Author Topic: $3000 cable using stock Home Depot wire... (Read 12250 times)

Weirdness · « **on:** July 28, 2005, 06:21:37 PM »

Funny story. I was just talking to a guy who works at Stereovox cable in Florida and he was telling me that they buy esoteric cables all the time and dissect them to see their designs etc. Said that it was amazing to see how many high end highly regarded cable manufacturers use very run of the mill cable in their designs. Of course, he couldn't name names, but apparently they took a cable apart that was worth $3000 and found that the same cable could be found at the Home Depot for several zeros less. Funny shit, I guess there's lots of snake oil out there...

Anyways, apparently this Stereovox HDXV cable is excellent for 75ohm digital applications, it's the same guy who designed the Kimber D60 quite awhile back, often regarded as being one of the best especially when it first came out. The guy also said that if you have a BNC input or output on any of your gear, that using a direct BNC connection will make a big improvement. I'll post back if it makes a dramatic difference over the Audio Magic cable that I'm currently using.

Tim · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2005, 06:50:25 PM »

I've heard very similiar things...

edit to add: look at the price differences in the bettercables.com speaker cables and Leegeddy's... they are pretty much identical cables and Marc's cost around $200-250 less.

leegeddy · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2005, 06:57:09 PM »

Quote from: Weirdness on July 28, 2005, 06:21:37 PM

Funny story. I was just talking to a guy who works at Stereovox cable in Florida and he was telling me that they buy esoteric cables all the time and dissect them to see their designs etc. Said that it was amazing to see how many high end highly regarded cable manufacturers use very run of the mill cable in their designs. Of course, he couldn't name names, but apparently they took a cable apart that was worth $3000 and found that the same cable could be found at the Home Depot for several zeros less. Funny shit, I guess there's lots of snake oil out there...

Anyways, apparently this Stereovox HDXV cable is excellent for 75ohm digital applications, it's the same guy who designed the Kimber D60 quite awhile back, often regarded as being one of the best especially when it first came out. The guy also said that if you have a BNC input or output on any of your gear, that using a direct BNC connection will make a big improvement. I'll post back if it makes a dramatic difference over the Audio Magic cable that I'm currently using.

two words....

Monster Cables

marc

Krispy D · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2005, 09:15:09 PM »

monster cables = monster profits

John R · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2005, 11:05:30 PM »

Quote from: krispy1010 on July 28, 2005, 09:15:09 PM

monster cables = monster profits

monster cables = great marketing. gotta hand it to noel.

http://www.monstercable.com/company_info/

Bdifr78 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 03, 2005, 11:20:22 PM »

Quote from: John R on July 28, 2005, 11:05:30 PM

Quote from: krispy1010 on July 28, 2005, 09:15:09 PM
monster cables = monster profits

monster cables = great marketing. gotta hand it to noel.

http://www.monstercable.com/company_info/

I have to agree there. He is one smart or lucky son of a bitch...

He stole the entire market of people who don't know shit, which is mostly everyone. I have chosen a career within AV retail, and it is amazing how much profit is in those damn things. People want their stuff to sound and look better and I can honestly say that i can atleast see a difference in a monster component cable and a component cable you would get at radio shack for almost the same price, so people are willing to pay 5-10% of the total purchase on those extras that get them "the most" out of their investment. And most of the time people don't get the cables you need in the box of a component or HTIB, and if they do they're complete shit. So they need to buy something, and somehow monster got literally every retailer to push their product. Genius!

Monster certainly is not a good value by any stretch of the imagination. I just dig what the company did. I guess that's the retailer in me talking.

...

Evil Taper · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2005, 07:20:43 AM »

Where else can you find an HDMI cable though? I was looking around everywhere and the only other option to Monster Cable was RCA for about $30 less. I did end up buying a used Monster HDMI for $50 shipped on ebay though ... so not too bad.

creekfreak · « **Reply #7 on:** August 04, 2005, 09:53:29 AM »

I equate Monster to Absolute Vodaka...crappy product disguised by good marketing campaigns

heath · « **Reply #8 on:** August 04, 2005, 10:13:09 AM »

I equate monster to Lionel Hutz. kings of the frivolous lawsuit. uh oh--might get sued for typing monster without their permission

Krispy D · « **Reply #9 on:** August 04, 2005, 06:39:58 PM »

Quote from: creekfreak on August 04, 2005, 09:53:29 AM

I equate Monster to Absolute Vodaka...crappy product disguised by good marketing campaigns

I agree with your analogy but crappy might be a little extreme... Both absolute and monster are decent products. far from the best but not bttom rung either. 'decent' stuff + good marketing = killer profits.

kris

Bdifr78 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 04, 2005, 08:00:30 PM »

I love profits

Why can't I come up with a simple product with extreme profit margins and a great marketing campaign? It seems easy enough right

§†∑∫åµÞ≥¥ · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2005, 01:03:28 PM »

Is there a "how to" anywhere for running the Home Depot wires to-and-from your speakers? or is it easier than I think?

Daryan · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2005, 01:13:27 PM »

It's easier than you think. That said, I don't buy that someone was rebranding hd cable and asking 3 grand for a second, at least not anyone with the slightest amount of integrity. There is a low more to speaker cable than wire anyway, at least, in my opinion.

Tim · « **Reply #13 on:** August 05, 2005, 01:21:32 PM »

Quote from: sycosteev on August 05, 2005, 01:03:28 PM

Is there a "how to" anywhere for running the Home Depot wires to-and-from your speakers? or is it easier than I think?

cut the male and female plugs off

cut the cable into whatever length you desire for your speaker cables

trim back the orange jacket and expose the colored wires, there will be 3 colors... designate 1 for negative and 1 for positive and disregard the 3rd. it makes no difference which you use just make sure that you remember which is which when connecting them to your amp and speakers

§†∑∫åµÞ≥¥ · « **Reply #14 on:** August 05, 2005, 06:04:02 PM »

Quote from: -2000 ORIOLES RAWK on August 05, 2005, 01:13:27 PM

It's easier than you think. That said, I don't buy that someone was rebranding hd cable and asking 3 grand for a second, at least not anyone with the slightest amount of integrity. There is a low more to speaker cable than wire anyway, at least, in my opinion.

thanks man. -T

Quote from: Tim on August 05, 2005, 01:21:32 PM

cut the male and female plugs off

cut the cable into whatever length you desire for your speaker cables

trim back the orange jacket and expose the colored wires, there will be 3 colors... designate 1 for negative and 1 for positive and disregard the 3rd. it makes no difference which you use just make sure that you remember which is which when connecting them to your amp and speakers

thanks man. +T

Tim · « **Reply #15 on:** August 05, 2005, 06:10:03 PM »

good luck

Tim · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2005, 07:16:05 PM »

fwiw - I'll never use straight copper in my stereo again. Copper has a low end bloom that does not sit well with my ears, perhaps it's the fact that I run tubes but the lowend color and warmth that copper brings is just too much for me. I much prefer the clarity and balance of silver-clad cables.

on a bright system though they may do better

also those HD cables still have thrown the widest soundstage I've ever heard on my system, so they've got that going for them.... which is nice

Lil Kim Jong-Il · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2005, 12:25:02 PM »

Quote from: Tim on August 30, 2005, 07:16:05 PM

so they've got that going for them.... which is nice

Nice point Carl.

Tim · « **Reply #18 on:** August 31, 2005, 12:30:23 PM »

Tim · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2005, 06:59:49 PM »

trust your ears

and your wallet

the HD's served me fine, just wanted to point out some sonic issues to keep in mind

Evil Taper · « **Reply #20 on:** September 01, 2005, 02:47:44 AM »

So you are making speaker wires from extension cords? Or am I totally confused here?

Evil Taper · « **Reply #21 on:** September 01, 2005, 03:52:43 AM »

scb · « **Reply #22 on:** September 01, 2005, 08:27:18 PM »

>>Where else can you find an HDMI cable though? I was looking around everywhere and the only other option to Monster Cable was RCA for about $30 less. I did end up buying a used Monster HDMI for $50 shipped on ebay though ... so not too bad.<<

i went to Coconuts and found an acoustic research 6 foot hdmi cable for 19.99.

Evil Taper · « **Reply #23 on:** September 03, 2005, 06:41:22 AM »

WTF is Coconuts?

twatts (pants are so over-rated...) · « **Reply #24 on:** September 04, 2005, 03:20:42 PM »

Coconuts is a music store...

And I use these HD extension cord speaker cables... I bought a 50' piece and chopped myslef 2x 10' cables. I sent the extra to NicksPicks, but never heard back about any comps or anything... NP, where are you??? What do you think???

Big honking cables for cheap. Sounds good to me, I need to improve my playback system before I think to upgrade my cable from copper extension cord to silver cable... Need new speakers first...

Terry

Tim · « **Reply #25 on:** September 04, 2005, 03:52:05 PM »

remember that silver is not the end all, and copper is not necessarily bad... both have their own sound and may work better in certain systems than others

Burnt · « **Reply #26 on:** September 09, 2005, 10:52:45 AM »

This thread has got my interest and am thinking about checking out the Home Depot cables. Is this the one that everyone is talking about:
http://www.homedepot.ca/escalate/store/DetailPage?pls=hd_canada_gift&bc=hd_canada_gift&pc=212538&tab=desc&clist=0189803237ff:018980323811
Just asking so I know excatly what I want when I walk in to a store near me.

Burnt · « **Reply #27 on:** October 04, 2005, 08:49:20 AM »

Quote from: Burnt on September 09, 2005, 10:52:45 AM

This thread has got my interest and am thinking about checking out the Home Depot cables. Is this the one that everyone is talking about:
http://www.homedepot.ca/escalate/store/DetailPage?pls=hd_canada_gift&bc=hd_canada_gift&pc=212538&tab=desc&clist=0189803237ff:018980323811
Just asking so I know excatly what I want when I walk in to a store near me.

Bump. Again just wondering if this is the cable that everyone is talking about in this thread.
Later

Daryan · « **Reply #28 on:** October 04, 2005, 10:01:45 AM »

As always Mike, I think you get what you pay for...unless you are in the world that believes cables do not make a differnce, then buy all the extension cable you want

I do use home depot cable on my subwoofer where I wanted all copper cable anyway, so it works fairl well though it sounds a bit wooly to me.

Simp-Dawg · « **Reply #29 on:** October 04, 2005, 03:58:18 PM »

Quote from: -2000 ORIOLES RAWK on August 05, 2005, 01:13:27 PM

I don't buy that someone was rebranding hd cable and asking 3 grand for a second, at least not anyone with the slightest amount of integrity.

quoted for...ahh fuck it

Burnt · « **Reply #30 on:** October 04, 2005, 04:31:19 PM »

Quote from: Moke on October 04, 2005, 08:52:59 AM

your link is dead.

I tried some HD cable from a 12 gauge extension cord.
They lasted only as long as it took me to break out my beloved's again, and get them back into place. A wasted half day.

Hmm, it seems that I can no longer find it on Home Depot's Canadian site at all. Very strange, in fact I can only find something like 3 different outdoor extension cords listed period. Not like when I first posted and I came up with more then a dozen different ones.

Daryan · « **Reply #31 on:** October 04, 2005, 04:46:20 PM »

Honestly, most of the extention cords are going to work about the same as long as they are pretty hefty and the guage that you want. I got mine from Menards and it works just fine.