Is Monster morphing into Bose (1 Viewer)

[Chet Wilson]

or is it already there? Monster Cable seems to be the only cable choices at Best Buy, Ultimate Elec, and Circuit City now. Maybe its just me, but do Monster cables seem to be overpriced? I concede that Monster products look nice but do they perform to level equivalent to the price you pay? Opinions?

 

[Clark F]

Well, I am new to HT and recently bought a monster component cable to connect my progressive scan DVD player to my RPTV. The male plugs fit loosely on the DVD female plugs and slip off any time I mess around with wiring.
Picture is very good, but I expected more for a $40 cable.
So, based on one experience, I would vote yes.

 

[Adam.Gonsman]

To be fair, it may or may not be the fault of the cable. While I don't buy a lot of the hype Monster puts out about their products, I do think they are quality cables and own quite a few monster products. I have found that in general the cables are really snug, especially the various incarnation of cables with RCA type ends. There's always a possibility that it's the RCA jacks on your equipment that's somewhat out of tolerance. Have you tried another cable?

As for becoming Bose, I think Monster is very borderline right now. They have always sold relatively well made cables with quality components. Like Bose however, I think there has always been a markup for the supposed technology contained in the products too. The way for them to really become Bose I beleive is to continue to emphasize the supposed technology while consistently decreasing quality of materials and workmanship. This is precisely what Bose does. They sell you on the fatastic power of the video stage 5 and the waveguide system and acoustimass and all the other marketing crap while using paper cones and other low end materials.

 

[Jed M]

In the days before I used to make my own cables I just used AR. Monster was way overpriced especially when its quite obvious AR is the same cable, except blue. I don't make my own s video cables, so I just bought some from Better Cables. As far as being Bose, no, I don't think quite yet, but it looks as though they may head that direction.

 

[JeremyFr]

last I checked Best Buy sold AR not Monster cable but I haven't been there in a while since I dont frequent crap stores like that.

 

[Camp]

They sell both Monster & AR at my local BB's.

Maybe its just me, but do Monster cables seem to be overpriced?

I find that hysterical. The only cable that isn't overpriced (I guess) is the supposedly crappy stuff by Recoton or Radio Shack. The cable business has the most insane margin on the planet (great for them, bad for us).

I had the opportunity to buy anything Monster sold via their discount program. I wish I still had their price sheet. I was able to buy cables that retail at $90 for virtually nothing.

 

[steven pm]

I don't think Monster has to necessarily decrease quality to become another Bose. Granted, cables etc. do have pretty big markups in general. But many brands (AR, e.g.) have at least *reasonable* prices and very good quality. (Good enough such that additional improvements would be all but inaudible/invisible on fairly expensive systems.)

I agree with the premise, though. I live near a BB and a CC, and it is clear that Monster is pushing their products in these stores to the extent of almost eliminating competing products from being displayed/available. (Which only happens from extreme marketing pressure and/or strong retailer kickbacks, known collectively as 'dealer incentives.') In the general sense, Monster is using their hype and market domination to promote products that, while being very good in quality (unlike Bose), are still way overpriced for what you get (like Bose).

 

[Camp]

But many brands (AR, e.g.) have at least *reasonable* prices and very good quality. (Good enough such that additional improvements would be all but inaudible/invisible on fairly expensive systems.)

Agreed.
However, the guys in the tweak forum would have our head for even thinking that.

 

[Chu Gai]

Monster has a substantial overhead in advertising and they use a variety of approaches making them a pretty fierce competitor.

However, every now and then, even fierce competitors overstep their bounds a bit. For example Monster got snagged by Energizer...someone with deeper pockets that Noel Lee's company.

Energizer settles claims of false advertising with competitor

Monster Cable Products Inc. will have to remove some claims on its battery packaging in a lawsuit settlement with Energizer Holdings Inc.

Energizer said it filed suit on Jan. 3 against Monster for false advertising claims on its product, Monster PowerCells alkaline batteries. Monster's packaging and Web site claim that their batteries have "maximum power," and some other claims, which Energizer said were false based on independent testing.

Under the settlement, Monster Cable will remove all claims of superior performance from its packaging and its Web site by Feb. 1, and remove all point of purchase materials containing any references to such claims by Jan. 31.

"We are justifiably proud of the quality of our batteries and we won't permit competitors to get away with superiority claims that are patently misleading," said Pat Mulcahy, chief executive of Energizer, in a statement.

Monster also is very protective over the Monster name. For example:
If you go over to Monster.com you'll see a little link at the bottom to Monster Cable.
MonsterBook.com is now owned by Monster Cable.
There was likely a settlement between Monster and Disney. Consider this link that talks about the buddy buddy arrangement wherebye "Monster and Disney • Pixar Announce a Monsterous Offer For the Release of Monsters, Inc. on DVD"

Monster's Complaint
Disney's Response to Monster
this link

Yes, you can be quite sure that anything with the Monster name in it, perhaps even matters related to the "Adult Entertainment Industry" has likely received a letter from Monster's legal department.

You don't get to be #1 in this business by carrying a little stick...you need a Monstrous one.

Oh, Camp, I post every now and then in Tweaks...you're pretty much right on.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Guys,

Many of you feel Monster is over-priced.

But keep in mind:

• There are companies that sell much-more expensive wires through mail-order. ($800 for a 1 meter coaxial-digital connection for example).
• Unless you have studied cost-accounting or engineering economics, you really dont understand the issues/costs behind being able to waltz down to your local store and pick up nearly any cable you want. This totally swamps the material & manufacturing cost of any cable. Dont blame Monster for this.

My personal gripe with Monster is it's marketing: they assume the consumer is stupid, they wont give specifications for their cables, only marketing 'fluff'.

But I own and use several of their products because they are good quality, available, and in some cases (like my XBox cable) they are about the best cable available for the job.

PS: I'm going to move this thread to the "Tweeks/Connections" forum.

 

[Bernie Lomax]

I noticed no difference between a Monster or an Acoustic Research cable. They sell the AR at Best Buy as well. I have a Canare digital coax for my DVD player. That's pretty nice.

 

[Chu Gai]

well said Bob, and much of that extends to other matters such as their surge protectors too. however, are they treating the consumer with more or less contempt than say Audioquest, Kimber, Cardas, Transparent, feel free to add to this list. Monster's copy is carefully crafted and it let's the consumer make certain assumptions from the wording. That's crafty, well designed advertising. I'm not so sure that AQ for example treats the consumer with any more dignity by fabricating scientific sounding stories in their FAQ's. The Easter Bunny & Tooth Fairy become weary after a while.

 

[steven pm]

chu gai, thanks for the legal links. I'm in law scholl and am taking a trademarks course right now. Good stuff! Seems Monster wants to *own* the word 'Monster' and Disney called them on it because their TM registration scope exceeded what they were actually using it for. Not too hard to reason that Monster realized they had a lot to lose, and that Disney still preferred a cross-promotion rather than both sides spending lots of $$$ on litigation. MAde it into more of a win-win situation.

 

[DanielSmi]

Camp I used to work at BB and got the same discount program it was 60% off of almost everything they sell but you could only spend a $1000 a year but that's still alot of stuff when 60% off. I bought most of my cables during this time and is one of the main reasons I still wished I worked at BB.

Daniel Smith

 

[Chu Gai]

good luck in your studies...sheesh, just what we need, another lawyer! hey what do you call 1000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?

 

[Chet Wilson]

Chu, just guessing...Bose employees?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

"..good start"

Whats Brown and Black and looks good on a lawyer?

A Doberman

 

[Chu Gai]

A lawyer, a priest, and a doctor found themselves marooned on an island. The plane had landed on an adjacent island and the only way they could get to it to use the radio, was to swim across a lagoon that was filled with sharks. The doctor volunteered to try first. He got 10 yards out when suddenly the sharkss came towards him. He barely escaped. The priest said, "maybe because I'm a man of god, the sharks will let me pass". He made it 20 yards out before he had to frantically swim back. Finally the lawyer said he would try. The lawyer got 20 yards out as the sharks drew near. Suddenly, the sharks stopped and aligned themselves to the right and left of the lawyer and escorted him to the island where the radio was. The doctor turned to the priest and said, "father, it's a miracle". "No, my son, that was professional courtesy", replied the priest.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

I am torn by monster. They make some ok entry cables, I use the Rat Shack AV Fusion or whatever, and I was weary buying those, but it was cheaper, less hassle than buying some canare/belden online, since I only needed one pair, and I will make a larger order later. The Radio Shack ones seemed good, but the digital cable that i got for the sub was felt much cheesier. It was from the Gold series, and it makes a crackling squishing sound if you bend it. Less than a "feel of quality" in the insulation or whatnot. Still, the stereo interconnects were twisted pair, hefty, and they actually surprised me that they sounded much better than the gimme cables that i've got around. But my point is radio shack called those cables "twisted pair." Which is exactly what they are.

I walked into a Best Buy the other day looking for AR Pro cables, it seemed they only had the regular series, or at least i didn't see any Pro series cables, and I'm not about to go on an expedition in BB to try to find some dimwit to point me to the blender isle when I'm looking for cables. Anyway, the monster cables were much cheesier looking, had like a $60 pricetag, and touted "true-balanced design." It was drooling "balanced" all over the packaging, when all it was was twisted pair. They were careful not to say "balanced cable" but it just was itching Bose all over it. That being said, all the high-end dealers down the street sell Monster next to some ridiculous car-priced speaker cables to run those hundred grand and more stereos, so who knows...

 

[jason willder]

There was a good thread about speaker cable either here or on the AVS forum. No one could scientifically prove the advantage of overpriced cable. You need good sheilding and copper. If the connections are tight I can't imagine the difference.