Is there a reason to NOT use Monster Cables?

[ZackP3750]

I started using Monster Cables a few years back after hearing about their superior sound quality to other cables. What I didn't know was that they have a No Questions Asked Lifetime Guarantee, which has served me well over the years. I've had cables just wear out, or they've been pinched, or whatever, but every time I knew I could walk into GC and get a new one no problem. Now this morning, I wake up to find my puppy chewed right through one of my cables, and GC said as long as I had what's left they'll replace it


Now the question is; Is there really any reason to NOT use Monster Cables? For the sound quality, build construction, and a perfect lifetime warranty, what else could compare to these?

 

[Variant]

Other than being a slightly above average product with a premium price, I'd say the fact that they're a utterly despicable company:

Monster Cable Products

Nice how 3/4" of your wiki page is filed under the "controversy" section. Also read up on Blue Jean Cable who they tried to sue out of business, but who's owner happened to be a lawyer an laid the retaliatory shit into them.

 

[synrgy]

Yeah, this one's kinda been done to death all over the net.

The cable industry, just generally speaking, is incredibly good at fooling people into wasting their money on shit that doesn't matter at all.

This doesn't apply directly to audio/guitar cables, but should give you a good idea of the Snake Oil issues:

 

[ZackP3750]

Ahhh, I knew someone would bring the HDMI cable thing up! I read an article awhile back that took the "highest-quality" Monster HDMI cables and compared them to the cheapies, and (go figure!) the quality is indistinguishable to the human eye. The only differences were on paper, and even those differences were minute. I went and purchased $6.99 from newegg.com and they work amazing. It wasn't so much their cables all around, I was more referring to the instrument cables. If they didn't have their lifetime warranty, I'd have spent a good deal of money on cables. It's kinda like a wal-mart conundrum; everyone knows their an evil company, but I know people who can't afford to shop elsewhere and begrudgingly shop at wal-mart

 

[potatohead]

Nice how 3/4" of your wiki page is filed under the "controversy" section. Also read up on Blue Jean Cable who they tried to sue out of business, but who's owner happened to be a lawyer an laid the retaliatory shit into them.

That's a great, great read

 

[Thep]

On April 1, 2008, Monster Cable sent a cease and desist letter to Blue Jeans Cable, claiming infringement on certain patents owned by Monster Cable. The owner of Blue Jeans Cable, Kurt Denke, previously a litigation lawyer, responded with a letter detailing flaws and shortcomings in the allegations of patent infringement, adding "Not only am I unintimidated by litigation; I sometimes rather miss it." In this correspondence, Denke also observed the possibility of Monster Cable avoiding federal income taxes by using a Bermuda-based holding company.

Damn, what a badass

 

[Xaios]

When I was still in high school circa 2003/2004, a buddy of mine who played bass in our jazz band was gloating one day about his new Monster patch cord that he paid a shit ton for, but was worth it because it supposedly came with a warranty that would replace the cable if anything happened to it, even if it was broken intentionally. I argued with him that this so-called warranty was in all likelihood worthless, but he kept arguing that they would make it so.

Lo and behold, not 2 months down the line, the cable stops working through what appeared to be simple regular use with no mistreatment. So, he decides to submit a warranty claim to get a replacement.

They refused. No explanation.

He tried again. Same thing.

He actually came up to me and said "you were right," before I even knew what had happened.

Needless to say, he won't be buying another Monster cable anytime soon.

 

[aslsmm]

i personally found the cable bulky and way to expensive. my planet waves do just fine. however i can tell a difference between my 12 dollar planet waves and me 25 dollar planet waves. i could not tell a difference between my 25 dollar planet waves and my friend gregg mattsons, 55 dollar monster cable. the best part about it was greg was always telling me how custom guitars dont make that big of a difference. but then he was showing off his monster cable. hahaha.

 

[Razzy]

I use the Livewire advantage series. They're high-quality cables, but still cheap. (not CHEAP, cheap, but realistically priced, unlike Monster) and they carry the same warranty as the monster cables.

 

[bostjan]

Add me to the long list of people who was suckered into purchasing a monster cable, had it break withing 60 days, and was refused warranty for no given reason, and will subsequently never purchase another.

 

[JamesM]

Does anyone have any views on "upper end" cables being relevant at all? Such as spending more than $12 on a ten foot instrument cable.

 

[Despised_0515]

If you're gonna shell out for cables, I'd go with George L's or Mogami. That's just my opinion.
Heck, if you're not scared of a soldering iron then make your own!

I'll never touch another Monster cable again after having one fry on me in just a few months when I took proper care of it and everything. Complete and utter crap.

I currently use Dimarzio braided cables for Guitar > Pedalboard and Pedalboard > Amp.
George L's for everything in between. I'm happy with the clarity and have yet to have a single one bug out on me and it'll be almost a year now.

 

[FireInside]

ProCo's and George L's have worked out great for me last 10+ years. Before using ProCo I had several overpriced Monster's fail me. I wont ever buy Monster again (mainly for their shitty business practices).

 

[TheWreck]

I never bought monster cables....simply because it's way overpriced...

For the last years for all my cable needs, I bought couple years ago a bulk 100feet of CAN-AIR cable, with an assortement of Neutrik jacks....and I gave my self a lifetime warranty!lol

But there's the company called Digiflex who offer great cables at a nice affordable price with neutrik jack and no question lifetime warranty. 20feet is 19.99$ here in Canada!

 

[grindgod]

Never had a problem returning a monster cable. and The only Monster cables Ive noticed a difference in sound are the studio pro 1000 series...the rest might sound incrimentally better.

 

[OrsusMetal]

I have a monster cable. It was their cheapest 10 ft cable priced at $19. It hasn't failed me, but it isn't any better than any other cable I have had. The only reason I bought it was because I knew I could swap it out for another one if it stopped working. I used to work at GC and we had to swap out their cables no questions asked. People that sent it to the company always seemed to get screwed. So I bought it knowing that I could just go up to GC and always have a decent cable no matter what. I also figured, "fuck it, the livewire cables are about just as much. I'll get one I don't need to send in."

 

[aslsmm]

i noticed a difference between monster and red bull. red bull tasted better IMO

 

[SirMyghin]

Monster cables are overpriced, I can build equal quality cables, in my house out of components, for less than 1/3rd the price. The plug ends are oversized and destroy jacks quickly, or at least render them useless for anything else. People 'hearing' the difference are believing it is there to begin with. I suppose you need to justify all that money you just wasted on an overpriced cable somehow.

I never bought monster cables....simply because it's way overpriced...

For the last years for all my cable needs, I bought couple years ago a bulk 100feet of CAN-AIR cable, with an assortement of Neutrik jacks....and I gave my self a lifetime warranty!lol

But there's the company called Digiflex who offer great cables at a nice affordable price with neutrik jack and no question lifetime warranty. 20feet is 19.99$ here in Canada!

Digiflex are absolutely amazing cables. I have been using the same one for the last 9 years. They come with a 10 year warantee, 20$ for 20 ft, never had a single issue with it.


Another issue I have realized recently is this. How big are the wires inside your guitar? These larger cables are only a durability thing, you do not need any of the size for 'bandwidth'. Guitars are voltage driven not amperage dirven, A signal can only be as strong as the weakest portion, and the small wires in your control cavity are going to limit one way or another. This isn't a limit though, they are already adequate.

 

[GuitaristOfHell]

You think monster cables are expensive? Try Analysis Plus cables , The signal is the bomb but I'm not going to pay $199 for a 20 foot cable. Buy Analysis Plus Yellow Oval Instrument Cable | Instrument Cables | Musician's Friend

 

[troyguitar]

Bought one when I started playing 7 years ago and have used it pretty much every day since then with no issues whatsoever. That being said, it was a ripoff