PureAV power conditioners/surge protectors

[mulester7]

.....ok, I just read this whole thread, which has been going for almost a year....talk to me, please....is the purchase of a power conditioner warranted if there is no vacuum going anywhere in the house, you don't live next to an airport, etc?....is the only impovement claimed by some, to be in the low end of the audio?....is there honestly an improvement in the video signal, if, once again, there is no vacuum going in the house, no airport nextdoor, etc....let's get a cup of coffee, sit down around a table, and talk about this here power conditioner varmint....I could be interested....and....no links, please, I couldn't care less what someone only thinks basing their reasonings for an opinion....I would like to hear some real life, hands on, ears used, reports.....

 

[Stone__Man]

I have this http://catalog.belkin.com/PureAV_detail.process?Product_Id=162995

and have read this thread to try to gain info as to IF I should um... "upgrade" to a "conditioner" ... such as one of the Monster Power HTS series conditioners like the 5100 MKII. ?? I have NO problems that trouble me at this time. The similarity to speaker cable and interconnects seems spot on. with the " u gotta have top O D line" and " u don't need to waste money on that crap" . I personally am not so sure about the benefit gained over the product I have to the much more expensive "conditioner" solution... that being said after all this reading I am exactly where I was before I started. ... SIGH

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have this I have NO problems that trouble me at this time. ... I personally am not so sure about the benefit gained over the product I have to the much more expensive "conditioner" solution... that being said after all this reading I am exactly where I was before I started. ... SIGH[/QUOTE] Stick with what you have.:D

 

[Audioholics]

I would like to hear some real life, hands on, ears used, reports.....

We will try to get to this during the year... meaning with full Audio Precision testing, etc. This is a nut we really want to crack but it's going to take a lot of time and we're working to develop meaningful testing methodologies so we don't test for the wrong thing.

 

[Nick250]

I don't own a power conditioner and I don't think one would improve audio or video and I have no plans to buy one. That being said if you you really want to try one, you can get a monster 3500, list price $400 for $150 at amazon. At the worst one could think of it as an expensive surge protector.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Y2ZF/sr=8-2/qid=1144158999/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0921519-7792823?_encoding=UTF8

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I don't own a power conditioner and I don't think one would improve audio or video and I have no plans to buy one. That being said if you you really want to try one, you can get a monster 3500, list price $400 for $150 at amazon. At worst one could think of it as an expensive surge protector.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Y2ZF/sr=8-2/qid=1144158999/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0921519-7792823?_encoding=UTF8

Nick,

Nice find. As much as many don't like to contribute to the profits of Monster, Gene gave it raving reviews in 1999 (was he in high school back then? JK Gene). I think it's a fair deal, and at 17lbs, you're obviously getting more than plain surge protection (I think). It's hard to believe that product has been unchanged for 7 years.

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/monster_HTS-3500a.php

 

[Stone__Man]

i "think" I paid @ 70 USD for the belkin I have. its not that cheap either i suppose. anyway. I think I shall stay where I am , with it, as I see no solid proof of any sort to sway me. all I see is " human nature" showing up in the way of defending ones decision of purchase vice the product they did not purchase. that will never change. we even give some the tag "FAN BOY" lol . you know the " I have it it kicks EVERYthings @ss"

carry on . . .

 

[~JC~]

UPS and line conditioning?

Did someone say that you can't have both? Seems that Pure has a conditioning unit with battery backup. Would be good for the AV system and the projector, to protect that bulb. Am I missing something?

 

[mytzen]

It was posted earlier that you would want a power conditioner if you live near an airport. I will be moving into an apartment in two months that is 5 miles away from an airport. Should I look into buying a power conditioner? Or is it only necessary to get one if you live next to an airport.

 

[SackoHammers]

Wouldn't the power cable between the line conditioner and the audio equipment still be subject to interference?

 

[NGL_BrSH]

Man.. i have read this whole thread.. and can't decide..
I have looked at the belkins... pf31.. i truly just want something that will pop instead of my audio equipment in case of a lightning strike. There have been quite a few in the area lately (including a tornado which is unheard of in NH) and i want protection.

I definitely don't believe it helps sound quality unless you really have a problem in which case you should call the power company.

If anything.. the unlimited guarentee probably is worth it even though the unit itself really doesn't protect me. (if you figure all the profit from all the pc's sold is probably way more than odds of a lightning strike. Belkin then gives a warranty because they will sell more units and it will outweight toasted units regardless if the unit really works or not.

if that run on sentence made any sense.. i think that i will get it contradicting my first statement because it's pretty, gives me some decent wire management and it has a guarentee. I don't expect to really be covered in a lightning strike. I feel as though in that scenario i'll be filing a claim with belkin.

~Skeptical buyer. (i'll let you know if i get hit)

 

[NGL_BrSH]

OK well i got it. Got the PF31 for about $230. Packaging is nice, gives you the option to rack mount it with included brackets or not.
I defeated my whole purpose in buying it because in the manual it says "in event of a lightning storm please unplug" It describes how it does NOT cover equipment or itself in the event of a lightning strike. so i thought to myself "SO wtf did I buy this thing?!@#"

Anyway.. it does cover the event of a brown out where there is a power surge.. but those are few and far between nowadays.

The major good thing... it did was determine that my wiring in my house was incorrect. when connecting it I needed to change my old outlet from 2 to 3 prong. After this was done i found out the orientaion of the wires was originally installed incorrectly. This may have saved me from a problem down the road.

I "think" it sounds better but who really knows.. and if it does sound better it's probably cause it's wired correctly now.

It does have some decent capacitors in it you can tell since when it gets unplugged it takes quite sometime to discharge it's juice. This probably would be advantagous to people with inexpensive recievers that skimp on capacitance and will help in the transients. (just a theory)

anyway.. it's pretty, it helped me figure out my power problem with it's status bars and i'll keep it. I'll let you know if i get hit by lightning and if my equipment survives.





edit: spelling

 

[ZoFo]

That is why I bought the APC Power Conditioner NGL!

Wow, this post has been around for some time!

I have a Belkin and it's a nice unit but you are right about them telling you to unplug during lighting storms; does not sound like they are so sure of their product?


When I ran out of plugs on my Belkin and needed another American Power Conversion (APC) had just come out with the HT-15 and it has many more features as it is a true power conditioner then the Belkin. It also clearly states in the owners manual that you DO NOT HAVE TO UNPLUG during lighting storms; the first time I have ever seen that.


If I am home I unplug during lighting storms but I don't want to have to worry about lighting when I am at work; in fact it is "storming like a mother" out of my office window right now and there have been a few very close lightning strikes. My house is 5 miles away and I have 15K of electronics plugged into my APC - I am not worried on bit.

 

[WndrBr3d]

I posted a reply a while back on surge supression and lightning storms. You can check it out here.

 

[FRANKTREN]

What to make of this?

Everybody cool down. From the more recent posts, this thread is old. Then, one of the original inquiries wasn't answered to his satisfaction. There is only one reason for that. Too many opinions were just that, opinions, not supported with any technical references except to others with nothing but opinions! Some of the responses make it completely clear that the writer is either cheap, biased, or both, and has made his mind up, thank you, don't bother me with facts or evidence. I've been doing the audio thing for over 50years and have witnessed the same arguments about nearly every 'new' thing in audio reproduction. Some were BS and some were not. The manufacturers
and retailers weren't always honest nor clear in their advertising. The only thing I can say on the subject is this: As an engineer, I have witnessed some improvement in my system by installing individual filters in every component and by using shielded cable for every power cord. I fabricated some of this I myself and saved some money. Also, as an engineer, I view the stated benefits of some 'magic' box with skepticism. So, if you haven't some experience with an idea or a product, you should be careful what you say so as not to look foolish, and if possible, try it out for yourself. I can't answer the question originally posed because I don't know the environment where the reader lives. But, if he tries some filtering and/or conditioning and
it appears to improve the sound, then he probably needs it. Finally, surge protection ought to be a no-brainer, every one should have it. Years ago, I didn't and it cost me a control panel on the microwave. Most of you have A/V systems costing many times a microwave's cost. To not protect that investment seems just dumb and dumber. But, as P.T. Barnum said...........

 

[SMM]

Does a UPS provide line conditioning

I'm under the impression that the UPS provides power from the batteries at all times instead of directly from AC. Does this mean that I'm getting line conditioning (constant 120)?