Are 'Monster' Cables Worth It?

Digitarius asks: "Are "Monster" cables really better, or are they just more expensive? I'm setting up my HDTV, and I can get Component video cables made by Belkin for half the price of the Monster cable equivalents. Are there any actual stats or studies to back up Monster's claims of superiority? So far most people tell me to get the Monster cables, 'just to be sure,' but what's the real truth?"

As a physicist...

[Anonymous Coward]

As a physicist , I can tell you that there is virtually nothing that I don't have expert knowledge of. Indeed, if the combination of my powers of intellect and the shear volume of my encyclopedic knowledge and my brains little grey cells where allowed to run the world, we would never have an energy crisis, no one would go hungry, and sex would be plentiful. I really think people ought to listen to me more.

Monster Cables & BOSE

[duffbeer703]

Produce the highest fidelity output possible.

Just make sure you use Bose speakers, none of that Sony or Nakamichi junk.

Re:Simple Answer

[Anonymous Coward]

No, next time use google.

He did use google. It 302 redirected him here...

Digital cables and Best Buy twits

[Just Some Guy]

I was about ready to punch a kid at Best Buy after he first insisted that gold-to-silver is an excellent combination and then demanded that I buy the most expensive brand of fiber optic cable they sold. He swore up and down that the higher priced brand's bits were "cleaner" and that I'd get a better sound.

Ugh - that's one store I definitely don't miss.

Re:Electrons no different

[ArsonSmith]

I bet your email address rhymes with "at conster fable spot on."

Re:Monster Cables and other Audiophile rubbish

[qengho]

There is a huge industry around selling useless crap to people.

My absolute favorite example of this is the US$1500 Audio Magic Clairvoyant Power Cord [soundstage.com]. I thought this was an April Fool's column until I looked at the date.

Cables matter

[Hulver]

It's common knowledge amoungst audiophiles that you need the best cable to get the best sound.

Those of your sitting smug with your all digital system should take note as well.

Just because your signals are digital doesn't mean that the sound isn't going to change because of the quality of your cable.

Even the brand of hard disk that you use can effect the quality of the audio you get from your system.

You need to check that your hard-disk is insulated correctly as well. Installing vibration isolators in your computer can effect the sound coming out of it.

Want proof? This guy [johnvestman.com] is a sound engineer and has performed extensive tests on different hard drives and transport mechanisms. Did you know that the same file played from the CDR can sound different if it's played from a FireWire hard disk?

Re:Depends on your other stero components-AND YOU

[pclminion]

Visit one of your friends who is recommending monster cable, listen to his system. Swap the cables with lower-end ones, and see if you can tell the difference.

Actually, a better experiment would be to swap the cables when your friend isn't looking, and see if HE notices. Also, wear Kevlar.

Re:from my own experience...

[uradu]

Don't rob him of his fantasies. If he defines the cables needed as a percentage of the system cost, then let him be. For systems over $200 you definitely need the Mosters. Actually, on occasion it has been observed that they are needed even for systems at $179.99, and there is anecdotal evidence of one case where they were needed at the $149.99 price point, though that is up for debate.

Re:use any old thing

[jafuser]

Heh. Here's one: Arista Optical Digital Audio Cable [crutchfield.com]

Is there any point to having 24k gold-plated contacts on an optical cable other than 'bling' factor?

Re:Depends on your other stero components-AND YOU

[Anonymous Coward]

and you've got his expensive monstercables instead of those cheap ones.

Re:How well do you hear?

[crmartin]

Not to mention her TV.

Re:use any old thing

[DrZaius]

I've heard that gold is softer, so the connections mold together better...

Re:use any old thing

[u-238]

Let my try to organize your thoughts in a somewhat coherent way; Because you were able to get reception by putting the end of a coax cable to your toung, monster cables are useless?

Re:Electrons no different

[SunFan]

I think its time for a one way visit to the vet.

Vets do the annoying pet owners, too? That's the best thing I've heard all week!

ROFL!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Despite their lack of social standing and diminutive presence, there are select power-cord lines that have become popular among audio explorers -- and no, not because of the politics, payoffs, or consumer naiveté' to which skeptics ascribe their success. The most competently engineered power cords on the market will audibly reduce AC-borne noise in a system. They will breath dynamic life and energy into music and preserve, rather than skew, the music's delicate harmonic structure. Not all power cords can perform these magic tricks; in fact, there are very few that I would recommend without qualification. But they are out there -- and even here in the text of this review."

ROFL!!!!

Re:Monster Cables & BOSE

[sharkey]

And the track to play on your BOSE speakers to make them sound their absolute best is 4'33" by John Cage.

Re:use any old thing

[TopShelf]

The funniest thing I've seen was some guy on a TV show who recommended that when putting together a sound system, you should plan to spend 10% of your cost on wiring. So for your $2000 worth of equipment you're hooking up, spend $200 on wiring??? YEAH RIGHT!!!

Bullshit gold?

[shigelojoe]

Bullshit gold is the best conductor. Silver has much much lower resistance.

If I had a bull that was shitting gold, I wouldn't waste it by using it as a conductor.

I'm just sayin'...

Re:Electrons no different

[Just Some Guy]

signal path length (both parts of the path being equal)

I can't overemphasize the importance of making sure that the length of the cables carrying the (nearly) 300,000,000m/s electrical signal before it turns into 340m/s sound waves be within a few angstroms of each other.

Oh, don't forget to use a micrometer to set the distance from each speaker to your ear to make sure the sound waves arrive at the right time.

Re:They may be outrageously priced but...

[nagora]

Or, you could just keep the dog away from the wiring in the first place by keeping it inside the cabinet or out of reach.

That's cruel.

TWW

Winky Blinky

[Anonymous Coward]

They sell a printer cable [monstercable.com] with a "Winky Blinky" for $50. As if just having a $50 parallel cable wasn't bad enough, they had to add the winky blinky. For that reason, I will never buy anything made by Monster Cable.

Re:from my own experience...

[Anonymous Coward]

Personally, I use Liquid Helium cooled Superconductor cables for all my AV connection needs. Its a bit expensive, but its worth even damn penny! You can really hear and see the difference!

Re:use any old thing

[Anonymous Coward]

$2K worth of gear, yeah, I would spend $200 on high quality cables (not monster cable however

Of course not, $200 of monster cable and you'd only be able to hook up one speaker.