powerpopper Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Was in a shop yesterday where a salesman pointed me to a Monster Acoustic cable (with Monster price to match). Apart from the fact that it has nice looking wood or faux wood tips and gold contacts, is there any good reason one would pay this much for a cable? Has anyone used one? A 12' cable runs $79.95. I mean it's a nice cable and all, but still...80 bucks is 80 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I use monster cables for my recording setup. I'm not sure which type you are looking for but I think musicians friend has them for about half the price you saw. They are good cables, by which I mean they are solidly put together and don't wear out quickly, don't appear to introduce hum into the circuit (which can happen with cheap ones) and look and feel good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I don't buy Monster for various reasons... The first is that they're incredibly overpriced. The second is that they fake performance tests - demonstrating the quality of their HDMI cables by comparing them to a composite cable. The third is that they see it necessary to attack any other company that has the word "Monster" in their name... regardless of which existed first, or if they're even in similar fields. They sued a mini-golf course, among others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I've bought a couple of monster cables to run from my pedal-board to my amp (for my electric guitar). They probably cost too much, i don't notice any discernible difference. The quality of them is good though, i'm happy with them and would probably get them again. I did purchase a "nice" fender acoustic guitar cable a little while ago. It cost more than i should have spent, around $60 i think. It's covered in this kind of fine plastic braided material. I've got to say i hate it. The thing winds up so much it's like unraveling a spring when you want to use it. Those heavy duty connectors fly around with enough force to take your eye out and could definitely put a sizable dent in your guitar top. The braid is like coarse sand-paper, if it ever cause the edge of the guitar and moved around i'm sure it'd take the nitro off. Is there any difference between a regular instrument cable and an "acoustic" instrument? I'm guessing there isn't and it's just another way to market and raise the price. Fortunately for them i'm a bit of a sucker - i won't make that mistake again. But monster i like, although i'll stick to their mid-tier stuff as i don't think there's much of a difference between that and their top tier stuff. If you want really top tier cables monster not it and there are other much more expensive and "better" options out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I admit, I went for that line too, popped the $80 for the cable. I can't say I've noticed any real difference in sound quality, but it is a heavy gauge cable for sure. I later bought a couple of Planet Waves cables which I find that I use constantly; they seem to be of very good quality, claim a lifetime warranty (as if....), and one of them has a very handy on/off switch that I use a lot between sets. I think the Planet Waves is the better way to go, and is also, of course, less money than the Monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Monster Cables are extremely well built, but extremely overpriced for the "average" user. I personally would not buy them for personal use. That being said, much of what makes them great cables is not so much the quality of signal level that is passed from the instrument to the effect/amplifier, but the signal that is NOT passed. They have great insulating properties which is critical for RF rejection. Most all of us at one point or another has used a cheap cable that may have been all we had handy or on hand, and we have all heard that AM radio bleed through or that dreaded hum or popping. Monster cables are great for rejecting those signals before they corrupt your intended signal. Like I said a the start, I think they are WAY overpriced, but consider this; they're doing great business and selling a lot of cables for a reason. They are good at what they do! If they weren't, in this economy they would be out of business in a heartbeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 My main electric is a '77 Tele I've been playing since Day One so my signal is pretty corrupted no matter WHAT cable I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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