[Exocer]

Well,
Let me start by saying I always feared my system would suffer the common consequences of being unprotected. I have all of my equipment plugged into the same power bar, nothing that does any type of AC conditioning. My pro amps are fortunately seperate from the rest of my AV equipment however.

Do you guys/gals use power conditioners? I've read a few reports of people mentioning an improvement in sound quality as a result of adding a device that filters AC and feeds devices "clean" power. Please don't shoot me for saying such things :coocoo:

If so, which conditioners would you recommend that don't break the bank?

The Monster Pro 2500 PowerCenter Power Conditioner looks pretty decent from a specs standpoint, but the reviews are limited, and it only has two ports for "high current" applications, which would leave one of my pro-amps out in the cold.

any suggestions?

 

[tonyvdb]

The debate over this has been going on for years. Here is my .02c worth.

Local power grids throughout North America are maintained at different standards and depending on your location you may need to be more concerned then in other areas. In highly populated areas where brownouts and surges are common and where grids are old and dated a power conditioner is a very good idea. Lightning strikes cause alot of damage and if your in an area **** to them a conditioner/surge protector is also a good idea. That said there are products available that offer great bang for buck and Monster is NOT one of them.
A simple way is to buy a Trip-Lite "Isobar" I have 4 of them and have never had an issue they have noise filters and surge protection including a guarantee that if anything is damaged that has been plugged into one they will replace it.

Another route is to buy a UPS as they automatically filter and correct line voltage. The downside is that in order to get one large enough for an entire system like you have protected you would need a fairly large one and they can get pricey.

 

[eugovector]

Monster power conditioners have horrible specs for the money, when they publish them. I find that Tripp Lite has better specs for about half the cost.

That being said, I wouldn't spend more than $100 on a power strip. I got this Tripp Lite for about $75 on sale: http://www.tripplite.com/EN/products/model.cfm?txtSeriesID=73&EID=14382&txtModelID=2812

There was no tangible improvement in sound or video quality, only my peace of mind. If you are looking for a sound/video improvement, take your surge protector money and put it towards better speakers, Blu-ray rentals, or a calibration DVD.

 

[salvasol]

Another route is to buy a UPS as they automatically filter and correct line voltage. The downside is that in order to get one large enough for an entire system like you have protected you would need a fairly large one and they can get pricey.

I agree with Tony, I got one of this at Costco ($99), but here is some more if you want to take a look :T

 

[eugovector]

I agree with Tony, I got one of this at Costco ($99), but here is some more if you want to take a look :T

Unfortunately, that first example has been updated and is now back up to $200, but check ebay. You may be able to score something that will work nicely.

 

[lcaillo]

You can find my views on the matter here:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...information/15037-protecting-your-system.html

 

[Exocer]

Thank you all for the useful insight/advice.
lcaillo, your thread was full of useful information as well.

Looks like the HTPowerbar10 is in my future. Shopping around, it can still be had for well under $200.

As soon as it arrives my thoughts and opinions will be posted here. Thanks again all!

 

[lcaillo]

I would love to hear more opinions on the matter. While my views are pretty strong on these issues, they are not definitive. It would be great to see some objective measurements of some of the claims of power conditioners as well as some discussion of the priorities and benefits of some of the items that we end up actually using.

 

[eugovector]

Thank you all for the useful insight/advice.
lcaillo, your thread was full of useful information as well.

Looks like the HTPowerbar10 is in my future. Shopping around, it can still be had for well under $200.

As soon as it arrives my thoughts and opinions will be posted here. Thanks again all!

Just google and ebay, you should be able to get the HTPowerbar10 for under $100.

 

[chadci]

I've been using the Monster Pro Power 900 for roughly 1 year, never had an issue
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Monster-PowerCenter-Clean-Power-Circuitry/dp/B000NJD5TG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1233552660&sr=8-1[/ame]

 

[imbeaujp]

Hello,

I have the Rotel RLC-1040 running on a dedicated circuit, plus other circuits for sub amps

It is more important to have a dedicated electric circuits for your HT and a good ground.

 

[Xyst]

I picked up an APC h15 at closeout price a couple weeks ago for peace of mind. I liked the thought of power conditioning as well as the voltage regulation since I'm in an apartment complex with inconsistant power. Mainly though I wanted the extra protection on my equipment in case of a power spike, etc. I had a THX certified AVR and to be honest there wasn't a difference in sound quality, I did not notice a drop in the noise floor or anything else magical.

I'd say if you're worried about the quality/consistency of the electricity at your residence, go for it. If you want the extra protection over a simple surge protector, go for it. If you already have good equipment, I wouldn't expect this to perform miracles. That said, on a friends good entry level system, I did notice a slight drop in the noise floor and an improvement in a ground loop issue he had with his TV. We used an APC C5 for his system.