Oh Boy...
While I thank you for all the replies, fellas, I think this thread went into a tangent and area that's a bit too "on the technical side;" I understand a "surge protector" is different from a "power conditioner" and that's why I wanted recommendations for a conditioner to replace my APC AurgeArrest system...something that would "clean up" the juice that my gear runs on from things like the dishwasher, washing machine, etc...do conditioners not do this?
I'm not looking for "whole house" electrician-installed devices like suggested above, just something like the APC that Forest Man recommended, perhaps, something that fits in the cabinet of gear that will keep some of the power "clean" so to speak...
Do these conditioners -- like those from Monster and APC -- "work" as compared to ordinary surge protection systems?
What you are looking for and what you need are different.
"Cleaning up the juice" is largely a common misconception. So the short answer to your question is a qualified no.
If you are having trouble with appliances bothering your equipment, the interface of your equipment and the AC outlet is not the best place to deal with it. Please see my previous post.
I would point out again, that these issues are solved by grounding and how your equipment is interconnected largely.
Now the only type of device that does what you want is expensive. What I'm talking about are regenerative type power conditioners and regenerative UPS units.
These units have an inverter. The AC power is converted to a completely new AC wave from a large high current oscillator in the unit. So your equipment is totally isolated from the AC power.
I don't advise these types of units for anything other than highly critical applications.
The reason is that the best are about 40% efficient, so they generate a lot of heat and increase your electricity bill. Because of the way these units work, they have the highest chance of failure.
The other reason is that the power supplies in your units also clean the power as the AC is converted to DC and so with the exception of some computer type power supplies, which are also often found in low end subs, you equipment is already isolated from the AC in a way that a power conditioner would isolate it. So a power conditioner is redundant in most circumstances.
What every house needs, and I mean every house these days, is a review and in most cases upgrading of the ground, and not just for your AV equipment either. All homes also need whole house surge protection.
What equipment does benefit from is tight voltage regulation and soft shut downs etc. These are the tasks a good UPS will perform. You will get your money back in not saved repair bills and reducing premature failure of equipment.
