Newbie here, monoprice or bluejeans for cables? Or, buck up for audioquest?

[OCBrad]

I've got a new Samsung DLP (accepts 1080p over HDMI.....someday) with two HDMI inputs coming in the next couple of weeks. Along with it, I purchased the Denon AVR-2807 (two HDMI inputs), Denon 1720 DVD player (I decided to go inexpensive and buy a progressive scan DVD player while waiting out the Blu-ray/HD-DVD thing), panamax 5100 power conditioner (I know, probably overkill, but...looks good in the rack and can only do good), polk audio center chanel & 4 in-ceiling speakers (w/ directional tweeters). My sub is a 10" MartinLogan Dynamo.

I bought everything from Tweeter and they are also doing the install. Tweeter is trying to sell me the audioquest stuff which costs an arm & BOTH legs. I spent some time on the phone with an engineer at audioquest and he's done a pretty good job at selling me on their stuff. Now, with that being said.......I keep reading that monoprice & bluejeans cables will provide the same audio & video quality for a fraction of the cost (even without the silver content, RF stoppers, etc. etc.).

Note: All of my components are within 3-5 feet of each other.

1. Do any of you believe that either my video or audio quality would be any better with audioquest cables?
2. If not, should I go with monoprice or bluejeans (or another source?)? Is one higher end than the other?

Here is my list of required cables:
1 component cable (for DVD player)
2 optical (Toslink) cables
2 HDMI cables
2 RCA audio interconects (for a set of Polk Audio outdoor speakers....using "zone 2" of my receiver).

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Brad

 

[zildjian]

Hi Brad,
I have Audioquest component video cables and have been very pleased with them, but I also have bought cables from Bluejeans & think they offer quality products at great prices. When I buy more cables, I'm going back to Bluejeans. Hard to beat their offering great quality @ good prices; they ship to you ASAP too. Got my cables in 3 days from Seattle to Kentucky.
Audioquest is also great product but costs more money, and since both cables are great, I rather get more cable for my dollar.
Brad (different Brad, I'm not answering my own question! )

 

[j_garcia]

I've owned AQ video cables and the Bluejeans outperformed them for less than half the price. I'm sticking with Bluejeans for video.

Bluejeans doesn't make optical cables, so you'll have to locate those somewhere else, and that shouldn't be a problem. You can check www.ac4l.com who has various AR cables on sale all the time for great prices. They have some decent optical or coaxial digital cables for $17.

For audio, I am quite pleased with AQ however, though paying retail price would be a travesty. I bought and really enjoy the Coral CQ available at www.hcmaudio.com $65 for a 1m pair brand new is about as good of a deal as one will find.

 

[mytzen]

Blue Jeans cable DOES sell optical audio cables.
Optical Digital Audio Cable: Mitsubishi Eska POF
They are under the coaxial audio cables on the following link.
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm

 

[OCBrad]

Thanks for the response. Sounds like I should keep some money in my pocket and buy the bluejeans stuff.

Any of you bought/used monoprice cables? What do you think?

 

[j_garcia]

Blue Jeans cable DOES sell optical audio cables.
Optical Digital Audio Cable: Mitsubishi Eska POF
They are under the coaxial audio cables on the following link.
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm

They must have added that or I somehow missed it. I know I've been on that coaxial page many times. You learn something every day

 

[Nick250]

Thanks for the response. Sounds like I should keep some money in my pocket and buy the bluejeans stuff.

Any of you bought/used monoprice cables? What do you think?

First, the Audio Quest stuff is nonsense. Their will no audio or video difference between Audio Quest and any others. If I was going to buy online then I would buy all Bluejean keeping it simple. Personally I buy Radio Shack Gold cables because they are a mile from my house and it's convenient for me. You can also get speaker wire at Home Depot. Acoustic Research also has decent cables too. It's hard to go wrong on any of this stuff.

 

[billy p]

Just read the article on SNAKE OIL on this very site! Go to section on cables&power on front page I did and I'm sure glad I did because IT DOSN'T MATTER HOW ITS WRAPPED BUT WHAT'S INSIDE THAT COUNT.

 

[OCBrad]

Can somebody please clarify that the one cable (in my application) that may be worth some extra money is the "component" cable? I've read....and understand....why HDMI and optical cables are not worth paying lots of money for. But, when it comes to analog........is it not worth paying more?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Nick250]

Can somebody please clarify that the one cable (in my application) that may be worth some extra money is the "component" cable? I've read....and understand....why HDMI and optical cables are not worth paying lots of money for. But, when it comes to analog........is it not worth paying more?

Nope......

 

[j_garcia]

Like I mentioned, I've compared some component cables. Bluejeans was almost the least expensive and performed the best. The difference is that they sell a quality built cable using quality parts and there is little or no overhead/marketing and no dealer mark-up, so they can sell you that cable for a LOT less. The result -you get a good cable without any of the other fluff. You don't need anything more than a quality product really, so why pay more for it?

First, the Audio Quest stuff is nonsense.

That is very easy to say, but have you actually compared them yourself? I've compared quite a few analog interconnects too and I do hear differences. I don't believe $500 interconnects are really necessary for anyone, but I also don't think a decent system should use the "came in the box" cables either. SOME of AQs stuff seems out of hand to me (like the cables with batteries???), but their mid to low range stuff is not bad at all; just overpriced.

 

[SackoHammers]

I just received two optical audio cables from BlueJean. Their response was fast and I got them quickly through USPS priority mail.

My question is about the termination of the cables. I thought optical cables needed to have a smooth, polished end. The ends on these cables are at an angle and uneven. You can plainly see the uneven surface without magnification. The degree of slant is such that one side of the termination is flush with the plastic while the other protrudes about half the thickness of a credit card.

I have not tried the cables yet, but I was curious and thought I would ask you folks here if you thought this was normal.

 

[billy p]

I have that F/O cable from bluejean just went over inspected it looks fine to me works great 2 boot with tight connection unlike my other monster f/o.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Can somebody please clarify that the one cable (in my application) that may be worth some extra money is the "component" cable? I've read....and understand....why HDMI and optical cables are not worth paying lots of money for. But, when it comes to analog........is it not worth paying more?

Thanks again for all the help!

Just so nick is not your only source
Nope, no need and not worth it, unless your need is very unusual, very long distances.

 

[danglerb]

All in All, its really a good idea to stop by a place like this, BEFORE you buy a bunch of new stuff.

Chances are very slim that we will have things to say that will make a novice shopper happy with what they bought or what they paid.

I don't see anything you mentioned requiring HDMI at this point, what else are you hooking up?

BTW why the ceiling speakers? I haven't cared that much for any I have heard so far in elevators.

 

[OCBrad]

Like I mentioned, I've compared some component cables. Bluejeans was almost the least expensive and performed the best. The difference is that they sell a quality built cable using quality parts and there is little or no overhead/marketing and no dealer mark-up, so they can sell you that cable for a LOT less. The result -you get a good cable without any of the other fluff. You don't need anything more than a quality product really, so why pay more for it?



That is very easy to say, but have you actually compared them yourself? I've compared quite a few analog interconnects too and I do hear differences. I don't believe $500 interconnects are really necessary for anyone, but I also don't think a decent system should use the "came in the box" cables either. SOME of AQs stuff seems out of hand to me (like the cables with batteries???), but their mid to low range stuff is not bad at all; just overpriced.

J Garcia.......I see you're a big panamax fan. I purchased the 5100 at the urging of the Tweeter salesmen. I've pretty much been told about 100 times that I'm an idiot (on other forums) and got taken to the cleaners. My salesmen sold me on "surge protection and better audio/video". Your thoughts please. Thanks!

 

[OCBrad]

All in All, its really a good idea to stop by a place like this, BEFORE you buy a bunch of new stuff.

Chances are very slim that we will have things to say that will make a novice shopper happy with what they bought or what they paid.

I don't see anything you mentioned requiring HDMI at this point, what else are you hooking up?

BTW why the ceiling speakers? I haven't cared that much for any I have heard so far in elevators.

As for HDMI........the display that I'm waiting to receive is the Samsung HLS5088W with two HDMI inputs (and....once available....will accept 1080p over HDMI) and my receiver is a Denon AVR-2807 with two HDMI inputs.

By your responses to my posts I'd say you didn't get very many hugs as a child.

 

[j_garcia]

J Garcia.......I see you're a big panamax fan. I purchased the 5100 at the urging of the Tweeter salesmen. I've pretty much been told about 100 times that I'm an idiot (on other forums) and got taken to the cleaners. My salesmen sold me on "surge protection and better audio/video". Your thoughts please. Thanks!

I picked it up because it was on sale with free shipping. So far, I'm very happy with it. I wasn't expecting it to improve anything, and no difference in audio as far as I can tell, but I was surprised to find an overall improvement with video - just plugging everything into it with no changes, video seemed cleaner than before and I was using a 4100 previously. I don't consider it a waste of money at all; just piece of mind. You may have paid a bit too much if you paid retail for it, but you did not get taken to the cleaners.

 

[indcrimdefense]

i have demoed multiple sets of AQ interconnects (king cobra, cheetah, & cannot remember the 3rd - it lacked the stupid battery packs) & all of them went back. they all sounded fine, & i thought i noticed some small difference between my monster m850i & the king cobra, but it was not an improvement & in no way justified the price increase. just demoed the cheetah over the weekend & could not tell any difference between it & the m850i. there is nothing wrong with AQ quality, & i do have to admit that compared to the ridiculous monster connections i can appreciate not having to break my arm to remove or install an interconnect, but i'm not willing to pay hundreds more for that.

the only AQ cable that i ever heard a difference with was their coax 5 series. i needed another coax & happened across a demo one for a very reasonable price & thought what the hell i'll try it. didn't notice any difference in listening to music, but ohhhhhhh what a difference with home theater. i was watching star wars II - opening scene where the silver space ship flies over & the bass was substantially more than with my old monster coax. nothing changed in the system, & had just watched the same part of the movie the day before. watching several other movies also showed an increased bass output. i thought i was nuts so reinstalled the monster cable, & swapped several times back & forth, with the same results. i can't explain it, but i love it. going to buy another AQ coax 5 series for my other DVD player.

 

[kaabob]

Hi,

I have a 12'hx16w'x30'l room and I'm wondering if bluejeans, monoprice, or dvigear HDMI cables will do. I'm planning to run at least 25 ft of cable in-wall, with a terminating wall plate on the wall in which I will hook up another 10 ft cable to my computer (HTPC style). I also need these cables to work for upcoming 1080p technology (at a reasonable price)

Observation 1) Bluejeans HDMI cables are rated for 1080p up to 30 ft. This won't work because the overall run will be close to 35 ft

Observation 2) DVIgear's SHR HDMI cables will work, but it may rip a hole in my pocket

Question: Who has tried monoprice HDMI cables and run them 35+ feet at 1080p? Are monoprice HDMI cables even CL2 rated?


Thanks in Advance!