I just purchased a Sony [HT-DDW750] Home Theater System which connects with my 27" two year old JVC TV and Toshiba DVD [el cheapo model]. The price was right at $299.00 for the Sony. I am not big on DVD's, CD's, nor is my room great for surround. But, I like what I hear, so far. I am getting a better TV sound, but only the woofer comes in with it's beat, beat and sound from two of the five other speakers. I can push a button for music which causes too many sounds and seems to engage all of the speakers.

My question: I purchased a $39.00 Monster Cable for the connection between the DVD and the amplifier [Sony] which I have not installed as there was a "Coaxial digital cord (supplied)", and that is what I installed. The monster is still in the wraper.

My "home theater" does not have those speakers located as they should be? Ninty percent of the time the input and output to all of this will be plain old non digital cable TV and that is what I really want to enhance.

To me a buck is a buck. Do I really need that one $39.00 Monster Cable while the other cables are plain old RCA type wires, etc. ?
Remember there was a plain vanilla coaxial in the Sony box.

Jim, Mr. Lee's deceptive sales pitches notwithstanding, nobody needs a monster cable. It works just as well as the one that came in the box, but at a rip-off price. Save your money.

What a great site this must be. It was easy to join, to post and then JohnK was alert and ready to give me some help.

I would agree. Unless you're playing with really high-end gear, stick with the standard cables.

Hell, even if you're playing with high end gear, stick with the standard cables, as long as they're well put together (solid soldering, etc.)

Most standard cables (the ones that come free with your new cd player, etc) are fairly shoddy. I'm certainly not urging anyone to go out and buy a $200 cable - but a step up from the freebies isn't out of the question if you've just dumped $1000 on a dvd player.

Isn't this cable thing on that forbidden list in one of those other threads

I'll agree with that.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again (but I think I'm also one of the few DIY'ers on this board) ... building your own can be fun and extremely economical.

You can buy fantastic cable from any local place that sells professional microphone cable - that, coupled with some good $.35 connectors and some solder make cables that are exactly the length you want, plus you get to feel that it is "yours."

I am admittedly a huge cheapskate - but I really think this idea holds water. The cable that I use is Canare star-quad cable, which is VERY well renowned for repelling external RFI.

Well... enough of that, I suppose.

Jim,

So, when are you going to upgrade with the Axiom speakers?

I appreciate all of the replies. I really didn't go "high tech". I just wanted to get better sound out of the TV, DVD, VCR and some CD's I make on my computer.

I purchased a $284.00 Sony Home Theater that has an amplifier five speakers and I use my own dvd, so I didn't feel like one cable replacement at $40.00 would mean that much. Basically, you guys agreed. I returned the monster, unopened.

Now, I can have fun in trying to figure out how to use theamplifier.

I have some limitations on equiment as our den is not large and my wife doesn't like to see this type of hardware outside of the amoir. You would probably agree with her if you could see the mess of my computer room.

I would not waste your money on Monster. If you are looking for a fairly inexpensive but great upgrade, look to Belden or Canare wire. I opted for Canare for its slightly better but stiffer wire. So its up to you on what fits your aplication best. All my Component was changed to Canare. Good luck!

Um... For no-BS, down-to-the-earth, super-reliable (supposedly) cables, don't forget the Axiom.