Battle of RCA Cables: Mogami, Amazon, Monoprice

[DMill]

I have tons of monster RCA cables because I can get them all the time at thrift stores or garage sales over the years for maybe a $1 a cable regardless of length. Besides issues with the company ethically that anyone may have, and that their non-THX labeled RCA cable connectors bind on way too tight and can actually rip out your RCA female connection on your gear if you are not careful removing them, is there any reason to avoid them for sound quality or interference resistance?

Again, price is no issue as they are not new and are dirt cheap and readily available.

(Personally sometimes I have thought I heard a difference with a cable, but then I go back and not so sure. Not so sure to me says it was in my head and I move on. So in the end I have been using my audioquest and monster cables since I have/get them for cheap. i don't expect them to add anything, nor that they would be any worse.)

It’s unlikely that any cables made by Monster would have any effect so long as they weren’t corroded or damaged. I’d say use them without any audible concerns if you clean them up and make sure everything is nice and tidy. Same thing with AQ. That said, there are a few tested instances where some extremely high end cables are being used as tone controls and actually are doing damage to the signal. And yes, the Monster cable RCA terminations were incredibly tight from recollection. Definitely advise caution when swapping them in and out.

 

[antcollinet]

with XLR cables should we need 2 cores?

Yes.

 

[Holmz]

i think they build better than the mogami cables that armirm introduced for the same price.

with XLR cables should we need 2 cores?

One can use the jacket for the 3rd pin.
(3rd core?)
I am looking at the two pictures.

There is also an RCA to LR connector by Nuetrik and others.

…
When I once asked one of the senior engineers at our German manufacturer about the special OCC copper used in audio, he almost burst out laughing.
…

Two points to you.
To get a German to even crack a small smile is a noteworthy.

 

[Groove01]

 

[Ropeburn]

View attachment 466267

 

[Groove01]

View attachment 466271

lol -

 

[gfinlays]

Lets get the Monster Cables out of the way first ! The company made a very good product M1000i can go toe to toe with any $200. interconnect. The Interlink 400 and MK2 was a great cable also, the green jacket ones were made in the USA before the QC issues with death lock RCA's at that time period they had China do everything, they should of opted to have the RCA slightly loose this way you can squeeze the RCA to tighten it up a bit but they didn't. The M550i was another sleeper by Monster Cable If you got a tight one you could open it up very carefully with needle nose pliars. The USA manufactured M1000i and Sigma were flawless. A good budget cable today would be Blue Jeans cable, B&H Audio sells Canarie another very good cable. Monoprice ( Monolith RCA Cables ). There was a time you could get Radio Shack's higher line the Auvio RCA but that has dried up also. The Audioquest Alpha Snake was a great budget cable that has dried up. If their still available Pangea Premiere RCA cables via Audio Advisor.

No RCA interconnect is worth $200. If you have a fetish for audio jewellery, by all means, knock yourself out, but any competently designed and assembled RCA interconnect will sound the same.

 

[Mantra]

hi
i would like to read an optical or coaxial cables reviews , is there a good one?
just because i tried some of them on a marantz amp and i can hear low noise
it does disapear with amazon rca cables
thanks

No RCA interconnect is worth $200. If you have a fetish for audio jewellery, by all means, knock yourself out, but any competently designed and assembled RCA interconnect will sound the same.

but several years ago they could do a huge difference , i remember in 1998/2000 , they could do really a hude diffrences

 

[gfinlays]

Different optical or coaxial cables will have no effect on the sound.

 

[AudioSceptic]

No RCA interconnect is worth $200. If you have a fetish for audio jewellery, by all means, knock yourself out, but any competently designed and assembled RCA interconnect will sound the same.

Much as I am a sceptic in most things, I have paid more than I should for some cables, because I thought that those "golden-eared" reviewers can't all be wrong. Not crazy money, bit still more than I should. Of course, it's worth paying for good quality materials that will last and fit well, but that does need to cost much. For a real laugh, type "most expensive audio cable" into a browser search box and see what comes up.

BTW I don't know if it's been discussed here, but is there any reason not to use AC mains flex, decent current rating of course, as speaker cables?

 

[Thighsofsteel]

Different optical or coaxial cables will have no effect on the sound.

Hang on! What if the wife hears the difference from the kitchen whilst using the food mixer?

 

[Count Arthur]

Much as I am a sceptic in most things, I have paid more than I should for some cables, because I thought that those "golden-eared" reviewers can't all be wrong. Not crazy money, bit still more than I should. Of course, it's worth paying for good quality materials that will last and fit well, but that does need to cost much. For a real laugh, type "most expensive audio cable" into a browser search box and see what comes up.

BTW I don't know if it's been discussed here, but is there any reason not to use AC mains flex, decent current rating of course, as speaker cables?

I've used mains cable for speaker cables in the past; it works, but I didn't compare it to a fancy branded "hi-fi" cable.

I usually buy cables from pro audio, or studio supplies shops. You can get something decent quality without all the audiophile bullshit and ridiculous prices.

Decent cable:

Mogami
Canare
Belden
Van Damme

Decent Connectors:

Neutrik
Amphenol

 

[AudioSceptic]

hi
i would like to read an optical or coaxial cables reviews , is there a good one?
just because i tried some of them on a marantz amp and i can hear low noise
it does disapear with amazon rca cables
thanks


but several years ago they could do a huge difference , i remember in 1998/2000 , they could do really a hude diffrences

Evidence for that, please?

 

[AudioSceptic]

Different optical or coaxial cables will have no effect on the sound.

Competent construction assumed, of course.

 

[Extreme_Boky]

@amirm
See attached.
The referenced material (4 papers in total) is also pretty good...

 

[Roland68]

I've used mains cable for speaker cables in the past; it works, but I didn't compare it to a fancy branded "hi-fi" cable.

I usually buy cables from pro audio, or studio supplies shops. You can get something decent quality without all the audiophile bullshit and ridiculous prices.

Decent cable:

Mogami
Canare
Belden
Van Damme

Decent Connectors:

Neutrik
Amphenol

I would also add Sommer Cable as a high-quality cable manufacturer, as they already have a good selection in the affordable range (€ 0.89 - 2.00/meter, Thomann prices).

 

[AudioSceptic]

@amirm
See attached.
The referenced material (4 papers in total) is also pretty good...

I've long had a PDF of this <https://verber.com/mark/ce/cables.html> (quoting a post by John Dunlavy). Has anything changed in the nearly 30 years since then?

 

[Thighsofsteel]

If your one of those out there that you think or you say all RCA cables sound the same I have one thing to say. Go see an Audiologist for a hearing exam. You most likely will be told you need a hearing aid. And most of that hogwash has been around for decades.

Yet you, and many like you, cannot backup your statement with either a properly controlled listening test or any scientific/engineering data

 

[gfinlays]

If your one of those out there that you think or you say all RCA cables sound the same I have one thing to say. Go see an Audiologist for a hearing exam. You most likely will be told you need a hearing aid. And most of that hogwash has been around for decades.

Aged 55, I still have hearing perception up to 16 kHz. How about you?

RCAs need to be really incompetently designed to measurably, let alone audibly alter the sound.

Message to golden-eared audiophiles posting at ASR for the first time...

Hello friend. Hey, listen...we know how it is. Believe me, most of us have been there too. You've spent years toiling in the muck of audiophilia. You read ALL the reviews. You watched ALL the youtube videos. You visited ALL the other forums where everything always makes a difference. You...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Sal1950]

If your one of those out there that you think or you say all RCA cables sound the same I have one thing to say.

The only time there is a difference is when one is badly broken.