Monster power center power bars

[link_of_hyrule]

Anybody know if these Monster power center things are any good or just another marketing gimmic? Supposed to clean up background noise from all components (not that I've heard any interference in the past)

[JAC6]

Might start here: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=73512

I bought a cheap Monster product that supposedly "conditions" the power source, but I certainly can't tell the difference. It also has a surge protector, so it is presumably doing some good there. But as to the intereference, etc., if there is a difference, it seems pretty subtle to me. That said, given the amount many of us spend on our systems, what's $75 for a marginal potential improvement?

[Steve]

I personally refuse to buy anything made by Monster. You can buy surge protectors/power conditioners from several other compaies such as Belkin, APC and Panamax, and probably for less money.

[crackinhedz]

I have a Monster HTS 5100 Power Center, although I got it for much cheaper on eBay...I don't notice any improvement other than the peace of mind of protected equipment. Ive had a few power losses, and its done its job.

But if I were to do it again, id go much much cheaper for a decent power supply. When they had those $99 APC power centers, now that was a kick ass deal. Glad I was able to snag one for my dad when it was available.

[link_of_hyrule]

The ones I saw at Futureshop were close to $999 (yes, 3 nines).

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by link_of_hyrule

Anybody know if these Monster power center things are any good or just another marketing gimmic? Supposed to clean up background noise from all components (not that I've heard any interference in the past)

I encourage you to read the thread devoted to this subject. It's a long read, so get comfortable.

The "protection" your setup warrants depends on a number of factors. Opinions differ, but at the bare minimum you should have a surge protector. Beyond that you may benefit from a power conditioner if your power is irregular. If it's very irregular (i.e. frequent brown-outs, lightning strikes, etc.) you may want to consider an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). Personally, my lines are buried and I get pretty good power flow, so I have nothing more than a $50 Radio Shack surge protector. That said, if the APCs go on sale again I'll probably buy one, as much for cord management and convenience as for the protection it offers.

The Monster power strip/surge protector is nothing special and, as is often the case with Monster, the stated benefits are misleading.

[tntkain]

we had a Monster surge protector that got fried, not sure what happened to it, but it died. The tv that was connected was unharmed and we took the fried one back to Best Buy and they exchanged it for free. As far as clean power? It probably depends on how old your house is. The older the house, the more unstable the wiring is, unless it has been replaced

[JAC6]

Mine is more like this: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Cable-.../dp/B00003CWDU

About $50.

[Trix]

Originally Posted by link_of_hyrule

The ones I saw at Futureshop were close to $999 (yes, 3 nines).

The one that I ended up getting was the HKTS 7000, and it retails for 1599, apparently. I only have it because it was the last one left within my company's warehouse at the time, so I walked away with it for a few hundred bucks. Does it do a whole lot? Not excessively. But, it has helped me discover that my apartment only gets 105 volts of power, and I've noticed that my equipment is no longer affected by the vaccum cleaner, which is good.

Considering you're looking at paying retail prices, I would agree that Panamax can get you better power handling for less. If I hadn't practically stolen this one, I would've opted for a Panamax.

[Phil Taylor]

I refuse to buy or recommend Monster products due to their unscrupulous marketing tactics, absurd pricing and ridiculous tendency to file frivolous lawsuits against companies with Monster in their company name.

[Rblu-Dblu]

Originally Posted by Phil Taylor

I refuse to buy or recommend Monster products due to their unscrupulous marketing tactics, absurd pricing and ridiculous tendency to file frivolous lawsuits against companies with Monster in their company name.

What do you mean? I always confuse Monster energy drink and Monster mini-golf with the company that makes those absurdly priced cables.

[Phil Taylor]

Originally Posted by Rblu-Dblu

What do you mean? I always confuse Monster energy drink and Monster mini-golf with the company that makes those absurdly priced cables.

Did you also go to a Monster Transmission shop looking for an HDMI cable that would make your TV look better?