Monoprice

[brianh78]

Hey gang, not sure if this is the right place to ask this, if not Im sorry, but how is monoprice? Ive seen everyone mention it everywhere and can someone tell me on the HDMI the diffrence on the ones with ferrite cores and without? Thank you!
Brian

[Big Daddy]

All Monoprice HDMI cables have excellent audio/video quality, meet all the standards, and are a great value.

Ferrite cores (also called ferrite beads) are not added as an enhancement to the HDMI cables for better video quality. Their main purpose is to reduce the high frequency EMI/RFI noise. Some may argue that by reducing interference, you may improve the quality. I have not been able to tell the difference between regular HDMI cables and the ones with ferrite cores.

[brianh78]

ok thanks, just wasnt sure if it was some gimicky thing, but that helps!

[Fors]

The monoprice cables worked well for me, except for one problem. I really hated the ferrite cores and they kept the cables from bending close to the wall when I need it too without putting more pressure on my HDMI ports. If you are looking for something without the ferrite cores you may want to look at these. I ordered one to try it and the quality is top notch, so I ordered 5 more and switched all my monoprice cables to these.

http://www.amazon.com/FoliumCEI-Certified-Version-Category-Receivers/dp/B00271C4FY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1258528356&sr =8-1

They also sell on ebay under "Folium Cable Evolutions"

[BarkingGhost]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

All Monoprice HDMI cables have excellent audio/video quality, meet all the standards, and are a great value.

While I have nothing bad to say about Monoprice and have done business with them on more than one occasion, I am not about to forward as if I tested all of their cable products, let alone all of their products. Have you? If not then how can you say they meet all of the standards?

Now, I will say for the money spent it is rather difficult to go wrong in doing business with them. I've bought RGBhv, Component, S-video, Toslink (SPDIF), DVI, and HDMI cables from them as well as Toslink splitters and HDMI switches.

Still, I am not about to make such global/blanket claims.

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by BarkingGhost

While I have nothing bad to say about Monoprice and have done business with them on more than one occasion, I am not about to forward as if I tested all of their cable products, let alone all of their products. Have you? If not then how can you say they meet all of the standards?

Now, I will say for the money spent it is rather difficult to go wrong in doing business with them. I've bought RGBhv, Component, S-video, Toslink (SPDIF), DVI, and HDMI cables from them as well as Toslink splitters and HDMI switches.

Still, I am not about to make such global/blanket claims.

+1. Monoprice may not be quite the same quality as Monster, but it's good enough for well more than 95% of uses, especially for HDMI cable. (And for the rest, other places like Blue Jeans Cable offer Monster-level quality without Monster's prices.) I certainly can't say I've tested every one of Monoprice's products, but they haven't let me down yet--and if they ever do, their low prices certainly minimize the waste.

For the guy earlier asking about ferrite cores: Monoprice only puts them on their smallest-gauge (28AWG) HDMI cables; they say those have the greatest need for them and they're still small enough to fit thru most holes. If the cores get in your way, buy their thicker 24AWG or 22AWG cables which don't have them (though they have add-on cores for those sizes if needed). In my experience they do get in the way sometimes, but not enough to justify buying something else.

[solarrdadd]

monoprice is nice but i don't buy tons of stuff from them. i am however going to buy my xlr cables from them. i was thinking about buying the xlr's from emo but their cables are $34.99 with a 20% holiday discount they come to $27.99 while monoprices everyday cost is $7.62 and since i need 5, well you can do the math (if ya can't emo 139.96 & monoprice 36.50 with a discount down to 7.30ea for 2 - 9 cables) and see how that would move me, but read on.

but that wasn't the biggest factor, for me what really won me over is that the emo cables use 19awg conductors and the monprice cables use 16awg cables. so for the price, the customer reviews and the larger conductor size for these cables, i'm going with monoprice. mind you i love the amps from emo i'm just going to go with monoprice on the xlr cables

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by BarkingGhost

While I have nothing bad to say about Monoprice and have done business with them on more than one occasion, I am not about to forward as if I tested all of their cable products, let alone all of their products. Have you? If not then how can you say they meet all of the standards?

Now, I will say for the money spent it is rather difficult to go wrong in doing business with them. I've bought RGBhv, Component, S-video, Toslink (SPDIF), DVI, and HDMI cables from them as well as Toslink splitters and HDMI switches.

Still, I am not about to make such global/blanket claims.

Monoprice is only about 20 minutes away from where I live and I am quite familiar with them. I have a garage full of cables from high end to low end. I have also purchased many cables from Monoprice, including multiple HDMI, digital coaxial (subwoofer), RCA, optical, component, XLR, USB, Y adapters, and category 6 networking patch cables. I have never been disappointed with any of them.

As far as HDMI cables are concerned, I have 22 gauge, 24 gauge, and 28 gauge Monoprice HDMI cables with and without ferrite cores. I also have HDMI cables from other companies, including expensive silver/copper HDMI cables. I have switched these cables multiple times and I cannot tell the difference between them.

In addition, I have also compared Monoprice RCA audio cables with much more expensive Audioquest, Monster, Esoteric, and Lanzar cables.

As for Monoprice speaker cables, I have compared them to high-end Monster, Velocity, Impact Acoustics, AR, and generic speaker cables.

When I talked about standards, I meant HDMI Category 1, Category 2, and CL2 (in-wall) standards. I am not in the habit of exaggerating or making empty statements and claims without foundation.

[dewd]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

+1. Monoprice may not be quite the same quality as Monster, but it's good enough for well more than 95% of uses, especially for HDMI cable. (And for the rest, other places like Blue Jeans Cable offer Monster-level quality without Monster's prices.) I certainly can't say I've tested every one of Monoprice's products, but they haven't let me down yet--and if they ever do, their low prices certainly minimize the waste.

Statements like this make me realize why Mon$ter stays in business. I say prove that Monster is better than Monoprice.

Just because it costs more and the clueless kid at BB says it is so, does not mean it is.

[Steve]

This test compares cables of many different manufacturers and the results are quite interesting IMO. It's primary focus is on longer HDMI runs, but it also describes the results in shorter runs. Monoprice cables are included in the comparison (obviously not every cable they sell), as well as cables from Monster, BJC, and quite a few others. I'll let you read the results for yourselves.

http://www.audioholics.com/education...le-bench-tests

[dewd]

For long cables, Blue Jeans Cable, DVIGear, MonoPrice, Monster Cable 800HD, and WireWorld seem to be the best bets of the cables we tested - however the price variance between these cables is revealing.

So you could spend $300 for the Monster cable or $25 for the MonoPrice cable and get the same results.

There are many tests like this. Every once in a while I will read one that seems to confirm differences in interconnects. Then I dig a bit deeper and find it was an 'independent test' done by a wire manufacturer (Mon$ter loves to do this).

[Steve]

Originally Posted by dewd

So you could spend $300 for the Monster cable or $25 for the MonoPrice cable and get the same results.

There are many tests like this. Every once in a while I will read one that seems to confirm differences in interconnects. Then I dig a bit deeper and find it was an 'independent test' done by a wire manufacturer (Mon$ter loves to do this).

This was the bullet point from the conclusions that I appreciated the most.

At lengths less than 4 meters you can just about use silly string (OK, not really) and get HDMI to pass at any current resolution. At less than 3 meters you'll even extend that to 12-bit color and possibly the next crazy idea HDMI Licensing decides to throw at consumers. Don't spend a lot on these cables and if you want to save money you won't let anyone at a big box store talk you into buying from them.

[Jack Torrance]

I have bought one Mon$ter HDMI cable and about four Monoprice HDMI cables. I'm sure there is a difference, but if there is it's barely noticable. Monoprice all the way for me. Super cheap, high quality and fast shipping.

[dewd]

Originally Posted by Jack Torrance

I have bought one Mon$ter HDMI cable and about four Monoprice HDMI cables. I'm sure there is a difference, but if there is it's barely noticable. Monoprice all the way for me. Super cheap, high quality and fast shipping.

Yes there is a difference. About $100.

[crazyBLUE]

I bought 2 ~ 25 foot HDMI cables from A local computer shop for $25.oo each & I have A $80.oo Monster cable from A few years back & there is no difference between them at all . I use both the 25 foot cables in my setup now .

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by dewd

Yes there is a difference. About $100.

Hah!