Power conditioners...which one to get???

[KASR]

So, I'm still new at this - but I'm smart enough to know that all it takes is one bad storm/power outage/power dip to make good times go bad for my newly acquired gear. So what that said, is there a particular spec-set in a power conditioner that I need to look for?

I can get a pretty smoking deal on an Acoustic Research 10-outlet model.
It features 10 outlets, 5300 joules, telephone and coax (not that'd I'd be using those), voltage meter monitoring of the level of voltage that enters, dual EMI/RFI noise filters, and reduces up to 65dB of power line noise.

My gear includes a H/K 154, Polk powered 8" sub (from the polk RM6750 set), Sony LCD, Xbox 360, & Panasonic DVD-reader/recorder.

Will this be enough to keep my stuff safe?

 

[Alex2507]

I've got a few subscribed threads that I hang onto because of the info contained in them and because of who the info came from. Here's one of them:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41050

Give it a read and the the search function will yield pretty good results. I'm not familiar with the one you mentioned but that doesn't mean anything. From what I understand the surge protection is a must and Power conditioning is more hype than anything. Sometimes a good deal is hard to pass up though, especially if it looks cool.

 

[KASR]

Sometimes a good deal is hard to pass up though, especially if it looks cool.

HAHA! That part cracked me up!
Thanks for the link....reading as we speak.

 

[GlocksRock]

see if you can find a good price on an APC H15 on ebay, those are really good units.

 

[KASR]

see if you can find a good price on an APC H15 on ebay, those are really good units.

Yea, I've been looking at that one - but it's not too beefy for my application is it? OR is this a conditioner to grow with?

 

[ivseenbetter]

You can get them even cheaper on buyuptime.com.

 

[KASR]

Is there a particulare brand I need to stay away from?

 

[GlocksRock]

Yea, I've been looking at that one - but it's not too beefy for my application is it? OR is this a conditioner to grow with?

There is no such thing as too beefy... only beefy enough, or not beefy enough, and this one is definitely beefy enough. Plus you can get it for such a good price, why would you not get it? As far as brands to stay away from, definitely stay away from all the units made by Monster.

 

[KASR]

Been eyeing this one from PPP (which I have NEVER heard of) Anyone know anything about them?

* 10 OUTLETS INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED
* 9250 JOULES
* RACK MOUNTABLE—INCLUDES MOUNTING EARS & TOWER STAND
* EMI/RFI NOISE FILTER
* LED VOLTAGE METER
* 15 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER
* 9-FT HEAVY DUTY POWER CORD
* UL LISTED

 

[KASR]

Ok, so I'm still a super newb - so someone is going to have to tell me the difference between a $300 APC conditioner and an $100 Acoustic Research power conditioner. (I can actually get the AR for significantly cheaper) I mean, I see that the joules are alittle under a half - but what number is necessary?

* 10 OUTLETS
* 5400 JOULES
* TELEPHONE & COAXIAL PROTECTION
* VOLTAGE METER MONITORS THE LEVEL OF VOLTAGE THAT ENTERS CONNECTED EQUIPMENT
* DUAL EMI/RFI NOISE FILTERS—AR® PURECURRENT™ DUAL FILTERS OFFER DEDICATED A/V COMPONENT POWER CONDITIONING FOR BETTER PICTURE & SOUND
* HIGH-CURRENT FILTER PURIFIES ELECTRIC CURRENT TO HIGH-CURRENT DEVICES
* SLIM, COMPONENT-SIZE DESIGN PERFECTLY BLENDS IN WITH OTHER A/V EQUIPMENT
* REDUCES UP TO 65 DB OF POWER LINE NOISE FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM A/V EQUIPMENT
* 8-FT SWIVEL POWER CORD
* 1 IN & 1 OUT TELEPHONE LINE PLUG & 2 IN & 2 OUT COAXIAL PLUGS
* $500,000 CONNECTED EQUIPMENT GUARANTEE

 

[fmw]

Will this be enough to keep my stuff safe?

Safe from what?

 

[KASR]

Safe from what?

Going over the specs....I guess a bolt of lightning?? LOL!

 

[GlocksRock]

I don't care what you have your equipment plugged into, if it gets hit by a bolt of lightning, it's probably not gonna survive.

 

[KASR]

I don't care what you have your equipment plugged into, if it gets hit by a bolt of lightning, it's probably not gonna survive.

Obviously.
I was being sarcastic.
I want a conditioner that will protect my gear from everything from power dips/spikes, etc. The normal stuff. Home insurance will take care of the rest.

 

[mazersteven]

Belkin - PureAV PF60 Home Theater Power Console

 

[GlocksRock]

Panamax makes some nice stuff too if you haven't checked it out yet.

 

[KASR]

Panamax makes some nice stuff too if you haven't checked it out yet.

Thanks...I'll check them out too. Like everything A/V, there seems to be sooooo many choices!

 

[calnbs]

These are what I got after reading about protectors. Very interesting read at brickwall.com to why they believe this a better protector.

Product # 002-00711

http://www.zerosurge.com/HTML/howtoorderres.html


Or these:


http://brickwall.com/


http://brickwall.thomasnet.com/item/standard-surge-protectors/eight-outlet-surge-protectors/pw8r15?&forward=1


Same products but cheaper at zerosurge.com and I believe zerosurge is the company that came up with the technology.

 

[mazersteven]

www.tripplite.com

 

[fmw]

Obviously.
I was being sarcastic.
I want a conditioner that will protect my gear from everything from power dips/spikes, etc. The normal stuff. Home insurance will take care of the rest.

Have you ever heard of someone reporting damaged gear from "the normal stuff?" Ever? Better yet, have you ever heard a credible report of a conditioner improving anything? Ever?

I guess my point is that the "equipment protection" racket is fairly new and fairly insidious. You don't need to buy this stuff. If it were necessary or even useful, people would have been buying it 20 years ago.