Monolith RCA Cables - Monoprice "Higher End" Offering - Thoughts?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by TheVinylAddict, Dec 4, 2017.

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  1. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Man, this whole thread just had me very confused.
     
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  2. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    What mysterious person goes around disconnecting your equipment? Why would anyone be doing that?
    Not fair to claim something is badly designed just because the operator doesn't read the instructions first, or does not have the mental capacity to unscrew a two-part threaded connector.
     
  3. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    Complete Cable Concepts is exactly like the "Ebay Shearer" option that are similar to BJC I mentioned in a previous post. Same identical cables, same pics, same pricing virtually - is it the same guy?

    I have purchased near identical cables in the past (both in appearance and type), so yes, this is a "cheaper the BJC but similar cables" option I have used a few times before...

    IN FACT, after I typed the above - check this out, here is the Ebay link: New 6' Belden 1694A Purple High Quality RG6 Studio Grade RCA Stereo Audio Cable | eBay

    And here is the link you gave: Complete Cable Concepts

    Notice the pics is identical to the cable concepts one in the middle of the page? The prices are better on your link though, probably due to the Ebay fees.

    So, great minds think alike! Good rec... been there!!!!
     
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  4. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    It's the same guy. I've bought through his eBay and direct also. He does give you a better price if you go direct.
     
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  5. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    Cool... sometimes Ebay is nice for the Buyer Protection and review system when you have the option, but it is all personal preference.... comes down to how much one can save (what its worth to you) and how good the reputation is of the seller! (in this case pretty good).

    Tanks Mon.
     
  6. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Because you don't know how to screw on the lid of a jar of peanut butter?
     
    timind likes this.
  7. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    With small vendors like this, I am usually comfortable buying direct after 1 or 2 purchases with no problem. It's up to the individual of course. Paypal, as long as it's not "personal" PayPal does provide buyer protection even without eBay in the mix.
     
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  8. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    I do the same typically.... as long as there is a savings of course, for the same amount I would always opt for more protection and the net of a review system... but now I am stating the obvious...
     
  9. Mike-48

    Mike-48 A shadow of my former self

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
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  10. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    It's not about mental capacity to read the instructions and understand how to use it. It's about recognizing the common errors and mistakes people make when confronted by things with bad human factors design. It's not about being smart enough. It's about human cognitive psychology and understanding the types of errors people will make due to how our brains and behaviors work. It doesn't matter how smart you are, everyone is susceptible to those types of mistakes and errors. I dislike designs that violate human factors because I understand that me being very smart does not make me immune from making common cognitive mistakes.

    If someone can design a locking RCA connector that is idiot proof and doesn't violate basic human factors design principles then I'd be all for such a connector. Unfortunately the screw-down locking RCA connectors do not fit that criteria.
     
  11. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    I think I have a solution so that you will be able to use these darn things. Write this on white tape in big letters and stick it on the back of the amp:
    UNSCREW PLUGS BEFORE REMOVING
     
  12. james

    james Summon The Queen

    Location:
    Annapolis
    I’m with @Ham Sandwich - I have a pair of those screw tightening RCA’s that cost hundreds of dollars. It is a useless design for home audio. It makes sense for car audio or Harley Davidson audio, but in home audio, the potential benefits outweigh the potential damage from a simple mistake.
     
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  13. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    Waldmanfan, Ham Sandwich -

    What do you guys think of the build quality / construction of the Monolith cable linked in the first post in the thread? Is it made of the right stuff to be considered a decent cable in your humble opinion??
     
  14. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    Am I wrong that nobody posting has actually used these specific cables?
     
  15. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    The flip side of this is because you correctly point out there isn't a problem with people going around disconnecting his equipment, what does he need locking cables for in the first place? The gear just sits there stationary all day long - what problem am I solving with annoying locking plugs? Like @james said earlier, I don't think home audio was the intended application of the locking concept.
     
  16. Kristofa

    Kristofa Enthusiast of small convenient sound carrier units

    Location:
    usa
    I think screw-down connectors are a poor design as well. It wasn’t so much the remembering to unscrew them as having them be the uttermost pain to unscrew them in tight places. It is as if time and heat made them tighter over time. THAT for me is the worst. BJC connectors are an absolute dream compared to those.

    I haven’t tried any of the Monoprice cables.
     
  17. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    Don't know without seeing and using the cables. Looks like they could be worth trying.
     
  18. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    No, because there is another member names "VinylAddict".
     
    sirmikael likes this.
  19. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Then one of you will have to go! :cop:


    You can stay, because you're a fellow Masshole. :hugs:
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
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  20. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    He said someone was yanking the plugs out of his gear. His son, or someone, I don't remember.

    The locking RCA plugs are constructed so you can apply a precise amount of torque to hold the plug securely in the jack. Too little, with a standard plug, and you have a poor or intermittent connection. Many standard plugs have a death grip, too tight to install or remove easily without damaging something, or unable to fit at all.

    I like the locking RCA plugs. They'll never break, or wear out. I also use locking banana plugs for my speaker cables.
    To each his own, but to disparage locking plugs as a bad product is dumb.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
  21. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    I see you are Vinyl <space> Addict and I am VinylAddict (no space).

    Problem solved, you had me going there for a minute.

    Seems like a topic for PM anyway, not in the middle of a thread.
     
  22. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found Thread Starter

    Location:
    AZ
    Thanks - I have one set already, I am going to see what i can do about getting capacitance measurement - they seem to work good going from my Denon x720owa pre-out to a Parasound 2 channel amp - a connection I had BJC on before.... but you know how this goes, there is subjectivity. I will say it is not worse, and don't hear anything yet.

    BTW, we have something in common from your prior post - I also have a BSE in Computer Science - now mine was way back in 1987 (ASU) - plus I have not written a line of code since 1995... but it is still my major, and served me well.
     
  23. james

    james Summon The Queen

    Location:
    Annapolis
    They're a bad product for home audio. I have used a pair for a long time and they've never been a problem. The last time I used them, somehow they seized up and I had to use two wrenches to take them off to avoid spinning the RCA jack themselves. I've had them since the early 2000's and have used them with countless amplifiers. I didn't torque them down excessively.
     
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  24. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I see what you're saying, but the problem is there are plenty (I'd say the majority) of RCA plugs that fit in just right and aren't going anywhere. I'm very skeptical of an RCA or banana plug that slowly works its way out of the jack over time and causes a poor connection.

    Now, if we're talking about say, a broadcast studio with lots of wires on switchboards and such where tripping over a cable causes the entire east coast to go from the football game to a test pattern, sure, lock away.
     
  25. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    There's always some maintenence required with hobby gear. Spray the plugs (and your other connectors) occasionally with DeoxIT Gold, which is also a lubricant. Also, these things should only be tightened finger-tight.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
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