music shop phasing out monster cables

[Joe Louvar]

There are a lot of factors at work here. Firstly, bear in mind that the price of copper goes up every year... every single year, without fail. That means that manufacturers raise their vendor prices (the price that the dealers and stores pay). The retailers, your local mom and pop shop or GC or whoever, faces the choice of raising their prices accordingly... in an industry that is hanging on by it's fingernails to start with, or reduce their margin. In most cases, the dealer will try to find a comparable product that costs less, usually on account of savings rendered from less packaging, less advertising etc.

Monster Cable has not only raised its prices radically in recent months, they have also steadily reduced the copper weight in their "standard" model cables... their most popular line. A 12' Standard instrument cable from monster actually weighs 80% of what it used to 4 years ago... because of the reduced copper weight.... as we all know... less copper, less signal and signal quality. Monster is making it senseless to purchase anything but their specialty cables, which are great cables, but astronomically expensive, and get more expensive every year.

So, for the vast majority of cable sales, the cheapo instrument and non-specialty mic cable, many dealers are looking for a better product at the same cost, not necessarily a cheaper product. Road Hog cables from Rapco are cheaper by 18% by length than the Monster Standard, have 12% MORE copper in them, use multiple wraps and have solid metal ends instead of plastic like the Monster Standard. In ever way, a better cable. It's also less expensive, has only 20% as much packaging and has the same warranty as Monster.

Why wouldn't you want a better cable for less money? Of course you'll always find those few folks who truly believe that a Mercedes E500 is somehow a far superior vehicle to an Audi A6 4.2, simply because it costs 20% more and has the fancy hood ornament....

Really? 80%, 18%, 12%, 20% - where did you get these result numbers from? Thanks.

 

[Kano2864212]

That store iis actually phasing out the Monster Cables now because Monster changed their warranty. Now you have to send the cables directly to Monster and theyll send you a new one.

 

[Batmensch]

Yet another reason not to buy Monster cables.

 

[logicman69]

That store iis actually phasing out the Monster Cables now because Monster changed their warranty. Now you have to send the cables directly to Monster and theyll send you a new one.

Correct.. When Daddy's Junky Music first picked up the line back in 2001., the origional warrenty was "Any Excuse, Even Abuse". We were told that when you buy Monster Cable, it doesn't matter what happened to it, what condition it was in, how it borke, ect.. we could swap the cable right there at the store for the customer. In fact, the customer needed no recipt, proof of purchase, or packaging. If they had a cable, then we gave them a new one no questions asked. I had several friends that were in touring bands and they loved the idea. The could buy a cable, and if it broke while they were on the road they could bring it to any Monster dealer in the US and they would swap it for them. No matter what you thought about the technology behind the cable, that is a pretty good feature.

Flash foward to about 4 years ago. Monster announced that their warrenty policy was changing. They would no longer cover abuse. They would take returns on manufaturers defects ONLY. If there was any sign of abuse, they would not honor the return. Daddy's fought them about this and accepted returns for about a year or two after the policy change. Now cables have to be return directly to the manufaturer (I believe this has to do with the fact that Daddy's no longer deals Monster directly, but purchases through a distributer).

Daddy's now deals Roadhog and PROformance cables (both are by Rapco). These are good cables with the same warrenty as Monster, but able to be swapped at the store level. As an added bonus, PROformance are made in the USA (monster are all made in China). They are significantly less money as well ($12 for a 10ft cable vs $20 for a 12ft Monster Standard). I have been changing over all my cabling to these and I have not noticed and performance difference.

So there you have it...

 

[Pilgrim]

the whole reason for buying these cheap cables was for the return policy/exchange. apparently they are phasing out monster cables at the local shop. o well, it was a good investment while it lasted.

Considering that I have $15 cables that have lasted me 10 years, no, I don't agree that it was ever a good investment of any kind. Overpriced is overpriced.

That store iis actually phasing out the Monster Cables now because Monster changed their warranty. Now you have to send the cables directly to Monster and theyll send you a new one.

Which means they are (correctly) assuming that most people will never go to the trouble of (1) mailing them in and (2) being without them for weeks while the adjustment takes place. Smart move on their part, and another reason never, ever, ever, to buy ANYTHING with the Monster Cable name on it.