A power conditioner that won't break the bank?

[Bluesmoke]

Hey guys. I'm completely stumped. I want to add a power conditioner to my gear, but I really have no idea which are "not enough" and which are "more than you need" variety.

It's for my Yamaha 6060, PS3, Xbox 360. That's it. I will likely add a 100-150w 2ch poweramp in the near future. I'm looking to spend no more than $150.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hey guys. I'm completely stumped. I want to add a power conditioner to my gear, but I really have no idea which are "not enough" and which are "more than you need" variety.

It's for my Yamaha 6060, PS3, Xbox 360. That's it. I will likely add a 100-150w 2ch poweramp in the near future. I'm looking to spend no more than $150.

How is the power in your area, lots of surges? Lightning? Perhaps you just need a good surge suppressor, not a power conditioner. Maybe in an industrial district the extra filtering may come in handy?

 

[CaptainAudio]

Hey guys. I'm completely stumped. I want to add a power conditioner to my gear, but I really have no idea which are "not enough" and which are "more than you need" variety.

It's for my Yamaha 6060, PS3, Xbox 360. That's it. I will likely add a 100-150w 2ch poweramp in the near future. I'm looking to spend no more than $150.

I recently added a APC C5 Home Theater Power Filter & Surge Protector to my setup upstairs. Call me crazy but it made a noticable difference even to my beautifully loving wife in sound and picture quality and it didn't "break the bank". I bought it from a site online and it was about $75.00 US. It is a bit bulky but if you can hide it under or behind something.

Also when I was doing some research on these units I was interested in Monster Power but wasn't at all interested in there pricing. And stay away from those big box retailers because personally I find their pricing is out of wack.


Here is some information about the unit I got.

The APC C5 10 Outlet Power Filter will protect your high performance audio and video (A/V) system from damaging power surges, spikes and lightning. Protection is guaranteed. Isolated noise filter banks will eliminate EMI/RFI as a source of audio and video signal degradation. Data-line surge protection jack will stop surges traveling over phone and modem or DSL lines. Digital Satellite System, Cable Modem, and CATV Coaxial Cable lines are equally protected.

Key Features

• Isolated Noise Filter Banks (INFB)
The C5 provides INFB technology to eliminate electromagnetic and RF interference that can negatively impact sound and video quality.

• Top Panel Controls and Indicators

Wiring OK Status Indicator
Protection-On Status Indicator
Filtering Status Indicator
Overload Status Indicator
On/Off switch

• AC-Powered Outlets
The outlets are arranged according to the type of filtering protection provided for a given application. They are split up into the following groups: Digital filter outlets, video filter outlets, analog filter outlets, and high current filter outlets.

Picture of the APC C5

 

[beernut]

How into sound are you? If you can perceive slight to subtle differences in your music playback system, then by all means a high quality power condition is essential to getting all that you're paying for in your audio investment. It's as essential as deciding how much you're going to spend on speakers and your source components. Those two things have the largest impact on whatever you do going forward. Your speakers convey everything your electronics are capable of. Your power is very crucial to the end result of your financial and electronic efforts. The best bang for the buck I have ever heard is the Audience Adept Response. That's a cost-no-object design. Thankfully, their engineers have remembered the rest of us working-class and offer a no-frills, buy your own powerstrip alternative. They call it the AR1. It's a one outlet direct, plug-in device that accomplishes what the big dog does for a lot less. Get that, along with a really high quality power strip...like the Noisetrapper (yeah, expensive but way cheaper than 4000 dollars) and you're set. This is as good as it gets for under 3,800 bucks. No kidding...try it out...no worries...check out the reviews...can't go wrong. You'll be smiling!

 

[MDS]

Are you kidding? A power conditioner that costs under $300, YES 3 Hundred will do everything that a $3,000 power conditioner will do...and here's the catch: the vast majority of people don't have power problems in the first place.

 

[Bluesmoke]

How into sound are you? If you can perceive slight to subtle differences in your music playback system, then by all means a high quality power condition is essential to getting all that you're paying for in your audio investment. It's as essential as deciding how much you're going to spend on speakers and your source components. Those two things have the largest impact on whatever you do going forward. Your speakers convey everything your electronics are capable of. Your power is very crucial to the end result of your financial and electronic efforts. The best bang for the buck I have ever heard is the Audience Adept Response. That's a cost-no-object design. Thankfully, their engineers have remembered the rest of us working-class and offer a no-frills, buy your own powerstrip alternative. They call it the AR1. It's a one outlet direct, plug-in device that accomplishes what the big dog does for a lot less. Get that, along with a really high quality power strip...like the Noisetrapper (yeah, expensive but way cheaper than 4000 dollars) and you're set. This is as good as it gets for under 3,800 bucks. No kidding...try it out...no worries...check out the reviews...can't go wrong. You'll be smiling!

Dude, my post clearly states "no more than $150". I'm not a sucker and nor am I made of money. I have a modest setup. What on earth made you think I want to spend thousands on a frikken power conditioner?

 

[evilkat]

Hey guys. I'm completely stumped. I want to add a power conditioner to my gear, but I really have no idea which are "not enough" and which are "more than you need" variety.

It's for my Yamaha 6060, PS3, Xbox 360. That's it. I will likely add a 100-150w 2ch poweramp in the near future. I'm looking to spend no more than $150.

I bought this tripp lite (HT10DBS) surge protector from Amazon for around $75. It has some line filtering/conditioning, but I think the main function is surge protection. I never have to think about this bit of equipment, which to me means, it's an excellent piece of H/W that does it's job The power flickers a bit in my area (albeit, very rarely), so for what I need, this does it's job.

BTW, I have an APC UPS for my computers, and their product is phenomenal. I don't think you'd go wrong with the APC product Captain Audio mentioned above. Had I known about it, I might have bought one too

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm not a sucker and nor am I made of money.

But even if you made of money, I bet it wouldn't be because of foolish spending and making it

 

[Bluesmoke]

But even if you made of money, I bet it wouldn't be because of foolish spending and making it

Which is why I used the word "sucker". You know, I'm not going to tell people how to spend their money. I've seen some high end gear that makes me do a . For me, "the point of diminishing returns" is rule I live by.