Can someone please tell me what all the hype about monster cable is about? I've heard people get all worked up about this cable like it is really something special. It's not!!! The sheathing/shielding on it sucks compared to many others! I guess they have those "specially formulated copper wires" or some BS like that. It works fine, I'll give you that, but all these people that say they heard differences in the music by switching to monster is full of S. I just found an article, here it is:

A 6-page article by Laurence Greenhill titled "Speaker Cables: Can You Hear the Difference?" was published in Stereo Review magazine. It compared Monster cable, 16-gauge wire and 24-gauge wire. The price at that time for a pair of 30-foot lengths of monster cables was $55.00. The cost for 16 gauge heavy lamp cord was $.30/foot or $18.00 and the 24 gauge "speaker wire" was $.03/foot or $1.80

"...So what do our fifty hours of testing, scoring and listening to speaker cables amount to? Only that 16-gauge lamp cord and Monster cable are indistinguishable from each other with music and seem to be superior to the 24 gauge wire commonly sold or given away as 'speaker cable.' Remember, however, that it was a measurable characteristic--higher resistance per foot--that made 24 gauge sound different from the other cables. If the cable runs were only 6 instead of 30 feet, the overall cable resistances would have been lower and our tests would probably have found no audible differences between the three cables. This project was unable to validate the sonic benefits claimed for exotic speaker cables over common 16-gauge zip cord. We can only conclude, therefore, that there is little advantage besides pride of ownership in using these thick, expensive wires"

There we have it folks!!!

 

I agree, most of the hype is advertising
especially for the short wire runs in car audio
pro sound, where cables may run hundreds of feet, the wire is more important, but IMHO thickness is much more important than brand

 

Jclarke you have a very good memory. I read the same Stereo Review article in the early 1980s. Lots of inovations in wire technology and "theory" have been brought to market since then. But, in all that time, I have never been able to hear a difference in speaker wires, as long as the gauge was appropriate for the amplifier power and the speaker impedance.

Trucks are not the ideal critical listening environment. We're never going to hear the soundstage, imaging or depth that we can hear in a really fine home system.

IMO buy the right gauge for the speaker impedance and power handling requirements. Make sure that the insulation will survive the inside temperature of a closed truck in the summer sun without cracking (I live in Texas and we think about that) and spend as little money as possible.

Also several years ago, the comic strip "B C" showed us why "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Perhaps we should add a footnote for sound to that law: "If you can't hear it, it's not there!"

You are right that it's all hype. Spend the money you save on designer wire to buy music and you'll have something that you can enjoy-for real!

jimmyj
04 F150 SCab XLT 5.4 with the cheap a** Ford single CD/Cassette system. Wish lamp chord would fix it, but it won't.

 

The only time when speaker cable is something special is if its sealed. THen the wires can not corrode. Stuff i have on my stereo here for my desk is like 3 dollars a foot.
And if I used anything else with tthis stereo, i'm sure it would sound like shait. considering i'm useing paradigm speakers.
I would like a better cable for my bass however. it sucks compared to this stuff.


Monster cable is just normal cable with a higher price.
Its basically lamp cord with a flashy coating.
Copper wire is copper wire. Some wire is better then others in the long run. but as is, its allmost all the same for normal wire.

and the one guy up there is right. monster cable sucks. Its coating is crap and it discolors and deteriroates. (sp)

 

Someone here mentioned the listening environment......

I will talk about strandcount, shielding material and the
application we have here....cars and trucks...

The higher the strandcount, the easier it is to bend...and we all know
how many bends a car or truck will present the cables we use....

We for example would not use marine grade cable....boats can have long runs of cable without sharp bends....thus you wont pay a premium price...
for their low count strand cable...

As far as automotive sound goes....you can shop around for cable makers like SOundQuest, MOnster Cable, Stinger, EFX, Fosgate, etc etc...

the prices have gone down....

As far as speaker cables go.....gauge criteria depends on power levels being handled by the speakers....again the high count strand cables will be much more pliable than the lamp cord cable....

A good example is the low profile flat speaker cable...that will easily hide under the carpets or tight spaces behind interior paneling.

As far as pricing goes...go for it....use the lamp cable....there is no difference
in sound for normal listening....you will have to splice and crimp the wires to complete a run....I like my connections to be amp to speaker....no splits...

for high end sound systems...using lamp cords for speakers or power cables won't cut it. WHen is the last time a lamp had an 8 gauge wire supplying power to it?

My sound systems sound pretty nice and I used quality cables etc...

to me...it's worth it spending a few extra bucks doing it right.

 

The bitterness of buying a product you're unhappy with long outlasts the joy of having saved a few dollars.

 

If we were talking about home systems I would be singing a different tune. You can hear and appreciate MANY qualitative differences in a stable, quiet room. But, in a truck we can't do much about speaker placement, can't hang a lesser reflective material over the rear window glass and cannot concentrate on placing the musicians within the soundstage while driving down the road that runs in front of WalMart. Someone forgot to get in the left turn lane, but is going to turn into that parking lot anyway!
It is strictly MO, but I think that in a vehicle, whatever handles the power output, speaker impedance and extreme temperature ranges is fine.
Flat wires are certainly a great idea, and the extra cost is justified if you need to run the cables underneath carpet.
I don't think that the Monster Cable name is worth the extra price in a vehicle system, other things being equal. I'm not sure that the extra cost of sealed cables in a truck is worth it-rather spend the money for the home system.
I read that there are some VERY experienced users posting to this thread, and appreciate that. Love to discuss more with them-but this is not the forum. We're talkin' about whether the Monster Cable name is worth the extra price in vehicle speaker wiring.

Stereo Review published the speaker cable report in 1983, testing home systems. I think that they were right in 1983. I do not think that the article is accurate for todays' home systems-I can even prove it with a differenct that you can actually hear.
I am not advocating lamp cord for vehicle speaker wiring. I am advocating not spending extra for a "name" in vehicle speaker wiring.
jimmyj
04 F150 XLT SCab 5.4L in Dark Shadow Gray
Loving 4100 miles-except for the Ford stereo!

 

JimmyJ; agreed.

If it's strictly Monster Cable (brand) we're talking about; then no, it's not worth the extra $$. There are many generic or "lesser" brands of cable/wire that are just as good (or better) than Monster. Yes, you are paying for a name.

As far as sentencing the "higher end" automotive wiring to the "lamp cord" category....that is a different discussion altogether.

 

I agree that you need to buy the gauge that is adequate for the power you are pushing. I have to disagree with capone on marine cables, they are some of the higher grade wire out there. The 1/0 marine wiring is equivelant to welding cable in the # of strands, the more strands the better the ampacity. I was just in West Marine and bought some cableling supplies last week. you will pay a premium for the marine grade wire, though.

 

Hence the suggestion on my post

re:you can shop around for cable makers like SOundQuest, MOnster Cable, Stinger, EFX, Fosgate, etc etc...

I used sound quest on my 280z, 300zxtt and the mustang....
it is 55% of the price Monster Cable goes for....

It is common sense to shop around....

re:marine cable cost....

you put the same gauge cables side by side and per foot....you will pay more for the high strand count sealed cable than you will for the marine stuff......
I used to work at West Marine....I know the cables you are talkin about

re:not being able to do anything regarding speaker placement....
I disagree.....this is why the high dollar separates came to be......

and this is also why ergonomic engineers have designed interiors that emphasize speaker placement as part of the whole package.

Dynamat is one of few things that can be done to augment the listening environment....

Driving entails that you pay attention....but for them long drives on the freeway....it is nice to have a system that makes the trip a bit more pleasurable.

 

just for my argument. I found that site online and realize it was from 1983. The thing I was getting at is that you can buy cables from walmart (scosche) for example, and still have the same quality if not better than monster. Just my observation, scosche has a higher strand count and better sheathing than monster. I really didn't mean to insist on using "lamp cord", just a cheaper brand. I hear tons of people saying that it is the best and it makes a huge difference. Just because something costs more doesn't necessarily mean it's better!!!

 

*Says the guy driving a Navigator.*

 

.



Yeah, thats right.....I bought a USED navigator, and the navigator does have more power and a few better options, plus a completely different look,so in other words, there is a "noticeable" difference, unlike the wires, where you can't tell a difference at all! If you want to compare with vehicles, it would be like saying that a black one costs more than a white one....just because it costs more doesnt mean its better. compare like for like, not apples to oranges!

 

It wasn't meant as a personal attack or anything. I just found it kinda funny.

In the case of the wire; we do agree that there are differences in types, some are just more/less important to some folks than others.

Obviously you are someone who appreciates top-notch quality and workmanship, and are willing to shell out more money for a product with few differences. However, they are "noticeable" differences in quality and construction. (ala, our wires.)

Otherwise you would have bought an Expedition.

 

As already stated, the only things worth worrying about with regards to speaker wire are resillience to high temps and using the correct length/guage for the power being sent through it. One other thing manufacturers take into account, though, when charging $XX/ft for speaker wire:

Looks. Many people will have the wires (or a length of wire) exposed as part of the aesthetic of their install. That 4 guage with the clear casing isn't nearly as pretty as the wire with the Hot Orange casing. The wire inside could be identical, but the company will charge more because they know some of us install our gear with a "form over function" aesthetic. I've seen plenty of installs where the amps and xovers are showcased and the color of the wires definitely helped the "look". Almost all expensive speaker/power wire looks darn nice.

There are a few other things to take into account, though. Take RCA's, for instance. Some companies make RCA's that barely hold on to the preouts of your HU. Others, grab on to it so tight that if/when you remove them, they almost take of the preout itself off (I've seen this in home audio).

When bought as part of a kit, some of the accessories also boost/reduce price. The connectors, like spades or ring terminals, vary in construction quality. Some just plain suck. You look at them and they bend. Some are made rock solid and allow you to clamp down the connection super secure without fear of bending/breaking the connector.

In general, though, if you go with a brand that you have actually heard of, you'll be fine. With all the noise in an automotive environment (road noise, engine noise, wind noise, rain/stormy weather, air conditioner/heater, other motorists, the occasional siren...etc.), if you think you can hear the difference between wire A and wire B, then it's most likely psycho-accoustic, as opposed to a quantifiable "sound quality" difference.