Power Conditioners

[ewingda]

Guys - I was not recommending the Monster to make a system sound better. I was recommending it for its protection. It provides clean power free of EMI and at a constant voltage. Electronics can be sensitive to fluctuations and spikes in the input feed.

Do I think the monster makes a difference in my sound? - yes. I CAN hear it. I do have good ears. (Sometimes sucks when I try to get some sleep with stuff going on) Do I think the monster makes a difference in my video? - yes. I CAN see the difference. I used to see slight flickers when lights or the microwave is turned on. That is partly due to the wiring in my house. (hat is not a quick fix - fixable - but not quick.)

I bought the monster because it provides protection against spikes and provides clean input power. As a additional benefit it improves the quality of my AV experience...due to the clean power.

[cgallery]

Personally, I have a BrickWall protector, but those units are over $200 each. They don't use MOVs like most do, and thus can not burn out and fail.

$200 really isn't bad considering the superior specs of these types of units and the fact that they don't "wear out."

I know a few shop electricians that swear by this type of unit. They don't use BrickWall brand, but the concepts are the same. They aren't cheap, but they are effective.

[raney]

I agree with decinjc. Monster has the name and all the 'stereophiles' love 'em, but no test in any reputable source has shown their high priced cables etc make enough truly noticeable difference to justify the price. Measurable difference yes, noticeable difference no. (Unless you have Superman's ears and eyes that is.) And a UPS is overkill in most instances, except for those mentioned.

But, if you got the bucks, go for all of it! Me, I prefer more tools!

Actually, among real audiophiles Monster is considered a bit of a joke. They arguably began the modern push into 'high end' cables and accessories, but the marketing juggernaut behind that company is expensive.

Richard Grey's power company is the entry level for audiophile power conditioning. Certainly not an endorsement of the products, as they are quite expensive, and I seriously doubt the possbility of anyone who does not have SERIOUSLY expensive equipment, or SERIOUSLY messed up electrical service to notice a difference.

The one thing that I think Monster's units have going for them is the insurance protection if any of your equipment is damaged by a spike. There's a lot to be said for this as an 'insurance policy' if you have valuable equipment and live in an area where surges and/or lightning strikes are common.

[MilDoc]

Actually, among real audiophiles Monster is considered a bit of a joke. They arguably began the modern push into 'high end' cables and accessories, but the marketing juggernaut behind that company is expensive.

The one thing that I think Monster's units have going for them is the insurance protection if any of your equipment is damaged by a spike. There's a lot to be said for this as an 'insurance policy' if you have valuable equipment and live in an area where surges and/or lightning strikes are common.

Certainly agree. But other companies match Monster's insurance (the good co's that is).

[PJC]

Of the 2 that I am "considering" at this point (Belkin F9A1033-12 and Monster HTS 1000), Belkin is cheaper by about $20 when you add shipping. Plus Belkin has a lifetime warranty to Monster's 5 year warranty. The Belkin is also rated higher in joules/amps than the Monster.

Dunno if the clean power from Monster is worth it. My sound is fine, I don't hear any crackling or pops that some people hear. I have a slight problem with what I think is called "phantoming" (not ghosting) where when a TV show goes to commercial and I get that 1 second of black screen before the commercial starts, a light gray outline of the last image shown still remains on the screen. Once the commercial starts it goes away. It might be my cable box though. It's an HD-DVR box and sometimes it doesn't record properly, so I am exchanging it this weekend. It doesn't happen with my DVD player.

Like I said, my main power problems are when the A/C kicks on. We rarely get brown-outs/blackouts where I live in NJ. Also, in one of the reviews for the Monster protector, the reviewer claims that the HTS 1000 caused him to lose 1/2 of his HD channels when connected. He claims that the Monster rep said the HTS1000 does not support HDTV and he needed the HTS 2000. Does this make sense to anyone?

[cgallery]

Just a word to the wise on all these warranty and equipment protection claims. I had a customer that used APC on all his equipment. He had a power problem on day (don't remember the circumbstances), and discovered his fax, a PC, and some other electrical equipment was effected. He contacted APC and they said to return the unit for evaluation. They wrote him about a week later and said the unit tested to spec and that they would not be reimbursing him for any service.

And a reminder: The best protection, and only real protection, during a lightning storm is twelve inches between the plug and the way. That is, UNPLUG during electrical storms.

[jessrice]

the moster website has a special on referbs right now

http://www.shopallmonster.com/specials.asp

And the Model: MP HTS 3500 MKII is marked at 99.99 plus 15 for shipping,

plus a few other higher end models

hope it helps

Jesse

[PJC]

Thanks Jesse, I'll check it out.