Posted on 04/15/2008 11:46:53 AM PDT by dickmc
Not long ago we reported that Monster Cable had issued a cease and desist letter to Blue Jeans Cable about their Tartan cables. Little did the lawyer drones over at Monster know that Kurt Denke, the president of Blue Jeans was, in a former life, a lawyer by trade. Oops! Someone pushed around the wrong "small" company! While we are no legal experts, we recognize humor when we see it. And this is funny. With Blue Jeans Cable's permission, we've included their full response to Monster's letter below. Kurt wants to keep this entire process completely open to the public and we're more than happy to oblige. Enjoy
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I hear you. It's just frustrating because I live in a rural community with few choices and when I need something same day and drive to the only box store within 30 miles and the only cable choice I have is Monster Cable I curse the store and Monster Cable.
I know I am very lucky that this is one of my problems. Everyone should have such problems. My only point was that I perceive Monster Cable as a bully. I only give them money when it is my second to last choice. I feel like the kids at Woodstock II paying $$$$ for a bottle for water. Unlike the kids at Woodstock II I do not destroy property to vent.
Gentle?
I heard that slap way over here. :)
"True audiophiles" know this. Wannabe audiophiles throw away money needlessly on overpriced cables.
And that’s totally stupid. It’s reasonable to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on cable ... when it’s low-loss microwave cable used in the 20 GHz and above frequency range. The idea that 20 kHz or even 100 kHz signals give a damn about conductor geometry, transmission line impedance, the orientation of copper grains, etc, is just so much BS. The frequency is a million times lower, and the audio cables are even more expensive than good microwave coax. It’s like paying $1000 for a bottle of water, because the $100 bottles of water leave you unsatisfied (to say nothing of distilled water, $1.39/gallon at King Soopers).
It’s nothing more than charging ignorant people money for their vanity. (Which, come to think of it, might be a good thing.)
LOL!
Prices add up quickly when you’re paying $250/hr for an associate and $500/hr for a partner. And those are low numbers.
It's billable time and costs, like research. It wouldn't be paying any court fees for this, at least not right away. I'm guessing a $250/hr associate and a $500/hr partner. Depending on the market, those numbers could be a lot higher. If he gets a small shop to do the work, the numbers could be lower.
The trouble is, though, that $15-20k is the tip of the iceberg as far as litigation goes. Remember, this is just one piece of the litigation--even if he wins this, he's still got a long road to hoe.
I really don't know who's right in this fight; maybe Monster does try and intimidate its competitors out of business and that would certainly suck. However, on the other hand, I feel like this guy is definitely blowing a lot of hot air, and as I said before, it's easy to spend money when it's someone else's checkbook.
__ That’s like saying if you pay 50 dollars for bottle of water and drink it that it’s worth it.
Correct. What's your point?
This guy is good.
My point is that water is NOT worth 50 dollars a bottle and monster cables are NOT worth 100-150 dollars just because they work.
Blue Jean and Monoprice cables are 5-10 dollars and they work too. The water from my faucet cost pennies and it “works”.
Maybe I’m missing your point.
You are correct: things are not worth a certain price because they work or someone merely says they a worth a certain amount. They are worth the price because someone voluntarily paid the asked amount. It is why your services, whatever you do for a living, are worth what you are paid. This is basic price theory.
I understand price theory. Would you like to buy some of my 100 dollar toothpicks? they work well.
If you would like to defend the indefensible by saying whatever anyone can charge is “worth” it than fine. I would prefer to expose every snake-oil sales tactic in the world, the monster’s the bose’s, the clinton’s, etc.
If people buy monster cables we let the terrorists win.
Why on earth are you buying the expensive cables if the cheap ones work just as well?
Why on earth are you buying the expensive cables if the cheap ones work just as well?
__
Are you just a contrarian? Show me where I said I’m buying monster cables, no where. You are the one suggesting it’s OK to spend 150 dollars on a 5 dollar product, not me.
Why on earth did you infer that it was ok that people used monster products even though there was a viable alternative at the fraction of the cost, implying that if monster could get away with it, it’s no problem to you.
Many consumers don’t know about blue jean or monoprice cables, go to best buy or circuit city, etc. and monster is your ONLY option and the idiot reps will tell you why you should buy monster and only monster.
Your initial comment was trite and ill-informed and now you are becoming increasingly ridiculous and argumentative on each successive post, re-directing and intentionally misrepresenting what I said. In short, you’re acting like a deconstructionist liberal. Enough already.
You say it’s ok to spend 150 on a piece of wire if you can get away with it.
I just wanted to let YOU and others know that you could save plenty of your hard earned money by getting cables elsewhere, sorry if this offends you and makes you want to pick a fight.
But he'll tell you that Monster is always crap. That didn't used to be so, but the company got sold and today the brand name is the main asset--not the quality of the product itself.
Very, very enjoyable.
There are guitarists who pay 5000,10000,20000 dollars for a guitar when usable guitars can be purchased now for as low as $99. Matter of choice. Sounds to me like monster has produced a superior product which is more expensive to produce than the typical cable, but savvy businesses are coming up with lower cost alternatives. You appear to be new to free market concepts. I suggest 'Economics in One Lesson' by Hazlitt to get you started.
There are guitarists who pay 5000,10000,20000 dollars for a guitar when usable guitars can be purchased now for as low as $99. Matter of choice. Sounds to me like monster has produced a superior product which is more expensive to produce than the typical cable, but savvy businesses are coming up with lower cost alternatives. You appear to be new to free market concepts. I suggest ‘Economics in One Lesson’ by Hazlitt to get you started.
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The product in question is monster.
“Sounds like to me monster has produced a superior product....”
Well, you’re wrong in your assumption. Monster is a rip-off.
“You appear to be new to free market concepts”
YOU APPEAR TO BE A POMPOUS ASS!!!
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