APC AV H15 1.5kVA H Type Power Conditioner Review

[kmchenry]

Tom & Gene,

It's great to see you guys reviewing a product like this, especially with all the money we invest in our gear. It would be nice to see some results of it's filtering capability using a scope and some real world noise sources injected on the AC line in.

Some simulated noise sources such as mixing a margarita in a blender, popcorn in a microwave, flourescent lighting and also an SCR type dimmer (the cheaper the better because that will produce the moist interference).

You guys are the "Myth Busters" of the AV world.
Thanks for the great site and the invaluable service you provide!

Regards,
Karl

 

[MDS]

What I would like to learn is what do the terms like 'Level 1/2/3/N filtering actually mean. It seems that every power conditioner uses some term like that although each has a nice trademarked name for their version of it and as the level of filtering goes up so does the price.

Is there some accepted standard for what needs to be done to qualify as Level 1 vs Level 2, etc? Do they all use the same technique for each level (and maybe the difference is just in how well it is implemented)?

I just take it on faith that it works (I have the H10). So far I haven't noticed any interference when the microwave is on or I'm adjusting the dimmer. I don't have a blender and I don't make margaritas so I can't comment on that.

 

[jcPanny]

Moster and APC

FYI,
The Moster power center is NOT comparable to APC. The Moster unit is not UL listed and if you read the instructions, it will tell you to unplug the unit in case of a storm or lightning. What is the point of a power center that you have to unplug? Most Moster power centers don't have the voltage regulation feature, either.

I have the APC H10 and recommend it. You are spending your money on a quality product and not marketing.

 

[kmchenry]

I am considering buying the APC H15 from Audioholics, but this whole filtering aspect has peeked my curiosity.

I have used APC UPS's at work for years, and have had good experience's with those, so I would assume their other products will be decent.

I currently use a Monster Power bar Mod# 1100 and have not had any problems with it in the 4 years that I have owned it. I can't say whether the unit's filtering makes a difference, but now I'm curious and will try to test that when I get a chance. I'll also look for a UL sticker.

I checked the UL website and Monster has 38 entries. It looks like some of the entries are for power cords and other types of cabling, but there are quite a few of their "power" products that have been tested - see list below.
Whether they have a certified sticker on them, I can't say.

(Relocatable power taps/Transient voltage surge suppressors, Models AV700, AV800, HT700, HT800, HT850, HTFS500, HTFS1000, HTS700, HTS800, HTS850, IPS600, PC800, PC800HP, PC900, HTS1600. Models HTS400, HTS400FS.

Relocatable power taps/Transient voltage surge suppressors/EMI filters, Models AV600, MPB1100, MPB2100, PC100, PC100TL, PC600, PRO1000, PRO2000, HTS950-3780J, HTS950-7020J.

Relocatable Power Taps, Models OTG400, OTG600.

+Relocatable power taps/Transient voltage surge suppressors, Models HTS1000MKIII-6624J, HTS1000MKIII-8244J. Model HT400.)

Regards,
Karl

 

[Audioholics]

I would imagine most of the Monster Power products are UL listed. They certainly have the money to do it right. It's the truly esoteric companies that have big empty boxes that don't seek UL approval.

 

[DMD123]

I have had an APC H15 in my system for about a year. I recently replaced it with a PurePower APS1050. I won this item in a drawing and it has battery back up so I can protect the light bulb in my SXRD. It was worth trading out in my equipment rack for this feature.

The APC is a great unit and would have stayed if not for the prize value ($2500) and features of the other unit. I love the fact you can turn the lighted display off on this, which I appreciate since my new unit has an ultra bright blue led that can not be dimmed.

APC makes a very nice product for the price and I have no issue recommending this product.

 

[Beans]

I just traded in my Richard Grey 600s for a Rotel RLC 1040 because it matches my Rotel system, and becuase the 1040 acutally does something and I cant say the RG did anything. Nothing at all. Voltage changes would always reset the settings of my cable box. Since I got the Rotel (it regulates voltage) i no longer experience this pain the the butt of having to reset the settings in my cable box. That plus the looks, garauntee and OSD options of the RLC 1040 make it worth it. My dealer gave me the Rotel for the Richard Grey as a staight trade. Even thou I only paid $500 for the RG (becauase of a previous warrenty issue) I still think a straight trade of the RG (worth $1700 CDN) for the Rotel ($600) was a better deal for me I dont regret the trade at all, and would have felt guilty selling the RG for anything near its retail price.

FYI APC makes two different Rotel Power Conditioners. I cant post links so Ill just post model numbers.

The APC H15
is the
Rotel RLC 1040



The APC J15
is the
RLC 1080


I am trying to find it but I do remember reading the Rotel specs on the product are "slightly" different (better) then the APC versions.


Let me look...

 

[gene]

I would imagine most of the Monster Power products are UL listed. They certainly have the money to do it right. It's the truly esoteric companies that have big empty boxes that don't seek UL approval.

Actually as far as I know, none of the Monster power products have UL certification. Some of them say they "meet or are designed to UL" but that's not the same thing. In fact, Monster recommends you disconnect their product during a lightening storm

 

[Beans]

OK I have two questions that hopefully someone with some experience/knowlandge with power and specifically this product can help with.

1.) The Automatic Voltage Regulation range setting which lets you set it from "narrow", "normal" or "wide" doesnt give me enough info to choose which is best of me. I want the voltage to ouput at 120 as constant as possible so my cable box doesnt reset: a problem caused by fluctions in the voltage according to my cable company. If I set it to "narrow" every 5 min the 1040 clicks when it does a line trim/boost. The click is too noticable. When I set it to normal it never clicks. My question is if I set it normal will it I basically negating the ouput of a near 120v? How near 120 should it be?


2.) I realize that you dont need to plug your DVD into the "DVD" power input, but what I want to know is if there is any science behind the "analog" power input VS the "digital inputs" power inputs. Will it make ANY difference if plug my Plasma into the "TV" power input vs the "Monitor" power input?

thanks in advance.

 

[gene]

OK I have two questions that hopefully someone with some experience/knowlandge with power and specifically this product can help with.

1.) The Automatic Voltage Regulation range setting which lets you set it from "narrow", "normal" or "wide" doesnt give me enough info to choose which is best of me. I want the voltage to ouput at 120 as constant as possible so my cable box doesnt reset: a problem caused by fluctions in the voltage according to my cable company. If I set it to "narrow" every 5 min the 1040 clicks when it does a line trim/boost. The click is too noticable. When I set it to normal it never clicks. My question is if I set it normal will it I basically negating the ouput of a near 120v? How near 120 should it be?


2.) I realize that you dont need to plug your DVD into the "DVD" power input, but what I want to know is if there is any science behind the "analog" power input VS the "digital inputs" power inputs. Will it make ANY difference if plug my Plasma into the "TV" power input vs the "Monitor" power input?

thanks in advance.

Set it to normal. As long as the line doesn't drop below 108Vrms you will be fine. USA Consumer gear is made to work between 108-132Vrms and the H15 will keep you well above 108Vrms if you set it to normal.

The analog power input likely has more current capability and low frequency filtering so you should try to use the appropriate connection when you can.

 

[bokobot]

I just received my H10 and this writeup is EXACTLY what I am experiencing (1, 2 and 3). Annoys me to no end. Found this by a google search. I am so upset for wasting money on this piece of junk. I played with the grounds on my two NAD amplifiers for an hour last night trying to clean it up. This thing is USELESS.

I tried a bunch of things back when I had the unit, because it was supposed to be such a great unit and able to lower the noise floor, etc... I tried for many hours, many things. This is what I recall (I also reviewed my actual emails to APC from Jan 2006):

1. I unplugged everything, I mean everything, except for the (1) H15, (2) the Rotel, and (2) the two speakers attached to the Rotel. No inputs to the Rotel (I even tried grounding the inputs to itself with no difference), and nothing plugged into the H15 except for the Rotel. Simply NO CHANCE FOR A GROUND LOOP. Buzzing was still there. And it wasn't a hum like as in a ground loop, but it was a buzz, the type that solid state electronics make.

2. I figured out that the dimmers in my house weren't the cause of buzzing, since the noise was still there with them all off. Of course, even still, the H15 was supposed to be able to do at least SOME filtering, so it should handle this, but of course my real problem was that it made the noise floor HIGHER than direct wall connection. What threw me off was that the buzzing noise is same noise that my dimmers made (I know it's quiet, but if you put your ear on a dimmer, it buzzes a little tiny bit, and that is kind of what the sound was like)

3. I put my ear onto the H15 unit itself, and I could hear a buzzing. The buzzing was of the EXACT same character as the buzzing I heard at the tweeters. I became crystal clear to me that it was the H15 unit.

But hey, maybe they are better now. It's been two years.

Here's an easy was to find out: if you have an H15, put your ear right on the actual unit. If you can hear ANY buzzing or noise, no matter how faint, then I conjecture that it still has the problem. My Monster MKII is silent, like I would expect most modern electronic items to be.

 

[Beans]

Set it to normal. As long as the line doesn't drop below 108Vrms you will be fine. USA Consumer gear is made to work between 108-132Vrms and the H15 will keep you well above 108Vrms if you set it to normal.

The analog power input likely has more current capability and low frequency filtering so you should try to use the appropriate connection when you can.

Unfortunately my cable box reset issue has returned even when using the 1040. I had the 1040 set to normal so I am little stumped and thought one of three things could be happening.

1.) The cable box settings resets at votlages fluctuations +/-10% of 120
2.) the 1040 is not working 100% and even when set to "normal" it alows votlage fluctuations great then +/-10%
3.) Voltage fluctuations is not what is causing the cable box to reset.


For "fun" i set the 1040 to "narrow" and watched the Vin and Vout to see what it would read when the "boost" or "trim" would kick in and here is wht I noticed.

The 1040 clicked and the "boost" light flicked on and off pretty quick. The display however only showed the Vin stay at 119 V and the Vout jumped up to 125V. Why would this be? Wouldnt the "boost" light come on when the Vin is less then 5%, shouldnt the Vin have read 114V in order to trigger the line boost?

 

[Beans]

Has anyone done an A/B test with a high quality amp plugged into the "high current" AC input on this model? I just bought a Classe 5100 and I want to plug it in for voltage regulation an proximity reasons, but I dont want to loose ANY sound quality. I have read that with some amps its better to plug directly into the wall, but I have never read that is the case when taking into consideration the high current input on an unit like this.


Am I ok to plug my amp into this or should I figure a way to go directly into a wall?

thanks!

 

[ldragun]

APC H15 / Rotel RLC 1040 Question

I just got the Rotel RLC 1040 which is similar to the H15 in function
but not looks. I am wondering if anyone with either unit has the
"filtering" LED in the OFF state for the majority of the time. I only was the LED
come on once for a short period of time. I am not sure if my unit is working
properly or if this is normal if the AC line is clean and the filtering is OFF
by default. I have only a few days left and don't want to get stuck with a
lemon.

Thanks

 

[PopDisplay]

Thank you Circuit City!

Their Atlanta stores are being liquidated. I was able to buy a $500 APC #J15 UPS and power conditioner for 60% off, or $200. (complete model # is J15BLK)

 

[lakedmb]

Amazon has the APC H15 for $99 plus free shipping right now.