Audio Video News

No wire hangers Monster Cables ever!

Audiophiles are used to hearing abuse about high end cables. High pricing and boastful marketing claims make many home theater-enthusiasts skeptical about differences in cable performance. Here's a test that vocal defenders of generic speaker wire can conduct at home, if they dare:

A post at an audiophile message board claims that no difference can be detected between the sound quality of two-meter Monster Cables, Belden stranded copper wire, or wire coat hangers from your closet.

The poster's test was hardly scientific. For one thing, the participants didn't know they'd be listening to music over coat hanger wire. For another, the test wasn't double-blind (and there was no control group). Can you think of a better way to run this test? Leave a comment.

Somehow, though, as much as people like to complain about overpriced cables, conclusive comparison tests never actually get published. Remember when magician and skeptic James Randi offered $1 million dollars to anyone who could tell the difference between standard high-end cables and Pear Cable's $7,250 Anjou speaker cables? That was back in Oct. 2007, and the test still hasn't materialized.

Ready to install some coat hanger cable in your living room? We like Consumerist.com's sound advice: "A coat hanger doesn't have a Monster Cable lifetime warranty, so if your coat hanger breaks, you'll have to go out and buy another coat hanger." -Rachel Rosmarin

Audioholics