Battle of RCA Cables: Mogami, Amazon, Monoprice

[NormB]

I've been using RCA cables for audio since the mid 80s. I've used dollar store cables and I've used cables that cost in the hundreds. I have not had any problems with any of them that were in good condition. I did not hear any difference in sound quality or have any noise issues with any of them. I've had my own and set up many many systems in that time and have never had any loss, latency, or noise issues. Needless to say that I will never spend a lot on RCA cables. I am happy with the Amazon basics cables for most things I have a 50' subwoofer cable going to my rear sub so that I could run it around the baseboard and up and over a door frame. It crosses paths with power cords and speaker wires no noise or hum. Sadly I could not find that they make 100' 2 channel cables so I got some from Cables Direct, just standard duty male to male. I have them running from my living room AVR to a stereo receiver in my bedroom. I have them running along side other RCA cables, network cables, coax cable, speaker wires, and power cords at various locations along the run and I don't hear any noise. So all the hoopla about RCA cables is BS to me. What matters to me is the sound of the music and I have never had any issue with even $1 cables or even better yet the ones that come "free" with audio equipment. That's been my experience take it however you like but I personally have no need for expensive cables whatsoever.

I double dog dare you to post that over on audiogon.

 

[gfinlays]

I've been using RCA cables for audio since the mid 80s. I've used dollar store cables and I've used cables that cost in the hundreds. I have not had any problems with any of them that were in good condition. I did not hear any difference in sound quality or have any noise issues with any of them. I've had my own and set up many many systems in that time and have never had any loss, latency, or noise issues. Needless to say that I will never spend a lot on RCA cables. I am happy with the Amazon basics cables for most things I have a 50' subwoofer cable going to my rear sub so that I could run it around the baseboard and up and over a door frame. It crosses paths with power cords and speaker wires no noise or hum. Sadly I could not find that they make 100' 2 channel cables so I got some from Cables Direct, just standard duty male to male. I have them running from my living room AVR to a stereo receiver in my bedroom. I have them running along side other RCA cables, network cables, coax cable, speaker wires, and power cords at various locations along the run and I don't hear any noise. So all the hoopla about RCA cables is BS to me. What matters to me is the sound of the music and I have never had any issue with even $1 cables or even better yet the ones that come "free" with audio equipment. That's been my experience take it however you like but I personally have no need for expensive cables whatsoever.

I have what I consider to be a pretty nice system - RPi4B/touchscreen running RoPieee connected to a Benchmark DAC3/HPA4/dual mono AHB2s. Speakers are a 22 litre sealed Zaph Audio ZRT. Nearly all of my cables are DIY apart from a couple bought from eBay (hand made in a UK workshop at about the same cost as building my own). All are Van Damme/Canare cable and Neutrik connectors. Starquad on the balanced leads and coax on the RCA leads. Being DIY, the speakers have Neutrik Speakon sockets on the back too! Total cable cost around £100, or about 0.5% of the total system value. I also freely admit, they're probably overkill, but I do like nice, well made cables with quality connectors.

Hi-fi retailers recommend spending 10% of your system value on cables. WTF?! £2k on cables?
I'll stick with my £100 worth of cables and spend the other £1900 on wine and whisky!

 

[Jim Shaw]

Hi-fi retailers recommend spending 10% of your system value on cables. WTF?! £2k on cables?
I'll stick with my £100 worth of cables and spend the other £1900 on wine and whisky!

Cables are a very high markup item for retailers. Would you just sell a dozen eggs for two quid if you could also sell the egg carton for ten more?
Lottery tickets are probably a better audiophile investment than expensive interconnect cables. - me

 

[Speedskater]

No, you can't resell a lottery ticket if it doesn't do something good.

 

[gfinlays]

Would you just sell a dozen eggs for two quid if you could also sell the egg carton for ten more?

That's why I never got rich working for myself. Far too kind spirited.......

 

[Strumbringer]

Just reading this thread, as I'm interested in some interconnects between my phono stage and my headphone amp. Mogami Gold at 2-3 feet would be $40-$50 and Amazon Basics RCA would be about $10. I'm concluding that over the short distance, my analog signal is not likely going to benefit from the Mogami Gold RCA's? Just looking for a bit of reassurance!

 

[anmpr1]

Mogami's will last years. Maybe Amazon, too. I'd go for cheapness in the cable department, as long as the ends connect solidly and the soldering point lasts. I've had Amazons that were too inflexible (not snakey enough) and the ends were too loose. I've had other Amazons that were spot on. I also have Mogami cables from the '70s that are going strong.

 

[enricoclaudio]

Just reading this thread, as I'm interested in some interconnects between my phono stage and my headphone amp. Mogami Gold at 2-3 feet would be $40-$50 and Amazon Basics RCA would be about $10. I'm concluding that over the short distance, my analog signal is not likely going to benefit from the Mogami Gold RCA's? Just looking for a bit of reassurance!

You can get "Mogami" from WBC (World Best Cables) at half the price of OEM "Mogami Gold" with the same Mogami 2964 wire and Amphenol RCA connectors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GNXO67K/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2JAH816F3JQTD&psc=1

 

[Speedskater]

If there are differences, they would be mechanical differences of the connectors. Any coax cable with a braided shield will be about the same electrically.

 

[anmpr1]

You can get "Mogami" from WBC (World Best Cables) at half the price of OEM "Mogami Gold" with the same Mogami 2964 wire and Amphenol RCA connectors.

Amphenol? Wasn't that the drug Hunter Thompson and his Samoan attorney took, on their way to Las Vegas, after the Wild Turkey, mescaline, and Andrenochrome ran out?

But the cables look OK.

 

[Hatto]

Audioquest will hate these tests.

Nah, I don't thik they'd care. After all, "you can't measure everything we hear".

 

[Labjr]

You can get "Mogami" from WBC (World Best Cables) at half the price of OEM "Mogami Gold" with the same Mogami 2964 wire and Amphenol RCA connectors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GNXO67K/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2JAH816F3JQTD&psc=1

If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can make your own for even less.

 

[enricoclaudio]

If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can make your own for even less.

That's what I personally do but not everybody has soldering skills or the time to build their own custom cables.

 

[anmpr1]

That's what I personally do but not everybody has soldering skills or the time to build their own custom cables.

That's the best solution, for sure. But can you put a price on bunt fingers, and when your iron falls off the stand and burns a hole in waifu's tablecloth? Can you?

 

[Strumbringer]

You can get "Mogami" from WBC (World Best Cables) at half the price of OEM "Mogami Gold" with the same Mogami 2964 wire and Amphenol RCA connectors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GNXO67K/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2JAH816F3JQTD&psc=1

Good to know- thank you.

This is a bit of a rookie question, but I'm currently using a run-of-the-mill, possibly some store brand (like Best Buy, etc.) RCA cables to connect my phono pre to an amp. It's actually a triple RCA for component video, but I'm only using the two for L&R audio. Is it safe to assuming that going with Mogami or WBC is a justifiable step up?

If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can make your own for even less.

I am indeed very handy with a soldering iron, as I work on my electric guitars and tube amps all the time. I have never made my own cables, however. Not sure if it's cost effective to buy supplies to make myself a 2-3 foot interconnect vs. just buying a decent one from Amazon?

 

[Holmz]

…

I am indeed very handy with a soldering iron, as I work on my electric guitars and tube amps all the time. I have never made my own cables, however. Not sure if it's cost effective to buy supplies to make myself a 2-3 foot interconnect vs. just buying a decent one from Amazon?

In the context of TT cables though… shorter is better!
And in the context of cables other than the TT ones, sometimes a custom length is also better and makes for less coiled up snakes of cables.
And in the context of an RCA to XLR, those are easier as a “roll yer own”.

So it is not always about the $/foot.

 

[Labjr]

I am indeed very handy with a soldering iron, as I work on my electric guitars and tube amps all the time. I have never made my own cables, however. Not sure if it's cost effective to buy supplies to make myself a 2-3 foot interconnect vs. just buying a decent one from Amazon?

The cost of cable and connectors for a 3ft set of interconnects with Mogami cable and Ampenhol RCA connectors is about $14. For one set it's probably not worth the investment in tools etc. However, it may be for someone in this hobby with multiple audio systems and home theater etc. And you can make custom lengths and configurations.

I've made instrument and XLR cables in the past. I enjoy doing it myself.

 

[cyclo]

I use Amazon basics subwoofer, digital coaxial, and HDMI cables... they do the job. One thing I like about these cables are the connectors fit just right... not too loose and not too tight. Here is an Amazon basics coaxial cable on the WiiM Pro... I use it to connect to the Pre Pro. On the sub cable I use ferrite core clamps on both ends just to be sure, also bought off Amazon.

 

[Holmz]

… On the sub cable I use ferrite core clamps on both ends just to be sure...

To be sure of what?

 

[Blumlein 88]

I use Amazon basics subwoofer, digital coaxial, and HDMI cables... they do the job. One thing I like about these cables are the connectors fit just right... not too loose and not too tight. Here is an Amazon basics coaxial cable on the WiiM Pro... I use it to connect to the Pre Pro. On the sub cable I use ferrite core clamps on both ends just to be sure, also bought off Amazon.

Those Amazon cable ends look rather like Duracell batteries.