Monster Cable, the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance cables, announced today its full support of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ open letter, titled “Thoughts on Music.” In it, Jobs recommends the four major international record labels eliminate digital rights management (DRM) on their music libraries.
“Monster Cable shares Mr. Jobs’ vision of breaking constraints for legal music downloads,” explained Noel Lee, The Head Monster, in the press release. “We’ve always believed in the power of music. So much so, we launched Monster Music to introduce high definition surround to the world without restrictions.”
The entertainment arm of Monster Cable, Monster Music boasts a format known as the SuperDisc, which not only contains high definition surround tracks, but DRM-free files.
Monster Music negotiated DRM-free files with Universal and their multi-platinum selling rock band 3 Doors Down to insure the consumer could enjoy the music on any player, including the Apple iPod. It worked, 3 Doors Down and Universal agreed to allow DRM-free digital music files on the SuperDisc release entitled, “Away from the Sun, Live from Houston, Texas.”
Other Monster Music SuperDiscs also feature DRM free music files, including Ray Charles’ 2004 Grammy Album of the Year, “Genius Loves Company.”
Kevin Lee, who runs Monster Music says in the press release, “DRM is a complex and political issue, but digital music compatibility is even more complicated to consumers and limiting to the industry. We are proud to support an open format and leaders like Steve Jobs who are making the efforts to get us there.”
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jim D.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
BBC columnist doesn’t believe Steve Jobs’ Apple would stop using DRM if music labels would allow it – February 12, 2007
EMI may sell entire music catalog DRM-free – February 09, 2007
Norway responds to Apple CEO Jobs’ call for DRM-free music – February 09, 2007
Recording Industry Association of America wants their DRM, calls for Apple to license FairPlay – February 08, 2007
Warner’s Middlebronfman: Jobs’ DRM-free music call ‘without logic and merit, we’ll not abandon DRM’ – February 08, 2007
Dvorak: Apple CEO Steve Jobs is dead right about DRM – February 07, 2007
Apple’s Jobs jolts music industry; Zune exec calls Jobs’ call for DRM-free music ‘irresponsible’ – February 07, 2007
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ posts rare open letter: ‘Thoughts on Music’ – calls for DRM-free music – February 06, 2007
Monster Cable presents Monster Music SuperDiscs: 320 kbps AAC surround sound for Apple iPods – December 01, 2005
WELL…now that Monster Cable has stated their opinion…I’m sure all of the music and film industries will fall into line.
Perhaps they will threaten to withhold the very cables we use to listen to this bastardized DRM music until the labels relent.
Ha. ha. .. What a political move on Monsters part… They want all of us Apple lovers to buy their overpriced cables!
Butt-kissery…the lost art
Nice. Monster Cable offers their support. Too bad they have absolutely nothing to do with music distribution! Dunk n’ Doughnuts offers their support as well, and it is just as helpful.
Unless they want to make DRM free cable or some thing. Or lower their prices on their overhyped cables.
My “MDN Magic Word” is “mean.” Ironic!
Ha. ha. .. What a political move on Monsters part… They want all of us Apple lovers to buy their overpriced cables!
mebbe so… but if more people speak out, bring more attention to this, get more people talking and more respected companies in support, isn’t it good for us.
and if you think Monster Cables are expensive you should check out cable makers like Cardas and Kimber.
PETA announced today their support for DRM free music
I think it’s great that Monster comes out in favour of the position taken by Steve Jobs.
Monster is all about providing a high quality product to their customers. I use them and they are awesome.
Apple is all about providing a high quality product to their customers. I use them and they are awesome.
Like minds after the same thing… AN AWESOME USER EXPERIENCE.
No suprise they’re on the same page.
Another shout out for Steve in the news today, this time from an Apple competitor — Yahoo! Music head David Goldberg
http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2007/02/yahoo_exec_says.php
He also notes that Microsoft’s DRM “doesn’t work half the time”.
Re: calpundit…
that’s ‘zactly what i mean. get people talking. audiophiles who aren’t Macheads might happen across the Monster article in the audio press, YahooMusic (a competitor) has a contribution. the more people talking the better.
Actually MonsterMusic is distributing music. They make High Def “superdisks” for playback in your dvd player. DRM FREE
Granted their catalog is VERY small, but still….
This is nothing big, but it is nice to add them to a list of supporters.
http://www.monstermusic.com/catalog.asp
“We are proud to support an open format and leaders like Steve Jobs who are making the efforts to get us there.”
that was enough for me, checked out their site. (never heard of them)
just purchased their “Ray Charles” super dvd
I predict a great market in Norway for Monster music and cables.
The people there want to forbid DRM and they’ve got tons of cash.
“Monster Music’s very first release was 3 Doors Down’s Away From The Sun Video SuperDisc. The band as a whole believes in brining the ultimate music experience in the homes of their fans, so we toured together to promote HDS and Monster Music.”
“…brining….”
That’s a way to cook a turkey….
My local butcher also supports DRM-free music. I think I will buy a brisket and some sausages today…to show my solidarity.
As with Apple, Monster Cable will sell just as much hardware with or without music DRM. Obviously, it is a good move on its part to take a pro-consumer stand.
Monster is good because you can return cables anytime, anywhere, for free (exchange). Lifetime. No receipt needed. THAT alone, speaks volumes.
However, they purposely alter their cables.
To wit, Monster “bass” rolls off the highs!.
More than overpriced, too. Monster “Acoustic”? $89
Try instead, Mogami,
You know, if more and more music industry insiders jumped on the anti-DRM bandwagon the movement would succeed.
iPod is thought of as the Holy Grail for digital music sellers. It’s not but they all think that it is. They think that DRM free music can be sold to millions of iPod users. The extra competition will mean higher quality music files and lower prices for all but the latest releases. The latest releases are mostly crap anyway, so no loss there.
The increased competition, lower prices and better quality files means more iPods will be sold and that is where all of the money is. Apple wins while digital music stores fight over smaller and smaller pieces of the download pie.
Oh, and without DRM, that subscription model, that only takes advantage of stupid teenagers and immature adults, will, at last, completely die out.
The PR guy at Monster should get a big bonus for the free publicity they are generating.
It’s also good to keep the topic in the press and on a positive note.
I, CEO of GMan Inc. Established 2000 B.C., agree with Sir Steve Jobs on the issue of slavery…It should be abolished.
Thank you.
Gman Founder
Good on monster. Now all they have to do is admit that their entire business is built on hype and fraud
(There is nothing special, except the price, about Monster cables. The magic frequency preserving special wire design is just snake-oil hooey, like drawing a ring with a green marker on your CD’s or spending gawdawful sums of money on tube-based iPod amps…)
there should be a tax on Monster Cable’s cables. After all, people use it to listen to pirated music.
Who of you actually BUY and USE Monster Cables?? Bad move.
I’m not suggesting that you steal them, just don’t waste your money. Please.
Monster cables for digital signals are the best IQ test we have today: if you buy them you are not smart.
REAL IT GUY – All you just proved was that you’re deaf. Good cables make a HUGE difference. – Ask ANYONE in the recording or television industries.