Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
for home theater, these are an excellent value. the best cables hands down for the money. not so good for music though. Slightly bloated upper bass/ lower midrange and highs a bit "scratchy". it''s not too noticeable in a home theater setup though. I give it a 5 for home theater, 2 for stereo

Strengths:
good high end home theater cable, very open and natural sound

Weaknesses:
sound quality for music not up to par

Similar Products Used:
cardas, monster cable

Price Paid:  $70.00 from Audio Store

Summary:
This cable is a decently made relatively inexpensive cable. I had purchased these to replace Monster XP, and they did make the sound noticably tighter and cleaner when installed. However, in my system I thought the sound was still a little flat. There just weren't the dynamics that the Dynaudios are capable of. In my system, once I replaced these with the Monster Z-2R, the difference was amazing. The MCX-1s may be a decent cable, but if you have low-impedance speakers and a high-current amp, I recommend getting a heavier-gauge cable like the Z-Series, or Kimber.

Strengths:
Well-made; better sound than zip chord.

Weaknesses:
Not good for high-current systems.

Similar Products Used:
Monster Z-2R

Price Paid:  $70.00 from Audio Store

Summary:
This cable is a decently made relatively inexpensive cable. I had purchased these to replace Monster XP, and they did make the sound noticably tighter and cleaner when installed. However, in my system I thought the sound was still a little flat. There just weren't the dynamics that the Dynaudios are capable of. In my system, once I replaced these with the Monster Z-2R, the difference was amazing. The MCX-1s may be a decent cable, but if you have low-impedance speakers and a high-current amp, I recommend getting a heavier-gauge cable like the Z-Series, or Kimber.

Strengths:
Well-made; better sound than zip chord.

Weaknesses:
Not good for high-current systems.

Similar Products Used:
Monster Z-2R

Price Paid:  $75.00 from Tweeters

Summary:
I have never been a great believer in expensive speaker cable. The components themselves plus speaker placement and room acoustical treatment are far more important. The mark-up on wire provides a store’s biggest profit margin thus generous sales incentives. There may be some difference in cables with one providing a different equalization effect vs. another due to different resistance, capacitance, and induction values but there might be better and cheaper ways to adjust for needed equalization. Better shielding against outside electrical radiation and interference is something that may make a difference with early stage (weak signal) interconnects. Certainly, study construction is a desirable feature but this can be found in low priced RS Gold, AR and Iced Purple cables. On the other hand bi-wiring seems to have some value. I like these cables because they sound better, but I think that’s because they replaced regular wire with bi-wire. Actually, the internal wire is of a smaller gauge then I had been using, hardly anywhere near the thick gauge that gave Monster its name and start. Yet it is adequate for the 15-foot run I’m using. Why I really love these cables is that they form neat looking package and have neat but expensive ($22.50 for 4) screw on terminations. Since my custom built ALK crossovers for my Klipschorns are bi-wirable but have small screw on barrier strips, loose strands can easily cause shorts. The braided flexible strip terminators offered are ideal for sliding under my crossovers small screws. And the Banana tips at the amp end make connection/ disconnection easy as do the fact that the bi-wires are joined internally in the cable harness. Work well for me.

HT-1 Klipsch Heritage System (music oriented)

Klipschorns w/ ALK crossover upgrades
4 Klipsch LaScalas (surround & rears)
Heresy components in custom cabinet /monitor stand (center)
Panasonic 32” Monitor W/ component video input
3 Sony CX400 CD changers
Sony CX-200 CD Changer
MSB Technology Digital Director w/ jitter reduction
Nirvis DXS digital controller (auto selection of whatever changer is playing)
Nirvis Slink-e computer interface
Nirvis jukebox software (downloads net cd info, album covers& lyrics- programs & controls changers – searchable for songs, artists, albums).
Nirvis CDJ (CD Jukebox Software)
Monster 5000 Power Center
Sony Viao Laptop Computer
Sony S530D DVD Player
Sony 798HF VCR
Sony XA1ES CD player
Sherwood HX-PRO dual cassette deck
Dynaco PAS4 stereo preamp W/ Tesla Tube upgrades (also outputs to HT2)
Technics SL3300 DD Turntable w/ Shure cartridges
Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section)
Perpetual Technologies P1A Digital Correction Engine (jitter reduction, 16 to 24 bit conversion, future speaker frequency correction, and room acoustic correction )
Perpetual Technologies P3A DAC ( plus 44.1k to 96k CD upsampling)
Klipsch KSW-15 sub (for DVD LFEs )
Klipsch LF-10 sub
Phillips Pronto TS2000 Programmable Remote
Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal
X10 computerized lighting controls
Radio Shack Wireless Remote Control Extender
Cables: Onix , MSB, Monster, AR., Iced Purple, RS Gold
Monster Bi-wire speaker cables.(Khorns)

HT#2 Klipsch THX System (movie oriented)

4 Klipsch KT-LCR THX Speakers
4 Klipsch RS-3s (side & rear surround)
2 Klipsch KT-DS THX Surrounds
10 Linaem Tweeters
Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section)
Monster 3000 Power Center
Sony X111 ES CD Player
Sony 775HF VCR
Sony STR-G3 (supplemental amplification for extra speakers)
Toshiba 61” High Definition TV
Sony NS700 Progressive Scan DVD
Toshiba 4205 DVD/ CD Changer
Klipsch SW-12II Sub
Klipsch LF-10 sub
Sony AV2100 remote
Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal
X10 Computerized Lighting
Vibrapods (vibration isolation)
RS Gold , Monster, Iced Purple, AR Cables

Strengths:
Neat package; termination options

Weaknesses:
expensive

Similar Products Used:
Radio Shack Gold

Summary:
Gear:

NAD C521 CDP
NAD C350 Amp
Mission m74 Speakers
Interconnects made locally

I got myself some of this stuff and bi-wired the Missions. It sounded OK at first, everything clear and imaging good. But after a while I noticed that the treble was really getting on my nerves. It began to seriously encroach on my enjoyment of the music. Also, the sound itself I now realise, was very digital. I would only consider this cable if your system is already very warm and lush.

For half the price you can get some Kimber 4PR, which is just as good and without the treble grit; for the same price you can get some 4VS which is superior in every way,(possibly not so in terms of imaging, but I'd prefer this cable to the Monster any day of the week); but if you can afford it get some 4TC, that's the stuff.

Strengths:
Imaging not bad; midrange OK

Weaknesses:
Treble too bright, bass digital rather than warm

Similar Products Used:
Kimber 4PR, 4VS, & 4TC