Enter to Win: 10-Outlet Surge Suppressor from Impact Acoustics!

[westcott]

Tripp Lite

What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system?

My main HT system utilizes two separate Tripp Lite HT10DBS Isobar Surge Suppressors. Both are on a dedicated circuit and one 10DBS is for my subwoofer only. I have a 3rd and 4th unit in my study and master bedroom.

Does your surge protector also condition and filter power?

Tripp Lite does filter/isolate power but does not try to regulate/condition it.

Is this a feature you feel is important?

Filtering\Signal Isolation is great and important. Regulating power is a nice touch but most modern audio video equipment power supplies do so anyway so this feature in a surge protector is redundant and adds to the overall cost.

Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I would always consider filtering/isolation as a must but power conditioning would only be considered if my audio/video equipment was not already self protected.


P.S. I love your contest questions. I read some of the responses and it very evident how little people know about the subject and the differences in the products available to the public.

 

[corysmith01]

What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I currently have just a standard multi-plug surge protector purchased on the cheap from Target. I figured something was better than nothing, but perhaps I'm wrong. I've looked at and considered better, but haven't really been able to discern how much is needed (cost/performance) and if it's absolutely necessary. I guess if I ever expereinced a surge and my equipment was damaged, I'd think it was necessary. I do think it's important, I just want to know I'm getting something that's adequate w/o spending a boatload on it. I don't believe my current protector does any filtering. Is it important? Well, I guess if you have a lot in your lines and it's translating to some sort of audible noise in your system, it'd be pretty important. For me, I live in an old apartment with ancient wiring, so I'm curious if filtering would be a benefit to me.

 

[Tumara Baap]

I use an RCA surge protector. According to audio's most veritable journalist, Peter Aczel, power line conditioning/filtering is a waste of money as most quality electronics already have in-built capability to reject power line noise. I'll certainly take his word for it. See myth number 8 at:

http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf

However, if I'm given a power conditioner for free, I won't say no

Tumara Baap

 

[wrunow]

I currently use 2 separate Powervar conditioners, one for analogue and one for digital components. I use a couple inexpensive strips off them if I have to but I feel the Powervar units give me great protection for the dollars spent. I also use a AR Strip that supposedly conditions on the other side of the room that I plug my accessories into such as a Harmony and Pronto remotes and cordless phone etc.

I feel the Powervars give me great protection for my expensive components and HDTV.

Since I am not sure what runs on what circuits in this home I think the conditioning and spike protection are extremely important.

 

[brucewoodington]

Contest Questions: What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

APC whole house surge arrest. APC 500 UPS for the satellite receivers and Sony DVD mega changer. Various APC surge arrests on other HT equip.

No

I seem to be in an area where the AC is relatively clean and trouble free, so I don't know.

If someone could show me a real benefit from conditioning/filtering, I would consider it.

 

[jthomp27]

What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I have a Monster HTS - 2000 power conditioner for my video sources (TV, DVD, Xbox 360). I just have a cheap Belkin powerstrip on my audio sources.

I have noticed a dramatic improvement on my video sources with the Monster power conditioner, but not my audio sources. If I heard a power conditioner/filter that improved my audio, I would buy it (within $$ reason).

JT

 

[kleinwl]

1) Cheapo Belkin 8 socket surge supressor so no filtering/conditioning.

2) I think filtering/conditioning is important and would also like power correction/battery back up.

3) Would consider power conditioning/filtering if a) was inexpensive & b) was shown to reduce power consumption and increase system reliability.

 

[rusty1285]

I have some cheap surge protector from Radio Shack with no power filtering.
I think power filtering is important after recently reading about it.
I think having the feature of power filtering is important during peak hours of the day especially in big cities.

 

[brushro]

Contest wanna' be winner

1)Just bought an APC HT Combination surge suppressor,filter,voltage regulator for my main system & to protect my latest addition:a 46" Sharp LCD
my "old " set (a 42" table top HD Mits) is now relegated to basement duty with an older receiver & Bose speakers so thats where the winning Impact Acoustics unit would go.
2)Is this an important product to have in any system ?-you bet!-the more you spend & care about operation,performance & PROTECTION the higher a neccesity they are.
3) I bought the APC unit for a all-in-one solution & thinks it's a great performer when comparing the cost of say...the Furman gear.

 

[JonnyOzero3]

Furman PL-8 II

Contest Questions: What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I use a Furman PL-8 Series II. Yes, it does both condition and filter the power. I think the feature isn't necessary, but I consider it a "nice to have", especially since I've had an occasional problem with noise / radio signals leaking into one of my systems. I'd definitely consider your suppressor unit for my secondary system.

 

[jzac]

Contest Questions: What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?


I have the Panamax M-5100 surge protector/power conditioner. I think it is extremely useful for places where voltage can be volatile... lightning protection is a cool safety feature and it has come in handy a couple of times for me. This unit even comes with a $5 million warranty protecting the units connected to it... love it!

 

[Josuah]

I have a fairly decent surge protector which meets UL regulations and some other stuff that I recall reading about H-N, H-G, N-G and stuff like that. It does not perform any "conditioning", does some basic negligible "filtering", and has some transformers in it for some strange reason. I don't plug any of my amps into it though. Those go straight to the wall.

I'd look into power conditioning/filtering for a noisy environment or circuit. Neither of those applies right now.

 

[ptalar]

Contest Questions: What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I currently use two Costco Surge Protectors I purchased last year. One protects my SVS Subwoofer and one protects my TV, AV Receiver, DVD Player, VCR, Cassette Player and Turntable.

The Costco Surge Protectors do not condition and filter power.

I really don't know if its important. I would have to try one on my system and report back on the findings. Since I have had the Costco Surge Protectors for so long I should readily notice any difference.

If I knew for sure it would improve the sound quality of my HT I would spend the extra money.

Phil

 

[PSU80]

Contest Questions: What kind of surge protection do you currently utilize in your system? Does your surge protector also condition and filter power? Is this a feature you feel is important? Under what conditions would you consider power conditioning/filtering?

I use a Monster Home Theatre POWERBAR® 1100 with Clean Power™ Stage 2 v.2.0 It does condition & filter. I don't know if it's necessary or not. The salesman made a pretty strong pitch & I bought it. Don't know if I wasted my money or not.

 

[johndoe]

1. Currently I have an inexpensive generic surge protector.
2. It does not condition nor filters.
3 and 4. I don't know enough to tell whether these are important features or not or when it becomes a good idea to use them. I'd like a regulator, though. I live in an old house (1950s) with some original wiring.

 

[Tazmoj]

Currently use a Monster HTS-7000 on my main system, it does perform filtering. Here in SW Florida, this protection is necessary due to lightning and power surges

 

[Don_T]

I currently own the Tripp Lite HT10DBS. This model is supposed to filter and condition the power but I am not sure to what extent it's capabilities are. I do feel that a surge protector suited for use in a home theater should absolutely have power filtering and conditioning capabilities. I would consider power conditioning / filtering in a home theater environment most important but a computing application would benefit from it as well.

 

[dlrepp]

I have a Monster Hts1000mk2 for my home theater system. I have a Monster Hts800 for my computer system. I also have a Monster Av600 on my surround system's subwoofer. Because I worked at an electronics store that only sold Monster which I could get at a discount, that is what I got. As I get more money, I upgrade the HT system's power and pass the remainder down to the next priced system.

 

[blowfish]

Currently, a cheap Belkin computer surge protector/power strip that does not condition or filter power. I don't see this as a very important feature unless you have very unstable power or are trying to achieve absolute perfect audio and video. I would consider power conditioning/filtering if fluxuations in power started to noticably degrade audio or video quality.

 

[rockymtnman]

currently just using a generic surge protector bought at a dept. store. It does not do any filtering. I am in the market for an upgrade at this time. I dont really know enough about this to have an opinion, I guess I would have to experiment and see what the difference is if any with or without filtering.