Could someone explain the 'Monster Cable' thing to me

[mtrycrafts]

I wasn't aware of this. I'm ok with it if it is a similar type product and they are legitimately trying to protect their name from being ripped off, but not if it is just to be the only company with the name "Monster." Is it only in electronics or do they go after the monster truck crowd, etc crowds? In electronics, is it companies with that name or product lines?

Jack

That would be fine, yes, but, that is not the case at all.
I should have bookmarked the page with all the legal cases and discussions.
They have legal action against Monster Cars or bikes, whatever. Disney has something Monster. There was a costume shop, mom and po store with Monstersomething in their name. In Colorado or someplace, a ski group for kids, Monster Snow Angels or something, and on it goes.
They claim it delutes their name. And, their practice is that if you pay $X and X% of annual gross, you are a partner.
So, they are predators and a bully.

Some links from a google search

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20041110/0531219.shtml

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/11/08/BUG1J9N3C61.DTL&type=business

http://www.johnchow.com/beating-up-the-little-guy/feed/

half way down:
http://www.corpreform.com/lawsuits/index.html

http://corpreform.typepad.com/corpreform/2004/12/q_when_is_a_fri.html

Here is a winner Must read

http://www.madmartian.com/legal/

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have some speaker wire from Monster; a friend gave me a spool of it. I have a surge protecter, Opt cable and some RGB from Monster; an ex-GF bought it for me. When I have to pay for it, I buy from Monoprice.

Hey, free monster cable is great I would take them for that

 

[stratman]

Most of you guys are too young to remember this, but years ago a genius (I use the word GENIUS because he truly fit the word) took some river rocks, cleaned them up, made some perforated little boxes (like the ones used by Chinese restaurants to pack their take-home rice) put some "hay" on the bottom and put a river rock in the box along with an instruction sheet on how to take care of it. Lo and behold you had the birth of the PET ROCK, people bought them by the thousands at about 5.00 (not 100% sure of exact price, but it's close)a pop, I remember seeing them in our local Sears. Marketing genius. Now substitute the rock for some copper wire, fancy sheath, nice logo and packaging. Lo and behold we have the MONSTER cable, guaranteed to do nothing for you or your system (like the rock) but they'll take your money just the same. Case book studies on how to market products to a willing and uninformed public.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Wow!?!
I just read a few of those stories. After reading them, I vaguely recall something about them going after Monster energy drink but I wasn't aware of the extent of there total @$$holism. That really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I wonder if they have b@lls enough to try to retroactively sue the guy who sang the "Monster Mash"? Or maybe they could go after Hollywood for making monster movies. That'd be pretty funny.

Jack

 

[u2generator]

I belong to a few guitar player forums and they go through the same thing with Monster Cables. A few swear by them. Most buy from somewhere else. THe lawsuits are also discussed in these musician forums.

 

[no. 5]

No, but I do work in a foundry. So far, we haven't been able to produce any unobtanium alloys, some sort of supply problem.

lol, I was wondering because I have never heard anyone that wasn’t involved in engineering (or metallurgy! ) refer to the magical metal of unobtanium.

 

[Jack Hammer]

lol, I was wondering because I have never heard anyone that wasn’t involved in engineering (or metallurgy! ) refer to the magical metal of unobtanium.

People in all sorts of fields use the term. Many different racing circles use it, i've heard the term on the radio a few times, It's been used in a few Hollywood movies,...
It's not a fully mainstream term, but it's not industry specific.


Jack

 

[j_garcia]

Monster is required by law to "aggressively" defend it's trademarked name. If one does not, then someone else who wants to use the name can file suit against them to have them stop using it. This practice is not limited to Monster.

 

[MDS]

One the one hand you could say Monster is within its rights to pursue trademark infringement cases against say Monster Energy Drink because people may associate the makers of the drink with the makers of cables and if the drink gets a bad rap the cables would be guilty by association.

On the other hand it is mostly ridiculous in my mind that one would draw the conclusion that the drink has anything to do with cables. Companies branch out and make additional products (as Monster now makes power conditioners and amplifiers) but one company rarely ever starts making products outside of their industry. So if you see a Monster amplifier in the store, you'd rightly think that it is made by the same company that makes Monster cables, but if you see Monster Bikes (or whatever) on Disney or Monster Energy Drink in 7-eleven, if you automatically think they are both from Monster cable you are just plain nuts.

 

[Jack Hammer]

The difference between their name and a company name like Jello, Kleenex, or Qtip which became a mainstream definition for a product is that the word Monster has been being used for decades in other business names and product lines. Them going after anyone who uses the word "monster" in their company name, regardless of the size or the company, the product they sell, and if they've even heard of Monster Cable is petty and predatory.

Monster Garage had nothing to do with Monster Cable. It had to do with Monster Trucks, now no one in that field can use the word Monster?? Cmon.

Jack

 

[Seth=L]

I wonder if they have filed lawsuits against companies previous to Monster Cable's conception. That would be an interesting hearing.

"As representitive of Monster Cable I am shocked that this company that was founded before us would continue to use our company name. I mean, we are bigger than they are, they should take the way of the samurai and commit corporate suicide. At the very least change you long held company name to something else, because we are better than you are."

That is just about as stupid as Paris Hilton trying to copyright the phrase "That's Hot", how they hell can you copyright a word in the dictionary or a phrase that many people, not including myself, use?

I should be careful opening my "Wall-Coverings" store, Wal-Mart could sue!

 

[Davemcc]

one company rarely ever starts making products outside of their industry.

When you think of Honda, do corporate jets come to mind?

http://world.honda.com/HondaJet/

 

[project86]

Hence the term rarely.

 

[stratman]

Both Kawasaki and Mitsubishi make airplanes, corporate, military, commercial.

 

[StevenJE98]

Monster Cable is not rated

I was thinking of buying the Monster Cable cable but decided not to , because I cound not find any with a Fire Rating so I take it they dont make it. not rated for behind the walls and in my business this needs to have a fire rating in any construction. I have been on some jobs just to pull this stuff out because it failed inspection because. no electrical inspector will ever approve this stuff. It may be a nice audio cable for other applications but not behind the sheet rock. If your going to install behind wall use a cable that's CL2, Plenum. etc fire rated. it costs more but your also safe. If you light up a a Monster cable that stuff burns like a rocket . I tried it. you do not want this stuff next to an outlet behind a wall if you get an arch fault.

I used sheer sound . Oxygen Free Rated CL3 Fire and Direct Burial. 14 GA sure beats Monster Cable . Also put it 2 feet direct in the ground for outside locations. Meets The NEC Code and passed inspection. Sound great too.
this stuff dont burn either. It's Blue So I used what was left over from the 250 feet roll for other audio cable. my price for this was $ 150.00 and some change for the roll . retail about $ 1.75 a foot.


Steve. Electrician

 

[Phil Taylor]

I'll add to those who prefer monoprice.com - they have the best prices I have seen anywhere - ridiculously low compared to the monster's ridiculously high prices. And the quality is exceptional - very fine connectors - cheap quick shipping, great customer service and a pleasure to deal with.

 

[wire]

Monster makes excellent cables, don't be confused about the quality. The issue people have with Monster Cable is the ridiculous marketing BS, markup and gouging on prices. You can buy cables of the same or better quality for much less $.

Jack

I agree
There Speakers cable the THX stuff a small roll , retails for 39.99 cdn and wholesales for 14.00 cdn .
The markup on that stuff is worse than Speakers .
Monster makes a good product , but way overpriced .

 

[wire]

I agree
There Speakers cable the THX stuff a small roll , retails for 39.99 cdn and wholesales for 14.00 cdn .
The markup on that stuff is worse than Speakers .
Monster makes a good product , but way overpriced .

SB 31.99 just checked .
I use there speaker cable its good stuff , but i got it at wholesale .

 

[captain_tinker]

timetohunt,
Nothing wrong with Monster cable. It's a bit expensive for what you get, but it gets the job done. I started with Monster XP cable for my speaker wire, and some very old and very thin yellow composite video cables as my interconnects, and it worked fine. Not REALLY REALLY well, but it worked for about a year. My distances were short, and that was fine too, under 10 ft. I have recently upgraded to Belden cables from Blue Jeans (just because I wanted to, not because I had to), 10 AWG, and that does make a difference, but a smallish one. It is audible though. It just seems like it allows more sound through, so to speak. In any case, don't worry about Monster if you just want sound now, and save up for something else later, if you really want to.

-capT

 

[rexracer]

I won't buy Monster for many of the reasons stated above. I really made up my mind when I saw the stupid wire comparison in CC. Comparing 14g Monstercable to 22g generic speaker wire...talk about apples and oranges. I didn't realize how sue-happy they were, though. With tactics like that, they could ruin sombody's life. We used to have a local bike shop called Monster Bikes. They sold mostly mountain bikes, and did a good internet business, but I think they closed down. I heard there were legal and money problems. Makes me wonder. It really bugs the h3ll out of me when big companys use tactics like this, and I would love to see someone with big $$ use the same tactics against them. Aren't there truth in advertising laws? Seems to me that Monster is guilty of all kinds of lies in their ads. Uh oh, I hope I don't get sued for saying that.