Customer Reviews

Monster ULT I1000FO-4 Ultra 1000 Toslink Fiber Optic Audio Cable (4 feet)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I got one of these for $16.97, on clearance at Radio Shack (from $69.99). At this price, it was worth it, but I could never pay $50 for one. Best bet is to get a used or open-box one from a place like Ebay, for much less.

I find no difference between this Monster Optical cable and the ones my wife picked up for me at Target (I think they were Sony). Point being it is an Optical cable made of fiber optics. For these short runs, a cable is a cable is a cable, if it passes light - it works. Unlike copper where conductivity matters and the many technologies behind wire twists, oxygen free copper, and so on, an Optical cable is simply a piece of silicon wrapped in fancy sheathing, good packaging and aesthetically pleasing colors. If it passes light - it works.

Point being is that this cable did what it was supposed to do - it passed light transmission from one piece of A/V gear to another and does its job well. One major issue I did have was the connector end stays in the unit if I unplug it, I have to reassemble the cable/connector before inserting it again, otherwise it works just fine.

Did not purchase this on Amazon, saw it on a electronics store website for $9.00 bucks plus shipping, thought what the heck.

Price is back up there, and I don't really know why they were so cheap, they came brand new/sealed etc. Quality seems great, the connectors is on some type of spring, as you can move it slightly back and forth, seems pretty high tech, even if it doesn't do anything, but I don't know.

The jacket material is a very firm mesh type, not sure what's it's called, but not your typical plenum or PVC. All in all construction seems really nice on this cable, connector tips look very nice.

Again, I wouldn't pay full price for this, and that's not to say they might not be worth it, but I know for a fact I do NOT have the hear to honestly say I can hear a difference between this and a regular old belkin/wirelogic/phillips etc Fiber Optic Cable. But this one looks much cooler, and construction IS top notch.

Here's the deal folks. You cannot make a digital signal "better." Either the signal gets through, or it doesn't. Either the cable works, or it doesn't. Monster Cable, purveyors of ludicrously overpriced audio/video accesories designed to capatilize upon the naivete of buyers and the rampant superstition in audio/videophile circles, apparently saw fit to create not just one line of overpriced digital optical cables, but to make two different versions: Monster "Standard" and Monster "Ultra." "Ultra" of course, costs more than twice as much as the "Standard," but the kicker is that THEY BOTH WORK EXACTLY THE SAME. You will not notice a difference between them.

Those 1s and 0s going through a digital cable either get through or not at all, contrary to what Monster Cable would have you believe. I can imagine Monster Cable telling us that the 1s, with their sharp, angular edges, have a harder time flowing through the cable than the rounded 0s, and that the only solution is their own, speciality brand cable. Buy your digital cable elsewhere and avoid these clowns.

Not sure how much better it is sound wise than other monster cables but definitely more secure and feels much sturdier.

I purchased this to replace some basic analog audio cables running from my blu-ray player to my receiver. The difference in the fidelity of the sound was extreme. With my electronics background I can say this sounds pretty much like any other optical cable. However, I chose to spend a few extra bucks to get a product that has excellent overall build quality.

These are digital cables. To get to the point, digital means all or nothing, no in between. Therefore a pair of these for 16 bucks have the same performance as these:

http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-FOCAB6FT-Optical-Cable/dp/B0002MQGOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263525703&sr=8-1

for $0.01

If you read anyone who says these beat the cheaper ones are either smoking the good stuff or working for Monster cable company...or both.

Sound quality is good, but the connector has too tight of a connection. Every time I pull this cable out of the back of my receiver, the plastic connector disconnects from the cable and stays in my receiver. Not worth the money unless you really like the sound of Monster cables and don't plan on disconnecting the cable regularly.

What exactly is a fiber optic cable? It transports sound using a digital signal. In fiber optics, light is used to transport this digital data. The digital signal is made up of 1 and 0. 1 being light, 0 being no light.

I recommend using the Monster Standard Cables and always will. But there Ultra line is a little overpriced.

So how should I decide between buying a "high end" fiber optic cable and an ok one. Well, the fact that it is triple the cost of this cable kind of gets me. I purchased a top of the line, Monster Cable THX Ultra 1000, that was really expensive. The Ultra 1000 is more durable, and uses higher quality materials that transport the light more efficently. Yea it did sound slightly better. But if you plan on using it for a CD player or a cheaper surround sound system, you won't need the really expensive stuff. The cheapre monster line does perfectly well. But even for me, I ended up returing the Ultra 1000. Why you ask? The quality didn't meet the price. Its not worth it unless you plan on building a top of the line home theater that you plan to use every day. For most people, the cheaper monster cables will be more than enough of an improvement that they'll notice the difference and be happy enough.

Overall, I gave this Monster Standard cable a 2 because it is overpriced for the quality. If you plan on spending this much, I recommend that you just purchase a professional cable.

Notes for new users of these cables:

- Make sure your DVD player or Cable/Satallite reciever has the fiber optic output, as a lot of the cheaper ones don't.

- Pull off the plastic protective coverings on each end of the fiber optic cables. These are there to protect the cable during transit/storage.

- Be careful not to bend the cables around too much or strtch them to meet the distance you want them to reach. Buy a longer one if you need to.

- If the black coating on the cable gets striped a bit, consider buying a new cable, as the damage allows light to seep out, thus, distoring the quiality.

© 2005 - David Chen - All Right's Reserved

For those of us that have older receivers without HDMI inputs this is the way you want to connect your HD sources! I'll agree that Monster overcharges for most of their cables, but when it comes to optical cables Monster is the one you want! Monster has been making excellent optical cables for ages, why buy cheap optical cables?