Monster Cable is the worst! I have been buying Monster Cables. I use the cables every day for my keyboard. I use Performer 500 cables. They're expensive!

Every 6 months one goes out on me, but of course, they have a lifetime guarantee. Try getting one of these Monster reps to return your call. If you wait on the phone, you might have to wait, who knows? I gave up after 20 minutes.

So the cables are not so sturdy. You can't reach their warranty guys. They don't return calls. Last time, I complained to the secretary, and I did get a call back. I left one message two weeks ago and one message last week. I guess I'll have to talk to the secretary again.

I won't buy from these bozos next time.

Beakybird

I've been using Belden cables with Neutrik 1/4" ends...I had four of them made up about 25 years ago, two for playing, and two for spares.

I've never had to use the spares, but keyboard patch cables don't get as much abuse as the ones for guitar as they aren't moved much.

Other good cables are Canare...a buddy of mine uses them and they are very well made...the # is GS6...they make 1/4" plugs as well, but I think the Neutrik are better.

I had mine made in 20' lengths.

Ian



[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 05-12-2009).]

beaky stop wasting your time & money.
All my cables are custom made.....this company I use does excellent work & will make anything you nees to size & type..

http://www.gigcables.com/index.html

Of course the only reason they are so expensive is so it pays to replace the cables so they don't loose any money on the deal.

There was a study done awhile back that investigated whether things like this and also being able to purchase service contracts for certain products was good or not. The final analysis was to NOT get the service contracts as they cost more than it's worth and you will save money in the long run if you buy without a service contract.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/


Monster Cable uses hocus pocus technical gibberish to separate people from their money

"Audiophiles" could not tell the difference between Coat Hangers and Monster cable!!

Monster Cables (or any other with a 'Lifetime' guarantee) sold at my local store, the cable goes bad, I take it to the store, they give me a new one on the spot, no questions asked.

Perhaps, instead of trying to save a couple of bucks by going online, you might support your local dealer and avoid the 'tech support two-step'...?

My Monster cables (got two pair) have worked flawlessly for over five years so far. YMMV...

Monster cables are way too expensive, considering they are no better than Belden or Canare.

Some people believe all the hype, some don't.

Ian

Excactly

As I said... YMMV.

I haven't had a cable by ANY manufacturer, including Belden and others (including some customs) that stayed as reliable for as long. I agree that 'golden ear' cables are tough to tell apart from others (although the noisier the electrical environment, the more quality shows - poor grounds and shielding are half the problem) with your ears, but longevity is another thing.

I don't use my Monsters on the gig. Too much to expect anything to last that degree of wear and tear. But studio connections are critical. You don't show up to work with the cheapest Casio arranger you can buy (although many would say the cloth eared audience doesn't really care there, either!), and you don't show up at a first call session with budget cables.

Took a Monster cable back to the store I bought it from, and the clerk said the same thing...Monster is awful to deal with. I bought a Monster because I needed an "L" jack and that was the only one I could find that day. The thing cost $50.00. Can't imagine why...


R.

They were such a hassle and the cables kept coming back (because anyone who would pay $50 for a cable WILL bring it back rather then fix it themselves) We dropped the line altogether. Too much hassle, and our Quantum cables are not returned to any measurable extent for 1/4 the cost and we sell a lot more of them. Leave the "Monster" cables for the Best Buys. They have a far more gullible clientele.

I have a couple of 15' Monster cables that a rep gave me when I worked at a retail MI store about 10 years ago. They work fine. Then again, the 20' cables that I use frequently are basic instrument cables (probably from whirlwind) that I bought when I worked at an MI store some 25 years ago. I occasionally use sustain pedals, expression pedals, etc. from that era as well. "What do you guys do to your cables to make them go bad?" My old cables look practically brand new. The newest cables I have are about two years old and the only reason I bought them is because I was setting up for a show and the cables that I had were not quite long enough to make it to where my amp had to be. The closest store was a Radio Shack. I bought 2 25' cables there; the clear shiny coating is easy to clean off, and they work just as good as the 15' Monster cables.

While I draw the line at using cheap, thin cables with molded ends, all this talk of specialty cables is hog wash.

Learn how to wind and unwind a cable and run it so it doesn't get walked on.

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band

WE?

Exactly Dave. Don't wind the cables too tight i.e. keep 'em loose wound and position them so nobody is able to step on them.

For myself, I try to use quality cables that have a lifetime warranty. I use some Monster (500 keyboard series and Studio Link) but have recently switched mostly to Mogami cables. They carry a lifetime warranty as well and are suppose to be a lot better than Monster.

To each his own but as the saying goes "you usually get what you pay for" or "junk in - equals junk out" probably applies to most electronic equipment, including audio cables. At least in my opinion anyhow.

All the best,
Mike

The WORST cables I ever bought were Fender.
I bought four of them a couple of years ago and not one of them lasted more than two months. I'm pretty careful with cables, and have some that have lasted for years.
Never have bought high-end ones like Monster though, so I can't comment other than to say that they cost an awful lot.
DonM

Uh yeah "We" We do the ordering, we do the pricing, we decide what we will sell and what we pass on. All 8 of us. The owner doesn't; get involved in the daily management of inventory. He depends on "we" to decide what to carry. Thats why we are carrying Bose and Korg. Because I decided after buying a system myself "we" should carry the line...and "we" do. The only reason I even work is because "we" all enjoy each other and the store. So yeah "we" are a team and all take full ownership and responsibility for different departments. There is no manager, no meetings, no goals, targets, "We" don't need them. "we" are all managers of the business and share in the profits.

What a concept huh? Doesn't work unless every employee speaks in "we" terms.

Sounds suspiciously Socialistic to me...

Oops, I meant to say Communistic... everybody knows they are exactly the same thing over here

With one extremely important deviation. There is no "dictator" telling us what to do and how to do it, setting targets we must meet or else, making demands. I would say we have more of a libertarian structure.

It's simple. We don't work solely on commission like most music sales people. (well we get 5% on top of a salary) which is nice. We do share in profits twice a year (which can be 25% of one's entire yearly income. I like the structure because I can budget on the salary and all else is gravy.

Dave is right..take care of your cables and they will take care of your music..

I am using the same 4 Rapco 20 foot cables for 25 years..

I also use a pair of 2 foot DiMarzio "Super shield" cables (the heaviest duty cables I have ever seen)..also 25 years..

I also have an assorted collection of Beldon "pro" custom cables..

Take care of your equipment..that includes keyboards and sound equipment...you will get a better return on your investment...

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 05-15-2009).]

I've actually got a pair of the much maligned Fender cables as my gigging pair. Right angle one end, straight the other. I take good care of them, use the right angle into the keyboard (avoids much stress on the output jacks) and haven't had any problems with them at all. And if I do, they are lifetime warrantied, too...

Seems I can't get ANYTHING right!

Wrong arranger, wrong PA, wrong cables, wrong hat... How I'm still making a living is simply a mystery!

I do take care of my cables. I just plug them in, unplug them, and wrap them up and throw them in a bag when I'm done.

Whenever the nursing home residents start chewing on my cables, I always tell them to stop, so I don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

Beakybird

Please tell me which nursing homes you play at so I'll be sure to avoid them.

But seriously, how do you wind your cables? Hopefully you are not an 'over the thumb and under the elbow' winder; this is a cable killer. If I'm telling you something you already know I apologize. But the way I have always wrapped my cables is by looping them into a about a 6" circle making sure that as I wrap, the cable is looping in its natural direction. Then I meticulously stack them in my cord case. I also keep a cloth in the case for the purpose of wiping down any cables that do happen to get stepped on, or a drink spilled on, etc. Only use water to moisten the cloth though, moist towelettes have alcohol and other things that can damage the cable covering over time.


------------------
Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band

OK. I'm coming out of the closet. I wrap cables around my hand and elbow. I didn't realize all of the harm I was doing. I'm ruining my life. But I'm addicted! How do I learn the right way? Is there any kind of rehab? I might as well quit music and flip burgers.

Beakybird