Price Paid:  $100.00 from crutchfield

Summary:
This was one of the cables I ruled out when auditioning cables for my new system. My gear is sensitive and requires accurate and quiet cables. the monsters were too bright and a bit irritating on the high end. also, there was not enough instrument/vocal separation.

Strengths:
Might be entirely appropriate for less demanding applications

Weaknesses:
Not a high-end speaker cable. currently many superior values from smaller cable companies at around the same money

Similar Products Used:
Entry level Audioquest, Kimber other monster products, various home made designs.

Price Paid:  $2.00 from two cents worth

Summary:
Beware sometimes Companies will hire people to write reviews for 8 hours per day just to help sell their product, think about it, hire two people at 9.00per/hour(eight hour day=72.00$per person 142.00 for both) durring a entire shift string(three days) they would be payed 426.00$ not a bad income for typing bunk (i.e. read biased)reviews. At 10 min per review (to write one)durring an eight hour day one employe can produce: 48 reviews. (multiplied by 2 for two employies will give you 96 reviews).

Lets think for a moment can these companys afford review writters....I think so and know so. be cautios of the reveiws you take to heart.

Strengths:
for the company many..for you none.

Weaknesses:
read above. my math or spelling may not be perfect but you get the idea..think about it. read reviews with your brain..dont let them tell you how to think.

Similar Products Used:
many.

Price Paid:  $0.00 from my cost

Summary:
Please people, dont listen to those that say a speaker cable must be "burnt in or Broken in" the only thing that gets broken in is your ears responding to what you physhologicaly want to hear. what you want to hear you will hear. This is not true for some audio products though speaking mostly of tube type compnents, which the sound will chenge with use and temp.

Speaker cables do not change conductive qualities with time unless it is due to oxidation ie corosion (rust)be it aluminium oxide, coper oxide or what ever oxide will be produced with you bare cables exposure to the elements, to avoid this proper terminataions must be used. along with quality dielectric, covering ect...

Strengths:
?

Weaknesses:
?

Similar Products Used:
kimber, silver serpent, DIY Cable.

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
I'll keep this brief. I used the Z1 cable for several years. The sound was not especially great but I figured for what I paid (from a reputable manufacturer) that I was getting as good as I was likely to get for what I was willing to pay.

I read an article in the April/May 2004 issue of Absolute Sound magazine. They were reviewing speaker cables from the top companies. They also reviewed a cut up extension cord from Home Depot and said it sounded quite good.

Partly just out of curiousity, I bought a 50 foot extension cord for $15 (from a competing speaker cable firm - Orchard Supply Hardware) and cut it up to make two lengths of speaker wire and hooked it up. Oh. My. God. It completely stomps and leaves for dead the Z1. The treble is louder but much, MUCH cleaner and clearer, the midrange is rich and realistic and the bass is solid and musical.

A cut up extension cord may not be the ultimate in hi-fi cable but the fact that it completely, totally blows away Monster Cable Z1 says something about the hype and value in some cable products.

I am not at all opposed to spending money on cables and other accessories. I'm using Audio Quest NR1 power cables on my DVD/CD player and my satellite box and they have been a wonderful upgrade. I am not joking about the extension cord. Do NOT waste your money on Z1. I for one will be very hesitant to upgrade speaker cable from here on out. The extension cord is so dramatically better than the Z1 I was using that I can't see spending $500 - $1000 on speaker cable for what might be no better than a frigging $15 extension cord.

Strengths:
Not completely horrible. That's about the best I can say about the Z1.

Weaknesses:
See other descriptions below - harsh treble that still lacked clarity, bloated midrange.

Price Paid:  $70.00 from A&B sound

Summary:
I purchased this cable to replace a five year old pair of ultralink Challengers. I read all the reviews and found quite a variety of opinions. I did however note that a large number of the reviews had similar complaints a common one being that these cables are too bright. Many of these complaints seemed to be from beople with speakers that I find to be bright in the first place leading me to believe that perhaps the cable used prior to the z series masked the speakers natural brightness. That in mind, I set out to try them for myself. I'm glad I did.

I must stress....these (and any cable for that matter) must be broken in.

To begin, I will say that I an enthusiast with audiophile aspirations but a hobbyist budget. My system consists of a Technics SA-DA10 reciever, A pioneer DVD-440, Mirage 760 front speaker, a PSB Stratus C-5 center channel and Stratus minis for rears. Ultralink balanced cables and power cables are used with a monster power hts-1000 for clean power.

When I first hooked these up they sounded terribly bright. Audio fatigue took a brief 10-15 minutes of listening. Soundstage and imaging seemed to be improved but bass was all but non existant, midrange muffled and highs were ear piercing. Having experienced this in other cables and equipment, I was willing to wait for break-in to complete before fully evaluating.

These cables seemed to take a long time to break in, but each time I listened, sound quality improved. I am now simply amazed.

Bass has improved substantially over the break in. My speakers now produce lower frequencies at a much higher output with tighter dynamics.

Midrange has improved significantly leading to a smooth natural sound with excellent staging.

Highs have smoothed as well, perhaps from the increased bass and mid output. Frequency respose and reaction is improved.

Overall the soundstage is wider and deeper with much more realism.

Dynamics are excellent allowing every nuance to be heard. I hear new detail in tracks I have literally heard hundreds of times. I can now here suptle differences like the plucking and tapering of a guitar string and the breaths between lyrics.

Overall I consider this cable to be an excellent value. I think on a bang per buck basis, it's the best add on I've purchased. I purchased mine in bulk so it was even better. I have only done the two main speakers, but can't wait to do the others. I would recommend them to anyone.

Try them for yourself, but break them in before you review.

Strengths:
Excellent improvements in soundstage and clarity.

Weaknesses:
None for the price.

Similar Products Used:
Ultralink Challenger 12 gauge, Radio Shack 12 gauge