Price Paid:  $12.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
About 10 minutes into watching one of our favorite DVD's (The Fifth Element)for the hundredth time, my wife asked if this was our copy or a upgraded version? When I told her that I had bought some new connectors and that it was our copy she was thrilled. "This is what DVD is suppose to look like!", she commented. I don't know of a better endorsement of a product, then when someone unaware of a change in the system, notices a improvement. Equipment: 32" Panasonic Television Toshiba "Coldstream" DVD

Strengths:
No brain purchase for those who are using stock interconnects or looking for some nice cables on the cheap.

Weaknesses:
RCA Plugs are a tight fit so care must be taken when removing them.

Similar Products Used:
Stock interconnects.

Price Paid:  $20.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
Bought these on a lark, just to see what would happen. Compared them to the Sony gold-tipped set that came with my old VCR, the OEM cables that came with my Panasonic VCR and Toshiba DVD players, and some similar cables from AR, Monster, and Kimber Illuminations. First, the Monsters (from $15 to $90) are no competition, period, from low-end to high-end (they're uniformally awful). The RS cables were better than any of the Monsters. But AR's cables were a big improvement over the RS, and so was my Sony set. The generic Panasonic and Toshiba cables revealed no difference whatsoever with the RS set. Conclusion: if you're already using the a-v cables that came with your equipment, the Radio Shack product performs exactly the same, but the construction isn't as good (RS uses cheapo pseudo-"gold" connectors and sloppy solder work). RS, of course, is no match for the $175-plus Kimber cables. Anyone who thinks they can hear, see, or smell any differences between Radio Shack stuff and the stuff that came free with their equipment is seeing/hearing/smelling something that somehow escapes most of us. After 40 years of browsing thru Radio Shack gear, I have never experienced any advantage in their over-priced, over-hyped product line. This product is no exception.

Strengths:
None.

Weaknesses:
Cheap construction.

Similar Products Used:
Generic Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba cables. Various Monster Cable a-v sets (ugh!). AR Audio-Vidio Pro Kimber Illuminations video + digital.

Price Paid:  $45.00 from The Shack

Summary:
I will admit straight out, I am very picky when it comes to home theatre and audio. My Team compared RS S-video Gold Cables & Speaker Wire VS. Monster head to head in picture and sound quality on my system. The consensus, there was "NO", I repeat "NO" difference between the performance of the two brands. I believe the ONLY difference is in the quality of cable that monster manufactures, sure Monster has nice looking and high quality products, their cables have a lot of insulation and foiling, where as RS Doesn''t. But Monster''s claim is, with out the insulation and foiling you get more electronic feedback, static if you will, Hey I didn''t hear any such noises from the RS cables. The Picture Quality looked identical, the Sound Quality sounded identical. MY System: Sony Wega 32" XBR TV Sony STR-DE675 Receiver Sony DVP-NS400D DVD Player Sony SLV-N71 VCR Sony PS2 Sony (5) SS-V811ED Satellite Speakers Sony SA-WM40 Subwoofer Note: The outcome of this review may not be the same with differing component brands, and speaker sizes, please give an update if you have concluded something differently.

Strengths:
Good Overall Value.

Weaknesses:
The connections are tight.

Similar Products Used:
"Highly Over Rated" Monster.

Price Paid:  $20.00 from radio shack

Summary:
I originally bought $200 worth of Monster to hook up my new Kenwood HTB504 htib system. Then, I thought, wonder if RS has any cables cheap? Sure enough. Had every cable I needed at less than half the cost. S Video, Digital Audio, heavy speaker wire.

System sounds like a million bucks. Saved a ton! For the budget minded, Get to the Shack!

Strengths:
price, quality

Weaknesses:
no color options

Similar Products Used:
Monster

Price Paid:  $5.00 from The Shack

Summary:
My freind at the shack told me about these cables just before they discontinued them. He and I grabbed up all the inventory we could in the Central Florida area. Even at their retail price of $19.99 they were a great buy, but just before they discontinued the line, they lowered the price to only $4.99. The only thing I didn't like about them was that they only came in 3 meter sizes. While they might not be of the same quality of the high-end cable manufacturers, they are very competent cables...and at the price, they were unbeatable. I too, used Monsters MK cables, but the price for a 3 meter pair was something like $60.00. While I can't say that the RS cables outperform any of the esotheric brands, I can say that the RS cables either sounded the same or better than the Monsters I had. And for $4.99, it was a no brainer. What I can't understand are some of the posters here who have the desire to belittle those of us who were lucky enough to pay less than $10.00 for cable that we obviously like. I guess these so-called audiophiles have to redicule others so they can continue to justify the hundreds of dollars they've spent on the esotheric brands. In my case, I was able to save hundreds of dollars and put that savings into other areas of my system that have a much more direct influence on the sound quality...other than cables...IMHO.

Strengths:
For the price, this cable couldn't be beat. Solid interconnect, directional and good insulation.

Weaknesses:
Besides pissing off audiophiles because of the cheap price...Radio Shack dicontinued selling them a couple years ago.

Similar Products Used:
Monster, audioquest