I’ve been thinking of getting a Monster Power strip. The kind that has the “Clean Power.” I was wondering if anyone else hear has used Monster Power for their Home Theater System, and if so did it make a difference. Using the Clean Power Technology is supposed to make a huge difference, making the sound and picture etc… alot better by cleaning all the garbage out of the electricity. So has anyone tried these? Are they worth $150 to $200?
What about voltage stabalizers? Those are much more expensive and I don’t think I would spend the extra money on one unless someone here has used it and tells me that it made enough of a difference to really be worth it.
I have used an older Monster HT-2000 (I think that is the model number, but can check when I get home tonight) Anyhoo, it is a component type black box and provides ~10 switched and unswitched outlets. I use it as a surge protecter and I think it makes a small inprovement in the sound. To me, there is a lower noise floor when I use the monster product. I think the level of return you get is probably proportional to the quality of your system. All in all, I think it doesn’t hurt, will protect your equipment, and may offer a small gain in sound quality.
I do not use it for my amps, only for the TT, CD, pre-amp and tuner. There are other products, including some from a firm called PS-Audio, that many audiophiles swear by, but they are more expensive. (PS-Audio makes power regenerators that rectify AC to DC, and then convert it back to AC to filter grunge in the signal.)
Don’t expect any great improvement in sound or picture. Most of the entertainment market reviews are written by people who don’t know intermodulation from signal-to-noise-ratio. They blather on about some subjective impression that they have - and when pressed into a blind comparison test can’t duplicate the same judgement.
As far as the power bar itself, it looks like a good piece of equipment for other reasons. It will protect your equipment from power surges (high voltage on the power lines) and lightning strikes. If I was looking at the same one you are thinking of, they also promise to replace up to $150000 worth of equipment if the power strip lets a surge or lightning strike through during the first five years you own the strip. Sounds like cheap enough insurance if you’ve got an expensive setup.
Have you had power quality problems? These devices can only help if there is a problem, and even then a specific device is generally only good for solving one or two types of power quality problems.
How often does your existing power strip trip off? Have you looked at your house power with a meter (Fluke 41B or 39, or something of that nature)? Do you have large motors (or other single control point load) frequently cycling on and off on your circuit? Are lightning strikes common in your area?
I would say if you are having problems then protect yourself, but if not it is a waste of money.