Fake cables, how to identify them?

Have been browsing thru over the websites for cables but how to make sure I'm getting the original ones? Anyone could tell the difference? Mind to share your kind experiences?

This is not an easy one to detect from outlook, touch and feel alone and it's a damn nuisance of a problem. I guess for power cables and interconnects you'll have to remove the connectors for a peek into the cable innards. There have been cases where the conductor wires inside show corrosion and bad soldering and such. But it may not be so easy to spot everytime.

Even buying from ebay is a risk these days as there was a batch of fake power cords by a premium brand at unbelievable prices. Seller from the emerging side of the world. Prime victims of faking include Van Den Hul, Audioquest, Monster, PS Audio to name a few primary targets. Looks, packaged, feels and even smells like the real thing!

The best way to safeguard yourself from fakes is to pay the premium and buy from appointed dealers.

ya, you're right bimmerman. too many fake ones floated into the market and we poor consumer ended up might pay the premium price but getting fake products from non-dealer sellers.. technology has become more advanced in faking even the outlook is exactly the same as the original.

From my experience as Monster cable sellers, I can advise on your fake Monster cables.

Try to avoid models like M1000HD, 1000HD, M2000HD HDMI cables selling at below RM200. These are the main culprit models where it is selling like hot cake.

You can go to this china website for fake cables:

Go to this site and you can buy fake Monster 1000HD for USD10 only.
http://www.diytrade.com/china/4/products/4779505/Monster_HDMI_1000HD_Ultra-High_Speed_HDMI_Cable_2_meters.html

Go to this site and you can buy fake Monster M1000HD for USD12 only.
http://www.gingdom.com/goods-190.html

Go to this site and you can buy fake Monster M2000HD for USD23 only.
http://www.dhgate.com/5pcs-mseries-monster-cable-m2000hd-hdmi-2/p-ff8080812640a2f601264f4f32055784.html

From this website you can gauge which model is popular for fakes. Just avoid it. Even now the Monster headphones are already in counterfeit productions.

So avoid sellers who only sell this high risk counterfeit cables only.
I can only advise you on Monster cables.

Maybe other brand sellers can advise us.

thanks DigiTech for the info! Really helpful to me. Anyway, I have a very bad view on monster cable due to too many counterfeits in the market. Too hard to get a real Monster now a day
It is good to share with everyone here to help all the original supporters who really hunting for quality at an affordable price. Anyone can share their knowledge or experience on any fake cables are welcome here!

I once came across a pair of Audioquest interconnects retailing at US1800 going for US60 on ebay. Surely it cannot be original right.I have to say from the photos it looks good as real.The seller is from Hong Kong. Well done Chinamen, they have done it again.

I hope the transparent power is not fake, ongaaron

fake transparent? wah... what else is not fake out there? fake eggs, fake cables, fake speakers hope next one is not fake human.

Trust China to fake just about anything!

Well the faking of products has enabled them to acquire "Volvo" automobile and they are manufacturing their own cars.

Now by them acquiring foreign own companies they would be able to "tech transfer" some of these technologies and build their own which may be within reach for most.

Give them another few years and they would be somewhat similar to Japan or I could be wrong.

They took the bold and drastic approach and are reaping the rewards.

cheers

China has overtook Japan as the 2nd biggest economy.

They need to fake to be at this position.

Loads of Audioquest Sky, Niagara, Colorado and Columbia sold on ebay by Hong Kong/China based "power sellers" at a fraction of the price of the real deal. When you see the number of transactions they have done, then you realise how many people have been duped.

If the price is too good to be true and the seller is from Hong Kong/China, you better make sure all those alarm bells are sounding in your head.

Or these are purchased and re-sold to some poor un-suspecting soul at a huge profit back home....

cheers

DigitalTech wrote:China has overtook Japan as the 2nd biggest economy.

They need to fake to be at this position.

Sorry, just could not totally on your last statement.

China is growing fast and with 1.3billion people, it is indeed a economy powerhouse to say the least. Every manufacturers, companies and nation want a piece of the cake.

With its emerging middle income group, I am not surprised that it'll overtake the weakening USA in another 2 decades or less.

There are many manufacturers who has production facilities in China in terms of cost cutting and logistic since Asia economy is a segment that could not be ignored.

Many renowned and reputable loudspeakers companies, cables companies, etc have its plants in China while some are doing outsourcing there.

For its ability to rise to such a level within such a short term is indeed admirable. We are nowhere near them even many many years ago.

People claim its fake but come to think of it "the production" has been "outsourced". So its a genuine business deal.

And some competitors have labeled them as "Fake" to increase their prooduct sale.

What ever happens lots of products are made affordable to the middle segment of the consumer market.

cheers

wingman wrote:People claim its fake but come to think of it "the production" has been "outsourced". So its a genuine business deal.

And some competitors have labeled them as "Fake" to increase their prooduct sale.

What ever happens lots of products are made affordable to the middle segment of the consumer market.

cheers

but will the quality remains? that's the question..

Dear Khoo,
Bought item from Solleha ( yes...the famous member) about a year ago. So far she sold a lot of items on net and i have not heard any complaint or accusation.

I once saw a fake Rolls Royce....yes Rolls Royce on the road in Shanghai. Engine was running pretty smooth though and the rims were actually better looking than the original ones. If they can fake cars...hifi equipment is only a walk in the park.

If possible buy the cheap cable and try with the original. The original cable suppose to give more detail, better midrange, controlled bass, speed and etc,etc.

But if you can't tell the difference then settle for the fake because

One is fake and the other is fraud.

Always trust your ears.

p.s. I believe in cables. It is just that I don't trust my ears.

guess there will no solution on this except keep buying and keep listening (be it real or fake) until you have satisfied with the sounds. really lost in this faking world man

guess there will be no solution on this except keep buying and keep listening (be it real or fake) until you have satisfied with the sounds. really lost in this faking world man

ivan.wong wrote:

wingman wrote:People claim its fake but come to think of it "the production" has been "outsourced". So its a genuine business deal.

And some competitors have labeled them as "Fake" to increase their prooduct sale.

What ever happens lots of products are made affordable to the middle segment of the consumer market.

cheers

but will the quality remains? that's the question..

Thats why, I DIY my own interconnects cable using signal cable and the Sound quality suits me fine. ( this is just on cables ) And some of these cables are priced beyond my reach.....so the DIY route was a better alternative

But if its an active equipment from the emerging market I would invest, especially on the Tube AMPS.

In terms of quality, there would be a stringent "Q" control from the parent company, an example would be your DELL computer or some electronic part of your car or TV.

As i believe give them time and they would be on PAR or better and the have surpassed Japan.

cheers

If they tell me: "look, this is good quality replica", then it's fine. But it's a definite no no if they say "this is original" no matter how good the replica is.

its hard to differentiate as even some local dealers tends to buy fake to make heaps of profits. so whats left?

left only consumers like us