Mediabridge ULTRA Series Subwoofer Cable (15 Feet) - Dual Shielded with Gold Plated RCA to RCA Connectors - Black

Mediabridge Ultra Series - Dual Shielded Subwoofer Cable - RCA to RCA Gold Plated Pro Grade Connectors (both 25 Feet and 15 Feet items): Highly recommended for computer speaker use. I bought three of the 15' version and two of the 25' version of these shielded RCA male/male cables for use in a desktop computer surround sound environment, and must say I'm blown away by how great my speakers sound now! A little background: I have a fairly serious home/office setup with 2 PCs and a Mac Mini, 2 LCD screens, 1 large CRT, wireless hub, 3 printers... let's just say lots of hardware in a small space -- all with their various power cables and data wires or wireless connections. No doubt there's plenty of RFI/EMI/radiation flying around here, and it's probably contributing to my receding hairline. My custom-built oak computer desk was especially designed to hide all the wires with lots of cut-out holes and hidden cable runs, which unfortunately packs lots of cables together in sometimes pretty tight spaces. I work at home all day, listening to MP3s and talking via Skype; also there's a little light gaming some evenings. For the past 5-6 years I'd been listening to a SoundBlaster X-Fi Elite Pro with Creative Gigaworks S750 7.1 surround speakers (non-powered; amp inside subwoofer enclosure) and had been pretty happy -- until I happened across the phenom of "near field monitors" and other recording-studio-quality speakers. It was a humbling experience, walking into a music equipment store and telling the guys I thought I had a pretty decent setup and then coming to find out it doesn't even begin to hold a candle to decent setups. My Gigaworks S750 subwoofer/amp just happened to die suddenly during a lightning storm (it was actually powered down and unplugged, but I know, right?) so I decided to replace the whole speaker setup. After Googling and poring over tons of speaker reviews, I bought five KRK Rokit RPG6 speakers at the local Guitar Center because they sound good for the price (caught them on sale), they look good ("Black and yellow, black and yellow"...), and they have all three RCA, TRS, and XLR connections on the back. Plugged them in with my existing unshielded RCA cables from the Gigaworks setup and immediately got the infamous 60Hz hum and hiss. It was unbearably loud when the main computer was turned completely off, but got somewhat quieter when it was turned on and providing signal. The volume of this noise didn't vary much with changing the output volume from the sound card. So I Googled around a bit and discovered this could be caused by either a "ground loop" or interference (RFI/EMI) problem. Spent the next several days trying to figure out if I needed to invest in some heavy-duty "balanced" TRS or XLR wires and how to connect the 2-conductor RCA wires from the back of my X-Fi sound card to these 3-conductor wires. I almost had it when a couple of guys on head-fi.org suggested I try these cables instead. Long story short is these cables did the trick, in spades. Even being run right along-side lots of existing 120v, 60Hz power cables and such, there's no audible hum or hiss. These are also much cheaper than some of the brand-name competition. I didn't buy Monster cables and so can't compare, but IMHO zero noise is zero noise no matter how much you spend. Highly recommended for someone with a computer sound card and the RFI/EMI interference that goes along with typical computer installations.

I have 4 Definitive BP7002, 2 for my mains and 2 for my rears, with each containing built-in 300 Watt powered subwoofers. I already had my main speakers' LFE inputs connected to my subwoofer output (using a splitter) on my preamp using Monster M1000 cables. These cables cost me around $150/each for around 10 feet of cable but they have delivered excellent bass performance! I recently purchased a new preamp that contains 2 subwoofer outputs so I decided to buy another splitter in order to connect all four subwoofers. But I didn't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Monster subwoofer cable. Additionally, my rear speakers would require approximately 50 feet of cable. At first I was skeptical of the Mediabridge Ultra Series Dual Shielded Subwoofer Cables. They seemed too good to be true. After reading several reviews on the internet I decided to order 2 of the 50' Ultra Series Dual Shielded Subwoofer Cables for my home theater. I did have a problem with the shipment since one of the cables was the wrong cable. The label on the outside was correct but the actual cable was wrong. Not sure if this was Amazon's or Mediabridge's fault. Regardless, the correct cable was eventually delivered and I was able to connect them to my home theater. The cable quality is excellent! The connectors are well made and the cable is heavy duty. So far the sound is amazing! I honestly can't tell a difference between the bass response in my rear subwoofers versus my main subwoofers. Again, the only difference between my mains and rears is the subwoofer cable. NOTE, I think that "Shawn's" review is for Mediabridge's RG6 Series cable and not the Ultra Series Dual Shielded cable that I purchased. The Ultra Series cables have a purple stripe on the connector head and the RG6 Series cables have a green stripe around the connector head. I'm sure the RG6 cable is excellent as well but I prefer the more flexible Ultra Series cable. To see images of both cables, go to the main image on Amazon and click on the small photo underneath on the far right. This image will open and you can click on 2 more images to see the differences. The example shows only a 25' Ultra Series cable but I bought the 50' version. The problem is Amazon is selling both of these cables (RG6 and Ultra) and have the exact same header describing each cable. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME CABLE!!! Buy the cable with the purple stripe on the connector head. Overall, these cables are amazing regardless of cost! But the fact that they have a list price of $30 is incredible! And then Amazon is selling them for cheaper than that....WHAT?!?!?!?! Definitely buy these cables! **** UPDATE **** December 2012 It has now been 1.5 years since my initial review and I just wanted to provide an update. I still love my Ultra Series Dual Shielded subwoofer cables! The low frequency response is as good as my much more expensive Monster subwoofer cables that I have for my front subwoofers.

I like Mediabridge products. Quality feel and function, no cheap feel, nice ends, yet doesn't break the bank. Their banana plug ends are sweet!!! Cables fully functional and I have no complaints, in this price range, or the sonic capacity of their hooks in this price range. Yes, to a point of diminishing return, better cables/hooks can allow the transfer of better signals but you spend mightily for that small incremental increase in realized, audible audio improvement. I have some of those hooks and they sound good. But they cannot make the sound BETTER than the source. Mine are hooked to $10,000 McIntosh components, and no the Mediabridge cannot compare. But you can afford the Mediabridge and still have quality likely higher than the big box stores sell that claim to be Best. Best I can tell they use all copper wire. This is good cause some don't, including some speaker wire so beware. You don't want that stuff. Higher impedance and greater signal loss. No thanks. Real copper and OFC is the only way to go. (Unless you can afford silver wire.) You think you can hear a BIG difference between $300 hooks compared to these, and have the disposable cash, then buy those. Be happy. Sleep good. Some CAN hear the difference, me one of them. A lot depends on your speakers there, too. :) Want to transfer a quality signal on a budget, try Mediabridge products. This is their niche. I like em and my main system is McIntosh. I use different cables for that, but the cost is waaaaaaay different.

It's a basic subwoofer cable. It's exactly as described, so far as I can see by visual inspection (I didn't cut it open to check the various layers) and looks exactly like the pictures. Some things to note: - The cable is very thick due to the two layers of shielding, the outer layer being copper and the inner layer aluminum. Combine this with the PVC cover, and it's a very sturdy cable. There is a cost to this in that it isn't highly flexible. You aren't going to be getting 90 degree turns from this, so plan accordingly. - The build quality of the connectors is excellent. A basic RCA connector has a single pin in the middle and four fins in a circle around the edge. The Mediabridge cable improves on this basic design in a couple of important ways. First, the center pin has been split down the middle. Why would this matter? It's because with the pin split, the two sides compress when the cable is inserted, creating active pressure on the inside of the port. The outer portion is also a single piece that has been cut into eight angled fins and is significantly thicker than a cheap basic cable. This makes for a stronger grip on the outer surface of the port and reduces the effect of the connector losing grip strength over time. This results in the connector putting pressure onto the port both from the inside and outside, in effect squeezing it from both sides, as opposed to a basic cable that grips from the exterior only. It does make insertion require a bit more force, but the result is a connection that is unlikely to vibrate out of the subwoofer port. - It's gold plated. Gold is the second best metal conductor of electricity (after silver), about even with copper. Gold plating is used on connectors because it's an excellent conductor, and more corrosion resistant than silver or copper. The conductivity is actually the less important aspect here, as the steel that is being coated with gold would be perfectly adequate to provide a connection. The cable is carrying information, not power (like speaker wire) so there's no practicable difference between an adequate connection and a perfect one. The corrosion resistance is the important part - gold plated connectors don't rust like steel or tarnish like copper, both of which lower the conductivity over time. Zinc would also work for corrosion resistance, but it's less conductive than gold is. In short, anything more conductive would corrode with time, and anything with the same corrosion resistance isn't as good a conductor. Gold can also be applied in a very thin coat and still retain the corrosion resistance property, making it economical as well. - It's double insulated and magnetically shielded. As the pictures show, there are five layers to this cable. The part carrying the signal is a relatively thin copper strand in the middle. Unlike with speaker wire, thicker isn't better because the cable is carrying information, not conducting power, which is supplied by the subwoofer, so you don't need a very thick cable. That strand is covered with a layer of foam dialectric insulation, followed by an aluminum mylar sheath, a copper sheath, and finally the PVC outer cover. The copper sheath provides magnetic shielding from the large magnet in the sub, the fields produced by the receiver, static electricity, and any signals the cable might otherwise pick up from the environment. All of these are picked up by the copper sheath, preventing them from getting to the cable carrying the signal. This shielding effectively creates a faraday cage for your entire cable. The alumnum mylar layer inside of that is highly reflective of any sort of electromagnetic radiation, which includes radio waves, heat, and all of those signals sent out by remotes and other wireless devices. The dialectric foam insulates the aluminum and copper layers from the inner, signal carrying copper strand. The effect is that you have a layer of physical insulation, magnetic insulation, electromagnetic insulation, and another layer of physical magnetic insulation. This cable will not transfer or pick up any signal other than the one coming from your receiver. It's overkill in the protection department, four layers of protection, probably more than most people would ever need, but it's only $10 for the 15 foot cable, so it's not like you're throwing away money on protection you don't need. It's better to have it and not need it than the other way around. The packaging was excellent, a simple cardboard box with a coiled cable inside. Easier to open and better protection from damage is a win-win over plastic clamshells. My only regret is that I ordered a 15 foot cable when 8 feet would have been enough. Hooking it up is a snap - plug one end (it doesn't matter which one) into the subwoofer out on the receiver (a Denon AVR S700W 7.2 network receiver), plug the other into the LFE input on the subwoofer LFE input, making sure both are well seated, and you're done. You can also use the left input if your sub doesn't have a dedicated LFE input and get the same effect. I believe Mediabridge also sells a similar cable with a Y splitter for those with right and left inputs as well, but LFE out to the left input works for most subwoofers just fine.

I recently purchased the Mediabridge ULTRA Series Subwoofer Cable, and I must say it's been a reliable addition to my home audio setup. Overall, I'm very pleased with the quality of the cable – it's well-built, and the dual-shielded design provides excellent resistance to electromagnetic interference. The gold-plated RCA connectors are also a nice touch, making it easy to connect my devices without worrying about signal loss. In use, I've noticed a clear and noticeable improvement in sound quality, particularly with bass tones. My only minor gripe is the slightly stiffer-than-expected cable, which can make it a bit tricky to store when not in use. That being said, it's a minor quibble, and for the price, this cable has been a solid performer. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and effective subwoofer cable.

I give it 5 stars because it does work great and the ends feel and appear high quality. Pros: -RG6 is well shielded for this application. -Ends are snugg so they will not fall off or easily pull off, but they are also not tight where it takes a lot of effort either. -Price is good for 50ft but that is because you are getting RG6 coax with ends installed Cons: -RG6 because Coax is not very flexible so bending radius is large. -Because of large bending radius, you may need a 90 degree adapter for the ends to your sub and amp. -Has ends that are not molded to the cable. Which is fine if they do not get a lot of movement or stress. Which is the case for Subs and Amps. -Price, I mention this in the Cons section as well because RG6 can be very cheap, so I wonder if I should have just bought ends and the tool and made my own custom length cable since I have high quality RG6 cable spools at home. I still stand by the 5 stars though because the ends are high quality, packaged cleanly, good Amazon pics and description, and fast shipping via Prime which I needed. I have included pics to compare the 25ft cable Mediabridge sells here and the 50ft cable of this review. Notice the much tighter radius you can get with non-Coax of the 25ft. Though I wonder if this TSC-T10 RG6 is really shielded with copper like they show in the photo. All RG6 I have even seen is shielded with Aluminum and the copper core is often steel with a copper coating. And all descriptions of TSC-T10 RG6 also said Aluminum shielding. Though it is double shielded and the quality is plenty for low level voltage and audio frequencies. So it's not a big deal. But I think some people would want to know these details before purchasing. I am using this cable to add a 2nd Sub, so I am using a Y adapter (Also by Mediabridge, very nice as well) which is flexible enough to not need a 90 degree adapter behind my receiver. I am using a 90 degree adapter behind both subs regardless of space for a clean install.

I’ve had this for several months with no issues. Super high quality cable. No issues with sound or hiding behind entertainment center.

Very good sound no hissing or loss of sound.