hearing is excellent, just tested as a matter of fact.

    I will admit that my imagination may be a little lacking though, in comparison to yours.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    WilliamM2 wrote: »
    I will admit that my imagination may be a little lacking though, in comparison to yours.
    Yes, along with pitch perception and harmonic perception.
    "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
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,203
    edited December 2008
    Conradicles wrote: »
    but is the product that bad?

    7 Letters.........Hell Yes!
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited December 2008
    Conradicles wrote: »
    Looks like Monster is being hated as much as Bose. I agree Monster is way over priced, but is the product that bad? I have Z2 speaker cables that I bought back in the day and paid too much I'm sure, but they sound decent.
    Seems like AudioQuest type 4 is my next choice. I have not heard any bad about them for the $.

    I have owned both and lets put it this way,I still have the AQ Type 4. The Monster is long gone.
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  • stormbringer3
    stormbringer3 Posts: 14
    edited December 2008
    I'm going to get my amp-receiver cables from Signal Cable. One more question. I looked at my speaker wires that I bought in the 1990's. They are MonsterXP. Are they good enough for my LSI's at this time? What gauge are they? If I look at new speaker wires, the only ones I can afford right now are Blue Jeans bare wire speaker cable which they recommend as their 1st choice on how to connect and how I am currently connecting my speakers. Any other choices would have to wait to sometime in the future.
    Thanks for any opinions.
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited December 2008
    stormbringer3 wrote: »
    I'm going to get my amp-receiver cables from Signal Cable. One more question. I looked at my speaker wires that I bought in the 1990's. They are MonsterXP. Are they good enough for my LSI's at this time? What gauge are they? If I look at new speaker wires, the only ones I can afford right now are Blue Jeans bare wire speaker cable which they recommend as their 1st choice on how to connect and how I am currently connecting my speakers. Any other choices would have to wait to sometime in the future.
    Thanks for any opinions.


    I would for sure change those speaker wires out as well. The BJC wires are very reasonable and should sound better than your monsters.
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited December 2008
    stormbringer3 wrote: »
    I thank you for all your replies. I am now aware that I was not clear enough in my original post. I should have said interconnect cables since I need to connect my soon to arrive amp to my receiver, and also my new sub. I am sorry for the confusion. I bought an Audioquest Sub-X yesterday. I was unsure if it was worth the extra $60 for the Sub-1 so I cheaped out. There is a 30 day return policy so I am open to opinions on this. I am down to Audioquest, Signal and Blue Jeans for my amp to receiver cables. I am unsure at what pricepoint to buy. I am going to use these for HT and I would like any opinions on how high to go for quality.
    Thanks again.

    I run the same sub cable from my avr to my Epik Valor sub. Nice cable - personally I don't think you 'cheaped out' :p

    Don't be 'moonglum' over your purchase... ;)

    Erik

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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