Interconnects Can They Be Different Brands/Models?

[hershon]

I just got a good deal on 4 used Monster THX interconnects for my DVD-A & need to get 2 more interconnects. As I'm not 100% sure of the exact model number of the interconnects I just got, does the pair I'm getting have to be the same brand/model or quality, to still get equal balance or does this not make that much of a quality difference say between a $50 Monster interconnect & a $200 one?

[kexodusc]

I just got a good deal on 4 used Monster THX interconnects for my DVD-A & need to get 2 more interconnects. As I'm not 100% sure of the exact model number of the interconnects I just got, does the pair I'm getting have to be the same brand/model or quality, to still get equal balance or does this not make that much of a quality difference say between a $50 Monster interconnect & a $200 one?

Hershon, there is no solid evidence outside of inconsistent user testimony (which fails to hold up under testing almost 100% of the time) that a decent $10 cable and a $1000 will yield audible differences. This could be fiercest debate in the audio world, but after 30 years, nobody on earth has been able to prove that a $200 cable is better than a $50 one in terms of sound quality. Nobody. Before you go choosing which manufacturer to buy cables from, don't you think that just maybe they owe you a bit of an explanation as to why you should part with your hard-earned money, especially if you're buying so-called "premium" cables?

I'm not sure I believe that someone couldn't design a superior cable, I'm sure there's at least some merit to cable sonics, but I, like most people, don't hear differences to justify the cost. Any differences that do exist are incredibly small and subtle.

I tend to look for solid terminations and a reasonably thick, but flexible wire with decent shielding. Radio Shack, AR, Monster all give this in their cheaper lines.

I think purists would tell you to use the same size and make of cable...I would definitely use the same size, but over short distances (12 ft or less) it probably doesn't matter. Not sure if you have 6 speakers or not, but if you have 5 and a sub, then you really only need to worry about the 5th speaker...the sub can use a different cable altogether without issues.

My point is, please, please don't buy $400 worth of cables to plug into your receiver...$50 worth of Radio Shack Gold or Acoustic Research/Monster basic cables will do as good a job. You could really put that money towards much better things that will yield much larger improvements, speakers, players, or how about this - DVD's and CD's to enjoy!!!

[edtyct]

Hey, dare we start a thread entitled, "Have You Heard a Difference in Sound Due Only to Cables?" It doesn't have to be contentious, more like a survey, with whatever explanation a poster wants to add to it. We'd have to include some controls, like:
1. Comparison between the cables included in mass-market and specialty cables of any kind doesn't count.
2. Length has to be held constant (more or less).
3, Volume levels must be held constant, since perception of differences in volume often bias judgments about sound quality.
3. No component must be swapped at the same time as the cables in question.
4. Interconnects vs. speaker cable must be specified.
5. Any other rider that someone who's interested can come up with.

My feeling is that upperscale cables show their worth when the degree of resolution permitted by the rest of the system is high enough to permit incremental improvement. I don't discount the possibility at all that someone can hear differences at what might be considered less elevated levels; that any differences that people hear are automatically worth extra money; or that the differences always favor the more expensive cable.

Ed

[N. Abstentia]

Just go to WalMart and get the nice $10-$12 Phillips or RCA branded cable. It will be the same thing (if not better) than the Monsters.

[hershon]

You're probably & hopefully totally right here but if somehow you're not, there is the usual conflicting opinions, I don't want to chance messing this up. As I was offered 4 $60 or so ($240) interconnects for $40, I went with it but its kind of hard trying to figure out what specific model they are as the seller doesn't exactly know either, other than the brand, who's website wasn't much help.

What all these cable companies should do is, document and record, total tests of people "blindfolded" and identifying their product as vast superior in terms of sound from their competitors. I don't see why that's so hard to do.

The company that amazes me is Monster. never have I heard such negative backlash to a company, both from individuals including me and actual retail stores that carry them! I actually think the low end Monster Cables are good but the high end of these cables- it seems like they have around 3 or more price levels for each type of their cables, are terrible and I actually thought the sound from these were worse than that of their lower end ones!

[drseid]

You're probably & hopefully totally right here but if somehow you're not, there is the usual conflicting opinions, I don't want to chance messing this up. As I was offered 4 $60 or so ($240) interconnects for $40, I went with it but its kind of hard trying to figure out what specific model they are as the seller doesn't exactly know either, other than the brand, who's website wasn't much help.

What all these cable companies should do is, document and record, total tests of people "blindfolded" and identifying their product as vast superior in terms of sound from their competitors. I don't see why that's so hard to do.

The company that amazes me is Monster. never have I heard such negative backlash to a company, both from individuals including me and actual retail stores that carry them! I actually think the low end Monster Cables are good but the high end of these cables- it seems like they have around 3 or more price levels for each type of their cables, are terrible and I actually thought the sound from these were worse than that of their lower end ones!

Quite frankly, the cable companies *could* do a proper DBT very easily, and not at much cost... The answer to your question though is they don't *want* to (because they know what the results are going to be already). DBT has been used with all sorts of cables (various brands and various price points), and the conclusions are always the same.

I don't begrudge anyone who wishes to spend $20,000 a foot on cable if it makes them feel better about their system (and if they think they hear the differences, more power to them), but I think I will stick to the inexpensive stuff and invest the money in speakers. :-)

---Dave

[Rock789]

Small changes in impedance of the rca cable will not change the quality of music, however, if the impedance does change significantly, then it may change the sound...
the biggest problem is noise, so as long as the cable is properly shielded, it should work fine...

as you noticed a change in the highest grade monster cable... perhaps it has a much different impedance than that of normal rca cable which then would produce a different sound... (not more or less noise)
Using different insulators, different conductor size/shape/spacing, and even different shield types can all have an effect on the impedance...

Mike

[Tahoe Gator]

which are prettier? really, that is all you're paying the extra cash for. if your equipment faces the wall and the wires the room, knock your socks off ... otherwise just get ones of the shortest length that meets your needs (funny how a 1 foot cable is sometimes all you need but you're stuck with 3 or, worse, 6 ft.)

[Woochifer]

Aside from three sets of Monster Video 2 S-vid cables, I don't have more than one pair of anything in my system. Last time I checked, I hadn't been struck down by lightning or had heavy objects crash down from overhead, so I think you're safe with mixing the interconnects. Aside from comparisons with molded plastic OEM cables, where I've observed audible noise, none of the interconnects that I use sound any different from one another.