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Monster Cables...really all that better?

dayday 9,611 Posts
edited September 2005 in Music Talk
Those shit's are a tad on the expensive side, so before I shell out for them, has anyone noticed a serious difference in sound quality that warrants spending $20 on a an RCA cable?
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  Comments

  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    Yes. Much better. I have all monster cables and other high end cables on my home system and in the car.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and get some now. Mostly because I'm tired of these HOSA's shorting out all the time.

    /weaksauce
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    go gold.

    higher conductivity.

    and get some spinners on em.
  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    There is a difference between cables (radio shack and monster) but not a huge one. the real difference is in the conductivity of the connecttion. Do not be fooled by the hype though. Monster Cables provide good, possibly better shielding but will NOT make your music sound better, specially between unbalanced connections. These companies prey on consumers who have $$ to spend. If the cable is not longer than 6 or 8 feet, it actually doesn't really matter. And if you cut open a monster cable, it looks like a hosa and a radio shack jobby. Please believe that cables are NOT directional either.
  • bonzaisk8bonzaisk8 946 Posts
    yeah, they really do make a difference especially when it comes to right or left channel drop outs. with the monster cables, you'll hardly ever get any drop outs.

    i gotta say though, the optical cables is the real sauce. coax or SPDIF.

    peas.

  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    I recommend Mogami or anything quad/star wired.
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts

    They are nice, but check prices from the competition - some like QED, Ixos, Atlantis. What are they for?

    h
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    HAZ I cannot read your posts at work.

    What's the deal with SPDIF by the way? And what makes them so damn hot? I have SPDIF outputs on my turntable, and a direct input to my sound card. If they truly rule, I would like to take the DJ mixer out of my equation when ripping vinyl/sampling the real heat that you're sweating so hard.
  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    They do have alot of hype though.

    Like, monster Midi cables? Come on. Does it transfer data cleaner? haha.


    If you have ever been sold on their benefits from an equipment store employee, please know that monster cables have like twice the markup of any other product, thus generating big commissions.


    They do have a lifetime guarantee though.

  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts
    HAZ I cannot read your posts at work.


    Its safe now.
  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    They do have alot of hype though.

    Like, monster Midi cables? Come on. Does it transfer data cleaner? haha.


    If you have ever been sold on their benefits from an equipment store employee, please know that monster cables have like twice the markup of any other product, thus generating big commissions.


    They do have a lifetime guarantee though.


    Monster Midi what a f-ing joke. Is it going to make my beats swing? HA!
    Like I said, cut 'em open and it's the same as the worst Hosa. The only difference is the Monster's usually have nicer connectors and about a pound of rubber wrapped around the cable to make you think that ish is fatter.

    Making cables is a skill that is easy to learn and will prove invaluable throughout your music career. Bulk high high high qaulity Mogami cable is about 45-60 cents a foot and the connectors aren't expensive at all. Buy a soldering gun and do the math. I can elaborate if any one is interested in actually making cables. RCA's require only 2 solders per side, which means you can make one, to your custom length in about 1.5 minutes if your a little slow.
  • speshboogiespeshboogie 105 Posts
    Zaolla, Mogami or Canare as far as cables go will do you righteous.

    Monster is probably better than your average Hosa, but both are consumer/pro-sumer variety cabling & can't touch the above mentioned, I wouldn't use either in any studio wiring.

    For about $20-$40 you can get parts to build your own killer set of cables which will be superior to your average store bought set.

    Neutrik also makes a pretty dope set of RCA connectors.

    http://pr3.pacrad.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=26503&prmenbr=126&lastcat=1200

    learn to solder batches.
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    They do have alot of hype though.

    Like, monster Midi cables? Come on. Does it transfer data cleaner? haha.


    If you have ever been sold on their benefits from an equipment store employee, please know that monster cables have like twice the markup of any other product, thus generating big commissions.


    They do have a lifetime guarantee though.


    Monster Midi what a f-ing joke. Is it going to make my beats swing? HA!
    Like I said, cut 'em open and it's the same as the worst Hosa. The only difference is the Monster's usually have nicer connectors and about a pound of rubber wrapped around the cable to make you think that ish is fatter.

    Making cables is a skill that is easy to learn and will prove invaluable throughout your music career. Bulk high high high qaulity Mogami cable is about 45-60 cents a foot and the connectors aren't expensive at all. Buy a soldering gun and do the math. I can elaborate if any one is interested in actually making cables. RCA's require only 2 solders per side, which means you can make one, to your custom length in about 1.5 minutes if your a little slow.

    please elaborate. and somebody post up about SPDIF

    I do not look outside of soulstrut for my information.
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts

    Here's a nice link about DIY cables:

    http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/diycables.html

    h
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    and it's giving me an excuse to buy that cold heat soldering iron that's been taking the infomercial circuit by storm
  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    you know what I'm saying?

    ok well the fundamental difference between a SPDIF and an RCA, though they look the same is that SPDIF is a digital data transfer format and RCA is Analogue. because of this, SPDIF requires a different type of cable though the connector looks the same.
    When you hook up to SPDIF connections you have a whole variety of things that can go wrong, Word Clock issues, Bit Rate and WaveRate issues, etc. RCA Analog the only thing that can really go wrong is a ground loop.
  • KARLITOKARLITO 991 Posts
    All that being said I have used regular RCA cable to make SPDIF conections and it does work in a pinch(if i remember right).
  • bonzaisk8bonzaisk8 946 Posts
    about the SPDIF cables....

    well, i'm no scientist, i'm just going off of what i've read, and my experience with SPDIF. Basically its a fiber optical transfer of electricity. Like fiber optic T1's, they transfer data a lot cleaner and a lot faster. Not to mention that one SPDIF cable carries your Left and right channel without any interferance ( a big plus). It's a REAL quiet cable meaning you won't hear any static, buzz or feedback and that is definitely needed in the studio. Granted, I've never used SPDIF for my turntables, only for studio production, but I am very happy with it.

    interested to hear if anyone has used them with their mixer and turntables.

    hollur.
  • bonzaisk8bonzaisk8 946 Posts
    also keep in mind that there are two kinds of SPDIF cables, though. A fiber optic digital cable, and a coax cable (looks like a RCA). You can have the two coincide and they work well, but will need a CO2 converter (costs about 60 bucks).



  • KARLITOKARLITO 991 Posts
    but will need a CO2 converter (costs about 60 bucks).
    I've got one of the Behringer SRC 1000's if anyone is interested. Great rack mountable unit will allow you to mix and match the optical digital stream and coax also has scms (copyrite protection)stripper. pm if anyone wants to buy cheap.
  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    what they said
  • slushslush 691 Posts
    spdif is ill i have it going from md to my old sound blaster. the SB spdif-in makes rhodes keyboards sound slightlu bit-decimated though, which is real disctinct but in terms of audiophile quality, not preferable.

    Mixer Spdif-out to sound card spdif in is hot. You should do that if you are mixing down to computer. why not right
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    monster = higher margins/higher commissions, i can tell you that much


    i sold those bad boys
  • unlasciviousunlascivious 220 Posts
    cold heat soldering iron

    DOES NOT WORK WELL
    go and buy a fancy 25W iron for $10
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    It's not the diameter of the cable as much as the quality of the housing. Also, for analog, shorter is better. Less distance to travel/degrade.

  • Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
    Man, I just bought some of these. The only difference I can tell is that they feel real nice in your hands. But I still get static, intereference, and occasionally some local radio. the sound is a tiny bit cleaner and the channels never pop in and out. Worth it? Im not sure.
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    right. look how those audiophie dudes put each amp right by the speaker. that's becuase the wires are real short and the signal has less chance to fup.

    analog to they nubby dicks.

  • silvertonesilvertone 765 Posts
    Day: anyone is a semi pro application environment will tell you that Monster Cables eat ass, but have a very good marketing strategy. I would say to go with the afore mentioned, and if you are handy with a sawter iron, make your own... you can get bulk lengths of cable (Mogami or Canare) and Neutrik connectors at just about any Pro Audio supply. MUCH better quality for middle-range pro audio price.

    Ps: Day, are you the same dood that used to be (or maybe still are) in Innernational Crew? If so, you might remember me from years back constantly upping your mixes on a little thing called triple-bypass.com. Anyways, if so, Id like to hear some of the shit you have been doing since then.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    Day: anyone is a semi pro application environment will tell you that Monster Cables eat ass, but have a very good marketing strategy. I would say to go with the afore mentioned, and if you are handy with a sawter iron, make your own... you can get bulk lengths of cable (Mogami or Canare) and Neutrik connectors at just about any Pro Audio supply. MUCH better quality for middle-range pro audio price.



    Ps: Day, are you the same dood that used to be (or maybe still are) in Innernational Crew? If so, you might remember me from years back constantly upping your mixes on a little thing called triple-bypass.com. Anyways, if so, Id like to hear some of the shit you have been doing since then.





    Thanks for the info. I need to get some solder in my life (1200 cables anyone? ). I guess those Monster one's will have to do for now.



    Yep, I'm the same dood. Rip One has made a few more mixes and we came out with 3 Innernational compilations. I basically have my own personal copies left but I can get you dubs of them. Just hit me in a PM.
  • aegisaegis 261 Posts

    Making cables is a skill that is easy to learn and will prove invaluable throughout your music career. Bulk high high high qaulity Mogami cable is about 45-60 cents a foot and the connectors aren't expensive at all. Buy a soldering gun and do the math. I can elaborate if any one is interested in actually making cables. RCA's require only 2 solders per side, which means you can make one, to your custom length in about 1.5 minutes if your a little slow.

    Any connector recommendations? Speshboogie's seemed steeper than necessary. And do the connectors make the soldering easy? My soldering experience is just slightly more than nil.
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