Premium Two-Channel Audio Cable – 12 Feet – Black

5.0 out of 5 stars

Great cable

This is more than an average home sound system really needs, especially for a cable this short, however it is a very nice and well built cable. The grip (or the exterior part, idk the proper term) on the rca connectors is somewhat wide, which could make connecting to vintage equipment tricky, however it works just fine on my early 70s jvc. Do consider that a wire like this is thick, resulting in it not being very flexible

5.0 out of 5 stars

Huge improvement in stereo sound, over original interconnect

This little cable miraculously improved the sound of my whole stereo system! I am still in shock after over a month from installing it as the interconnect between CD player and preamplifier. I have an “entry level high-end” stereo system w/ good KEF speakers and ADCOM electronics. I’ve had it for a long time and, regrettably, used the original interconnects that came with my electronics. I held the wrong opinion that the kind of cable shouldn’t matter much for sound quality, provided the cable is not too long, and given that voltages are not too small and frequencies not too high. I know that cables are not ideal conductors, that they have parasitic resistances and capacitances, and so they do distort signals, but I had assumed the bottom line difference would be negligible. This wrong theory had additional support in the fact that market exists for cables more expensive than cars, what I have always considered BS, and extremely poor ROI.A series of events convinced me otherwise. It started with a great experience connecting my Fiio X5 mobile FLAC player to a car’s AUX input using another short and thick Monoprice cable. Then I repeated the experience at home to find that Fiio w/ Monoprice cable sounded better than my CD! At first I thought the difference can be attributed to Fiio’s more modern and better DAC. Then I bought the reviewed cable as a cheap experiment and I couldn’t and still can’t believe my ears! Now finally I have the coveted 3D soundstage. Sound gained “precision” (my layman’s term) chaning the stereo imaging dramatically. This can be compared to observing the world around either through blurry glasses/binoculars OR sharp and clean ones. On top of all that, the cable is cheap: a Venti Latte at Starbucks would be more expensive :-)I understand now that interconnects DO make a decisive difference, and that the original cable that came with my ADCOM electronics was intended to be a throwaway: a mediocre cable just to make things work initially, and be quickly replaced. That the difference can be so big is still a shock to me. And, in all likelihood, you do not need to spend big bucks on “designer” cables. Can’t imagine more improvement from where my stereo is at now, but who knows…Very highly recommended but your mileage my vary based on the rest of your equipment. In my case, the CD to preamp interconnect turned out to be the weakest link bringing the sound of the whole system down.At this price point, however, it is not an expensive experiment.

4 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

They Work Exactly As Intended

First off, RCA cables are analog, yes. Secondly they have been around since 1956! The reviews you are reading are only subjective and based on that particular persons idea of what it should sound like. This is my 6th purchase of these Monoprice RCA cables, and while the price is no doubt very attractive…they work exactly as intended. They are not too tight, just twist and give a little push and that’s it. You can remove them the same way. In all my 40 years of listening to high end audio gear I can be honest with you. My Dad had a Harman Kardon Receiver for what I feel was decades. I wish I knew where it went when he passed away. You see, here is the point. RCA cables need to do a couple of things only. As a pair, they need to transmit audio in unison and steer clear of feedback noise. Thats it. Its quite simple. I have used Audioquest cables and still do, but not RCA. I do use their HDMI cables and I like them a lot. Thing is, there’s a heck of a lot more going on in a HDMI 2.1 cable! Its providing up to 8K video and Digital sound up to 768 kb. The quality of the picture and depth of the sound is remarkable in that use. However, RCA is, again, is just an analog, shielded cable transmitting audio only. Right and Left channel only. They are somewhat stiff yes, but that is due to their excellent shielding. They loosen up in that department as do the terminals (connectors). Monoprice does many things right and a few things wrong. They are not perfect, nobody is. When it come to audio cables, these are a steal at this price. Do not be put off from others opinions and situations. Ive tried them all and in the end, Monoprice win’s. Recently I saw an interview from The Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg. He’s an old timer like me. He also writes articles, books and reports for many companies, including Sound & Vision magazine and CNET. In this video review I watched he asks his friend, a guy who created High End Audio retail stores including Tower Records. He states clearly when asked from Steve in reference to RCA cables and their function. He looked straight in to the camera, nothing to lose or gain now, and of course repeated what I have said in this review. In addition, he noted, again, without any thing to lose…retail businesses and now online have been making and continue to make a bulk of their profit from extra’s, or add ons. Not so much the high end Marantz or Paradigm speakers (as examples). The extra add on’s are, you guessed right, cables. Where as an audio component might have a 5% to 20% profit margin depending, cables are much higher! The markup in cables can be 90% or more! Please do yourself a favor…try them for yourself and change your thinking to that the Monoprice RCA cables were say, $380, as opposed to $3.20 for a 1.5ft cable. Close your eyes and just listen. Listen for pops, cracks or hiss and any type of noise not in the recording. Some artists intentionally use analog record sound in the backround as opposed to pure, clear digital. Then do the same thing with say, Adioquest RCA cables (not contradicting myself, remember, RCA cables specifically). Sit back and A, then B them for yourself. Don’t use optical cable, which just transmit light. In that regard either the light is on or off transmitting 1’s and 0’s. There is no noise or interference because the signal is the speed of light, literally. But a good run in, burn in or whatever you choose to call it, does ease up components and analog cables. Headphones are a great example of this. Just give yourself a chance to try these Monoprice $3 cables. Forget about the price and close your eyes and listen for yourself. They are identical in every respect EXCEPT for interference. That can be removed easily however. The transition is great, the sound is the same as that of $1000 cable. You will need some proper audio gear to do this! One small exception that I would not recommend is to use the throw away cables provided by the manufacture. The one’s that come with your amazing new CD Transport. Ditch those. They free and not shielded and useless. So for a mere $3.20 you can replace them, depending on length only. I do not work for Monoprice or Amazon. This review is genuine and solely written by me, and avid audio video enthusiast that has an ear for different sounds most cannot hear. It is a gift. I was born this way. I always have heard more, the breath of an artists inhale or pluck of guitar strings. Its endless really. But this review is not endless and I will end right here. If you have read this review in its entirety you are interested in an honest opinion. Thank you for that. Enjoy your music and video as the type provided gets better and better with time as advances are made rapidly. Do not ask me about my Tube Amp, that is for another review! RCA cables are over 50 years old. Thats a fact. The Monoprice do quite well and will provide you with years and years of enjoyment.

102 people found this helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars

Heed the reviews that state…

Update: Be aware that some cables are Prime Shipping and Returnable. Some are Prime BUT NOT RETURNABLE! 6ft returned, 3ft non returnable.Read the description carefully for the exact item/length you choose and be sure they are keepers!original:Heed the reviews that state the outer rings are too loose! Heed my review that states that the fingers are made of a brittle pot metal construction!Ordered two 6 foot and one 3 foot Premium RCAs. Arrived in great condition and in a timely manner…right in the middle of my install!The 6 footers are way too loose, the 3 footer was great.Looked great but the outer/ground rings were oversized and fit loosely. I slightly pinched the segments tighter and tried the fit again. Still a bit loose but way better, I pinched them ever so slightly tighter. Tried the fit and now a hair too tight.I remember reading the reviews during which the ground rings came too tight from the factory and separated from the cable, got stuck on or damaged the host RCA jack. Safe to say they have rectified the issue of being too tight.Not wanting any of this to happen, I attempted to slightly open the pair of fingers (there are six) that appeared to be the culprits. Dang if it didn’t just crack off!The connector’s fingers are made of a fragile pot metal, not a nice steel construction. Well, looking at the bright side, at least with the one finger gone, it fits perfectly on my Zuki amp!I expected more from Monoprice. Everything purchased to date has usually been a quality offering at a very competitive price.My cables are still perfectly functional but I should not have had to “tune up” and adjust the connectors. I have never had this issue in over 30 years of car and home audio installs.I remember the one review that stated “the cheap generic red & white Radio Shack type cables fared better. I have to agree.Maybe Monoprice’s supplier will adjust or retool one more time…to fit just right. C’mon, its mot rocket science!

5 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Possibly the best value in Hi-Fi for RCA Interconnects

I have an extremely modular Hi-Fi setup that includes numerous interconnects adjoining various pieces of gear, so the quality of the cables I use is very important. In the past I’ve cheaped-out with cables that worked fine for their prices but were far from what I would consider “audiophile grade”. The Monoprice cables actually offer the best of both worlds: exceptional audio-quality at a remarkably low price. These cables punch FAR above their price range by offering the absolute cleanest noise floor I’ve ever heard with my audio gear. They absolutely eradicated the low-level hum coming from my Klipsch subwoofer after I swapped out the old cables connecting my SUT and phono stage. Now I can adjust the input impedance of my SUT to whatever level I want without hearing a trace of hum, and it’s even improved the (already very low) noise floor of my loudspeakers. Are there options that give you even better results? Probably. But you’d likely be spending at least ten times more for the privilege, and that delta in price just isn’t worth it to me.The only drawback I can really identify for these cables is their lack of flexibility. As others have noted they are extremely stiff, which makes connecting devices in very close proximity somewhat cumbersome. They definitely function better when you have a little more space to work with in your setup. That being said, I’m not so bothered by it since the thickness likely contributes to the excellent shielding and (consequently) the exceptionally-low noise floor. Overall, I think these are some of the best “bang-for-your-buck” RCA cables on the market and I recommend them wholeheartedly.

One person found this helpful