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It's official Monoprice is just cheap cable
I got together with another forum member this evening to hook up some gear and listen. Along with his gear he brought his cables which happened to be Monoprice. He had a Rotel preamp, 1090 and CDP 1055, I used my ERC-1 and Adcom gfa-5500. I used my Transparent speaker connects and he hooked his gear up using the Monoprice. When we fired up the system it was alright but nothing to write home about. I brought in one pair of Bluejeans LC RCA's which we placed between the CDP and preamp. "Night & Day" is subjective, so let me put it this way, it was an immensely vast improvement. So I grabbed another pair which we placed between the pre and power amp, with the Monoprice gone the system transformed up to an entirely better level of performance. After we broke everything down and was leaving it dawned on me we should have compared the Monoprice to stock cables to see if any improvement was noticed. The Monoprice may look better but $5.00 is $5.00, if you are going to upgrade get some cables that are worth something or going to actually help the system. I wouldn't even recommend Monoprice for receiver users. They surely should be able to hear the difference between them and something like Bluejeans. The extra $30.00 is more than worth it. The BJC was vastly better in every aspect, most importantly it was like many vales were lifted from in front of the music. Vastly better detail and frequency response from top to bottom.
We hooked up my Audio Note 1.1x which was a bit off it's game with the BJC so I grabbed a pair of AN cables which I didn't use that much for some reason, but now plan to mate with the 1.1x from now on. The 1.1x seemed to come into it's own with the Audio Note RCA's. The improvement wasn't as large as BJC over Monoprice but improvement there was. The BJC didn't seem to have synergy with the 1.1x for some reason. The first time I experienced that with BJC. Maybe this warrants more experimentation with BJC and tube gear.
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So the Mono cables are nothing more than good looking Black & Reds. At that price point, I would have thought nothing less ...er more.
Sounds fun to share testing though. I'd be curious to see how my Synsrgistics would have compared.
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I've compared the BJC to better cables like Transparent. The Transparent was better but twice the price of the BJC LC series. At about $30.00 to $35.00 a pair BJC are priced right. They give a real upgrade and a good start for entry to mid level gear. And then, if better gear and you wanted to experiment you could step into more expensive cables to see if any more expense would be worth it.
I was hoping not to start trouble but too many people use Monoprice on this board and tell people they are good, contrarily, they suck. So I hope that those here who bought Monoprice on a recommendation without putting them up against anything else might at least try a better cable to see if they notice an improvement. It just seems foolish to spend hundreds of dollars on audio gear and choke it out with $5.00 cables. I shouldn't even mention the price of MP, it's not that at all, if they were surprisingly good I would admit it and Frenchmon was there to keep me honest. The performance was poor though and degraded the gear more than it helped.
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I just checked the Monoprice site, it looks like regular 'ol cable to me. Priced like regular cable. Not sure why anyone would get too excited about it. Ultralink smokes Monoprice and BlueJeans, sorry fellas....
http://www.ultralinkcables.com/#/products/challenger_2/
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I'm not familiar with Ultralink. Have you compared them to Bluejeans? And, please don't use Bluejeans and Monoprice in the same sentence as if they were even remotely equal.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Peabody
I'm not familiar with Ultralink. Have you compared them to Bluejeans? And, please don't use Bluejeans and Monoprice in the same sentence as if they were even remotely equal.
Sorry Peabody, you're right, Blue Jeans are good stuff. I have a pair of 12 guage Challenger-2 from the link I posted. Just awesomely designed stuff. I bought mine at $1.25/ft, an online closeout a few years ago. I posted a thread recently in which I attempted to replace the "links" but got a rude audio awakening. I put them back on almost right away, they make a huge difference.
Anyhow, I'm not sure what the fuss is about Monoprice, they don't appear to be fooling anyone on their site.
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Ok Mr Peabody, I'll bite. Seeing as that I have the Monoprice cables and they are definately am improvement over the standard RatShack cables.
I'll let you know my thoughts when I get them.
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Adam, you are buying BJC? You will notice improvement but with using VanAlstine and higher end gear you should even be able to hear more improvement with better cables than that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Peabody
Adam, you are buying BJC? You will notice improvement but with using VanAlstine and higher end gear you should even be able to hear more improvement with better cables than that.
Yeah, I'll buy a couple BLC tomorrow, I think a 2ft and 3ft will do be fine. It would be pretty hard to spend more on cables than the ~$10/ft of the BLC at this point, and I might have to hear to believe.
Really I'd like to clean up my power before getting higher end cables. That and a TT.
I assume it will take a week or so to get them in. So I'll let you'll know my Monoprice vs. BJC comparisons results on my AVA gear in a week or so.
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what about BLC speaker cables?
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Adam, JohnMichael suggested solid core to me and after some research, I think it would be a good choice for you. Cheaper too...
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I've got some 12 gauge speaker cable right now. I think I'll just get a set of spade and banana ends and terminate them correctly. I've got a bunch of CAT5 around that I was going to try to weave into some speaker cable at some point. I'll see how that goes.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atomicAdam
Yeah, I'll buy a couple BLC tomorrow, I think a 2ft and 3ft will do be fine. It would be pretty hard to spend more on cables than the ~$10/ft of the BLC at this point, and I might have to hear to believe.
Really I'd like to clean up my power before getting higher end cables. That and a TT.
I assume it will take a week or so to get them in. So I'll let you'll know my Monoprice vs. BJC comparisons results on my AVA gear in a week or so.
I've recommended BJC for a quite a while. For their modest price they ensure compotent performance.
aAdam, I think you can go with your gut on this one.
Mr P has very acute hearing and easily distinquishs difference among <$100/pr. interconnects. Neverthess I suggest that you will hear more differences swapping $30 tubes, $12 opamps, or maybe even $30 fuses (if they are in the direct signal path), than going from $30 BJCs to $300 whatever interconnects.
Moral of my story: don't go nuts on interconnects; there are better ways to for a person on a modest budget to spend his money.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Feanor
I've recommended BJC for a quite a while. For their modest price they ensure compotent performance.
aAdam, I think you can go with your gut on this one.
Mr P has very acute hearing and easily distinquishs difference among <$100/pr. interconnects. Neverthess I suggest that you will hear more differences swapping $30 tubes, $12 opamps, or maybe even $30 fuses (if they are in the direct signal path), than going from $30 BJCs to $300 whatever interconnects.
Moral of my story: don't go nuts on interconnects; there are better ways to for a person on a modest budget to spend his money.
Adam, do you have a really good electronics surplus around you? These guys will tend to have rolls of discontinued cabling. Usually brand name for a fraction of it's worth and original cost.
I agree with Feanor, however, do a little research and find the right cable for the right price ONCE. Then, you need not worry about it. You should be able to get a pair of rockin cables, with termination for $30 - $50. Like I said, check your local surplus shops. These days, I almost shop exclusively online and at my local surplus.
BTW, these guys in town have some great stuff for cabling right now. Let me know what you plan to do and for how much. If I can severely best the cost/value, I'll buy it and ship it down to you. Would be fun and I would love to help out.
Perhaps you've already bought what you need and all of this is hot air....
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thanks for the heads up.
i'm going to try the BJC. Wont hurt. But the bling bling cables....errr.. not likely ever.
When I went to that Naim, Nordost, Dali demo in SF a couple weeks ago. The only thing that I heard that made a hell of a difference was the power cable.
That is why I am so interested in getting a PS Audio Power Plant. When they switched from the Naim standard cables to the Nordost bling bling cables, i didn't hear a difference. So why bother.
But for $40 I can try the BJC cables. And if they don't work, I can just mail them to Mr.P after he send me some cash! :D
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MR P' while I'M not disputing your Impression's of the MP & BJC test that you and Frenchmon' did........however i will say this, as you did not mentioned the MODEL'S # NUMBER'S on the MP....i used them booth!! because they are good value.
on the MP cable !! the MP-RG59 is exactly your impression's and then some-----they're so stiff that they jump off the RCA's jacks during listening session's........................
BUT BUT BUT!!! THE MP-RG6 i find them to be nice sounding and also nicely constructed like more expensive cable's. subsequently i was hoping those Weren't the one's you guy's tested??!!! wait" wait" don't tell me...
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Hey pop...How do you purchase the ultralink cables from the link you gave? I would at least like to know the pricing.
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I can also vouch for what MrPeabody said. The MP cables are mine and they where as a veil was placed over them compared to the BJC. The only reason I bought them was to get a quick fix on the fidelity of the Rotel gear at the time I got it. For about three days I used regular cheap cables...you know the thin red and white cables that come with cheap audio? The MP do offer a improvement over the cheap red and white stuff. But I am now in the market for cables sooner than I wanted. I had hoped to get cables after I completed all my upgrades, but hanging around in Mr. Peabodys two channel room sorta has an effect on a person.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frenchmon
I can also vouch for what MrPeabody said. The MP cables are mine and they where as a veil was placed over them compared to the BJC. The only reason I bought them was to get a quick fix on the fidelity of the Rotel gear at the time I got it. For about three days I used regular cheap cables...you know the thin red and white cables that come with cheap audio? The MP do offer a improvement over the cheap red and white stuff. But I am now in the market for cables sooner than I wanted. I had hoped to get cables after I completed all my upgrades, but hanging around in Mr. Peabodys two channel room sorta has an effect on a person.
My next venture is to build my own interconnects from these instructions.
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/forum...p?f=21&t=10495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frenchmon
Hey pop...How do you purchase the ultralink cables from the link you gave? I would at least like to know the pricing.
I googled "Ultralink Challenger-2 12 gauge" and was given a couple of sites. One in particular had a slew of UL cables. The Challenger-2 12 gauge was sale priced at $60 for 30 feet. However, if you really want some top shelf UL, they also had the Matrix series, not sure of the lengths but a pair of strands, 10/12 gauge, already set with high end termination was running in the 80 - 100 range.
This was a couple of days ago. See if you can find it, if not let me know and I will have a look again. It's well worth it frenchmon! Try these...
http://www.audioclassics.com/detail....2SC-12&nav=cat
http://www.electronicoutlet.ca/produ...ltralink-1198/
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Winston...sorry to break the news to you but I have both cables....The thing with the MP cables is if you don't have anything to compare it to, you think its good stuff. In my system I knew there where better cables out there than MP but if Im not hearing other cables then what I have sounds good. But once I got over to Mr Peabodys two channel room where he has transparent Cables, BlueJean Cables, and Audio Note Cables, and then you switch them out for MP, if you have any kind of a discerning ear, you can hear the difference. I forgot what song Mr. P was playing but we went back and forth with the MP and the BJ and the highs with the BJ sparkled and with the MP it was like it could not even grab your attention. The MP are that bad.
I'm sitting hear as I type listening to my favorite...Charles Lloyd (oh and by the way Winston, you gotta go and get this CD by Charles Lloyd its called "The water is wide". I know you and I share similar taste in music...so I know for sure you will like it. Its acoustic jazz at its best.) and wondering how much detail I'm missing from Billy Higgins cymbals.
frenchmon
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Ok, 2 BJC LC-1 3ft on the way.
Mr. P you'll be in a $65 hole if these are no good! :D I'm sure they'll help.
I mean, cables can't really make sound sound better, just not as bad, or different.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atomicAdam
Ok, 2 BJC LC-1 3ft on the way.
Mr. P you'll be in a $65 hole if these are no good! :D I'm sure they'll help.
I mean, cables can't really make sound sound better, just not as bad, or different.
Perhaps, or maybe you just think it's all voodoo. Here's a scientific study done in 1985 by the legendary Malcolm Omar Hawksford. He proves beyond a doubt, using science and mathematical formulas, the ability of cable as it relates to audio.
It's a little bit heady, I'm not sure if Stereophile has published a "diet" version or not. He more or less concludes that solid core at what would be considered higher gauge (18-22) is a better conductor than stranded at lower gauges. At least, that's what I got out of it. I'm sure guys like E-Stat and emaidel are well familiar with this study and will correct me if my presumptions are wrong.
Of course, no cable company wants you to know this, but it may as well be in Chinese anyhow...
For your enjoyment...
http://www.stereophile.com/reference...ble/index.html
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Adam, I've never used the BJC speaker connects. Actually, I had my doubts about BJC, IBStormin sent me some to try along with some other cables. I'm not sure where that original thread is. Any way I found the BJC to have excellent construction, the bass not overly bold, the highs a bit rolled off despite what they say on their website, the midrange is very good and the overall frequency response to be balanced. When I say "highs rolled off" or not strong bass that's in comparison to more expensive cables, mainly Transparent. I ended up sending IBStormin my Transparent and keeping the BJC because my second system is in a lively room and I liked the BJC in their better. Easier on the ears at high volume levels.
Any way I think you will be happy.
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I've got some BJC's speaker wire that I terminated with their banana plugs. They sound fine. I bought the 10g. They sound about the same as the $500 pr Monster Z4 speaker cables that I bought on Ebay for $120.
I also have a BJC's digital coax and HDMI cable. Both are well made and work well.
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