Monster JAZZ Cabel

[carved czech]

Did anybody can tell about The Monster Jazz Cable´s sound?
I am testing one, and think something is lacking in the range, and something adding. I am in dubt if it is better than regular cabel...

[Tbeers]

It's exactly the same as regular cable!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I'm not a fan of Monster cables at all. The company is sleazy, and the cables aren't worth anywhere near what they charge for them. I've had excellent luck with Planet Waves cables, though. The one I've got now is going on its third year of flawless performance, and I do notice a tonal difference when I use a cheesier cable.

[NickyBass]

One good thing about Monster cables is that they have a liftime warranty. I've heard that you can return it to any store that sells them and get a replacement on the spot. That being said, I don't use them. Aside from the expense, they are bulky. I like the thinner, more flexible cables, and hey, they only cost a few bucks. There may be a select few golden eared people who can tell the difference in a blindfold test, but I doubt the difference is audible in a crowded jazz club.

[TroyK]

I can tell the difference between a good cable and a crappy cable, but not between good cables.

I did return a Monster Cable once and got a new one, no problem. I'm not sure what brand my current cable is, but it's a good one that I've had for a few years at least.

[Marcus Johnson]

I paid big bucks for a couple of Monsters a few years back. They quickly became a noisy, tangled mess. I hated 'em.

I use George L cables now. They are really nice, seem to hold up very well. The Planet Waves cables are cool as well.

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I use George L cables now.

I agree, George Cables is really nice. Fantastic piano player too. Check him out if you get the chance.

[seamonkey]

Monster has also been accused of oversizing the plug. Gets a tighter fit which probably make it less noisy in some situations, But ....

Here's an excerpt from a PJB briefcase manual:

"Do not use Monster brand instrument cables as they are not compatible with PJB electronics. Using a Monster cables can damage PJB jack sockets and is not covered by PJB waranty."

[glivanos]

As far as sound quality goes, I cannot tell the difference between that and a standard cable. I am 50 yo though so maybe my ears are shot

I have sent a cable back to them when a plug broke for repair and they ended up sending me a new cable. So from a warranty point of view it seems they were true to their word.

[Standalone]

I'm having a problem with my bp-100 jack-- a buzz when i dig into an open G. When I pull out the Monster cable and replace it with a no-name grey coiled cable from lord knows where, the buzz disappears.

The angles on the tip of the cable plug seem sharper than on my other cables. I think that is probably what has worn the jack. Having some problems with the jacks in my electric guitar and bass, too, but they are less clearly attributable to the Monsters...

Time to get some new cables...?

[mje]

Monster cable and wire is ordinary stuff with fancy packaging and graphics. Waste of money.

[fdeck]

Assuming that cables are properly shielded and constructed to minimize microphonics, the only thing that affects tone is capacitance. Most instrument cables, including Monster, are around 35 pF/ft (picofarads per foot). The lone exception that I am aware of is George L, which is around 20 pF/ft. Non-coaxial cables such as quad flex, can get you up into the territory of 60 pF/ft.

A 10 to 20 foot cable at 35 pF/ft should have a measurable effect on the tone of a passive electric bass. The effect might not be noticeable if your amp or bass are attenuating the highs. But it's there. Compared to what? A long cable should sound different than a short cable.

Active electric bass, or any low impedance signal? No effect.

Piezo bass pickup? If you are using a proper preamp, the only effect will be an overall flat reduction of gain. You might notice it, but you can correct it by raising your amp gain a bit.

For piezo pickups, a more serious problem is microphonics due to the very high impedance. The solution is to keep your cables short if possible.

If you play passive electric, you can minimize the capacitance problem by keeping your cable short. A lot of players, including me, choose the lazy way. I use a standard cable with a passive bass, adjust my EQ until I am happy, and then forget about it.

The Dayton brand of pre-made cables from Parts Express is of good quality. I make my own cables. My only thought about the lifetime warranty is that it's like a $30 insurance policy on a $10 cable.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by TroyK

I agree, George Cables is really nice. Fantastic piano player too. Check him out if you get the chance.

I wish I used George Cables....or more accurately, I wish he used me.

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I wish I used George Cables....or more accurately, I wish he used me.

I'm glad somebody caught that...or maybe everyone was just ignoring me. :-)

[larry]

+1 For Planet Waves. I've had one for a couple of years now. I think it sounds slightly better than regular cables (a little less harsh in the upper mids). Could be my imagination too, but the cable does last.