Motors, heaters, toasters, and incandescent lamps are examples of linear loads.
Anyone can see an incandescent bulb is non-linear. Measure its ohms. The resulting multiplication demonstrates non-linearity. Only one who knows this stuff says why with numbers. Another informed by hearsay and venom denies without even one sentence that says why. And no numbers.
Again, a 100 watt light bulb can demand up to 800 watts when starting. Why does it demand 8 times more current for a same voltage? It is non-linear. Even the IES Handbook (an industry bible) provides non-linear equations that describes how incandescent bulbs work. Non-linear nature of bulbs is how Bill and Dave (Hewlett and Packard) developed their graduate thesis and later the first successful HP product. One should know this stuff before posting denials and accusations.
Again, the numbers. Those ten 100 watt bulbs (rated at 8.3 amps) might demand 8000 watts (66 amps) when first powered on. That does not trip an 1800 watt (15 amp) breaker. That reality is relevant to the OP's and Tidan's questions.
An honest answer said why with numbers. An informative answer would have instead discussed resistive and reactive loads. But the relevant answer for the OP and Tidan sums up AC power/ampere numbers for each component/amp.
Ballpark numbers are provided with each appliance so that layman can do simple arithmetic. Ten 100 watt light bulbs are powered by one 15 amp circuit without tripping a fuse or breaker. Bulbs can demand 66 amps on power up without creating an overcurrent on a 15 amp circuit. We simplify the arithmetic. So that layman need not take a first semester electrical course or learn how breakers and fuses really work. The relevant answer involves arithmetic - numbers for incoming AC power.
Just measured a Sylvania 100 watt incandescent bulb on the scope. It consumed as much as 9.3 amps on startup. How is that 100 watt (0.83 amp) bulb linear when it consumes 7+ amps on startup? Those damning numbers get forgotten when hearsay replaces science. Rather than measure in the lab, some would rather attack the messenger with anger and more hearsay.
Summary of the relevant answer: A UL listed power strip must be 15 amps. That means the load can be 13 amps or 1560 watts (for technical reasons beyond this discussion). Sum up current or wattage numbers for each AC power input (not a rated 'output to speaker' wattage). If a sum is less than 13 amps or 1560 watts, then one power strip is more than sufficient (for the same reason ten 100 watt bulbs may demand 66 amps or 8000 watts on power up). Calculations are made arithmetic simple by numbers provided for each amp or other appliance.
Also demonstrated was how power conditioners are irrelevant to power purity or other problems. Best power 'cleaner' is already inside each amp. Best noise filter is located on the noise producer; not on its victims. Manufacturers such as Furman or Panamx will not discuss this since honesty and numbers can subvert profits.
Discussed above are overloads and noise. Other anomalies are separate discussions with different solutions. No magic box addresses all or even most anomalies.
