Power Conditioner: Help choose which one.

[seigneur_rayden]

Hi,
I need help to choose a power conditioner between these 4 options. The equipments connected to it will be:
- an AVR that consumes 690VA (according to the manual)
- a powered sub Klipsch RW-12d (don't know how much VA it consumes)
- a PS3 80G (don't know how much VA it consumes)
- a 42 Plasma that will be later replaced down the road to a 58" Pana.

Keep in mind that I am not rich, price is to be considered and I don't want to spend more than I have to to meet the need of my equipment.

Here are the choices:

1. Panamax M4300-PM
http://www.panamax.com/Products/A-V-...spx#tab_images

Power Filter Level: 2, voltage regulation: NO, maximum VA???

Price on Amazon: $220 (authorized dealer)

2. Panamax M5300-PM
http://www.panamax.com/Products/A-V-...x#tab_features

Power Filter Level: 4, voltage regulation: NO, maximum VA: ???

Price: $500 (authorized dealers); on Amazon: 360$ (unauthorized dealer)

3. APC AV Black 1kVA H Type
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...ase_sku=H10BLK

Power Filter Level ???, voltage regulation: YES, maximum VA: 1000

Price: $272 (authorized dealers); Amazon: $276 (unauthorized dealer)

4. APC AV Black 1.5kVA H Type
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...ase_sku=H15BLK

Power Filter Level ???, voltage regulation: YES, maximum VA: 1500

Price: $449 (authorized dealers); Amazon: $376 (unauthorized dealer)

Some thoughts: Is the voltage regulation that APC have and Panamax lack really important? Will I be fine without it?.

Which one of the 4 will you recommend that will be best for my needs?
Thanks for all the help.

[Pelican170]

Im sure they will all do what you want it to do. I have the Panamax 5300 and its great but really depends on what your looking for and how much money you have to play with..

[arush5268d]

I see that you've decided to get a conditioner.....great!

I don't have any experience with any of the models that you indicated - but both of those companies turn out a quality product.

[Themoth]

i think since you have only a few items connected to the unit itself you could go with the Panamax M4300-PM as far as looking at its specs and power rating, I like the looks of the 5300 better, but its all what you have to spend on the unit. I chose the Monster HTS 3600 MKII which has 12 outlets. I run all my equipment through mine. PS3, Xbox360, HD DTV, AVR, cable modem, wireless router, OTA HD antenna, subwoofer.

Word of advice if you buy these units an unauthorized dealer they will not honor the warranty on the item..

both companies you mentioned above turn out great quality products...

[seigneur_rayden]

Originally Posted by Themoth

i think since you have only a few items connected to the unit itself you could go with the Panamax M4300-PM as far as looking at its specs and power rating, I like the looks of the 5300 better, but its all what you have to spend on the unit. I chose the Monster HTS 3600 MKII which has 12 outlets. I run all my equipment through mine. PS3, Xbox360, HD DTV, AVR, cable modem, wireless router, OTA HD antenna, subwoofer.

Word of advice if you buy these units an unauthorized dealer they will not honor the warranty on the item..

both companies you mentioned above turn out great quality products...

Yes, I know about the warranty/unauthorized dealer. Thanks for looking out though. I was looking at the Monster HTS 3600 MKI but the buzzing it creates as reported by some review made me to cross it from the list.

So you think I'll be fine with the 4300.

[seigneur_rayden]

Originally Posted by arush5268d

I see that you've decided to get a conditioner.....great!

Yes, indeed. I really need it to have a piece of mind.

[Jared]

I had a projector bulb blow and then some other things blow, and I decided to get a conditioner. After lots of research and writeups and reviews, the only option seemed to be the APC for me. I've had it for 8 months and love it. Every single time my air conditioner pops on, it has to adjust the voltage going to the devices. It seems to me like that is the killer feature. I regularly have my voltage in dropping and the voltage out always stays the same.

It really is a killer piece of hardware for the price. Oh and I have the 1000, not 1500. I have more stuff powered that you've listed and it has never got even close to 100% utilization, more like 15-25%.

You can't beat $270.

[Colglizity]

I've had the Panamax 4300 for a couple weeks and am pretty happy with it. I don't know if it's just in my mind, buy listening to cable in ProLogic IIx, the sound seemed to get a lot better, sounded a lot like Dolby Digital... IDK. I found this on sale at Amazon for $214, it might still be on sale.

[seigneur_rayden]

Right now I am trying to decide between the Panamax 4300 and the APC 1k VA.

Thanks for the reply so far.
I need more inputs to help me decide.

[cravnsn]

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...515&category0=


I've had mine for years, and it's always given me great results, and has never failed.

[Lucy Diamond]

I can't say enough about Furman power conditioners.

Give one a spin and you will never look back.

At least check out their website.

[Johk]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Hi,
I need help to choose a power conditioner between these 4 options. The equipments connected to it will be:
- an AVR that consumes 690VA (according to the manual)
- a powered sub Klipsch RW-12d (don't know how much VA it consumes)
- a PS3 80G (don't know how much VA it consumes)
- a 42 Plasma that will be later replaced down the road to a 58" Pana.

Hi,

I have the APC H10 (APC AV Black 1kVA H Type) and it's great! However I would recommend the 1.5 kVA for your setup... I know that for mine during peaks, I almost reach the total capacity (in fact, before reajusting the level of my subwoofer, the H10 would shut down due to an overload during the air strike scene in We Were Soldiers, I had to plug the sub temporarily direct in the outlet. But it was really loud).

As far as "power filter levels", well I don't think you can really compare numbers on that since there is really no standard to say what each levels correspond to, between different brands...

[seigneur_rayden]

Originally Posted by Jared

It really is a killer piece of hardware for the price. Oh and I have the 1000, not 1500. I have more stuff powered that you've listed and it has never got even close to 100% utilization, more like 15-25%.

You can't beat $270.

Originally Posted by Johk

Hi,

I have the APC H10 (APC AV Black 1kVA H Type) and it's great! However I would recommend the 1.5 kVA for your setup... I know that for mine during peaks, I almost reach the total capacity (in fact, before reajusting the level of my subwoofer, the H10 would shut down due to an overload during the air strike scene in We Were Soldiers, I had to plug the sub temporarily direct in the outlet. But it was really loud).

Two intriguing posts Man, this home theater hobby is really a pain in the ass.

[DiverSpear]

I have the Panamax 5300 and it works great hear in the lightning strike capital. It has a heavy deamand on too. At any given given time my system is pulling 15-19 amps on a 20 amp ckt, as measure with my clamp on amp meter.

[Themoth]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Yes, I know about the warranty/unauthorized dealer. Thanks for looking out though. I was looking at the Monster HTS 3600 MKI but the buzzing it creates as reported by some review made me to cross it from the list.

So you think I'll be fine with the 4300.

Never had an issue with buzzing but bought mine brand new. I think the 4300 should be a nice fit for you..GL

[Johk]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Two intriguing posts Man, this home theater hobby is really a pain in the ass.

lol

Well I'm giving you the facts for a TH50PZ80 + Denon AVR988 + PS3 + SVS 20-39 PC+...

It also depends if I watch the movie with my girlfriend (-25 dB) or with my brother (-8 dB)...

Since having readjusted the level of my sub (+5dB compared to the level of the speakers), I had no overload. So I would say that under normal conditions the H10 should be enough, but if you want to drive it a bit, it might be a little too much during peaks!

Update: Some observation, when watching transformers minimum level was 20% when you see the helicopters at the very beginning, the APC was at 80% of its capacity (measuring the peak at 95dB, -10 dB on the receiver)... A bit further in the movie, I cranked the volume to -5 dB (too loud for my taste) on the receiver and at the beginning of the scene where Blackout lands in the base and the action is starting, the H10 overloaded... I measured a peak at 102.8 dB at my listening position and well it's way too loud! But this gives you an idea! lol

For information, the reference level is adjusted at 75 dB for the speakers and 80 dB for the sub...

[Johk]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Hi,
3. APC AV Black 1kVA H Type
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...ase_sku=H10BLK

Power Filter Level ???, voltage regulation: YES, maximum VA: 1000

Price: $272 (authorized dealers); Amazon: $276 (unauthorized dealer)

4. APC AV Black 1.5kVA H Type
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...ase_sku=H15BLK

Power Filter Level ???, voltage regulation: YES, maximum VA: 1500

Price: $449 (authorized dealers); Amazon: $376 (unauthorized dealer).

The H15 is selling for $179 right now at buyuptime an authorized seller...

[seigneur_rayden]

Originally Posted by Johk

The H15 is selling for $179 right now at buyuptime an authorized seller...

Thank you so MUCH MUCH Johk for the tip . At that price, I had no choice but to pull the trigger on it even though I was leaning toward Panamax.
Thanks again everybody. I'll let U know how it turns out when I receive it.

[arush5268d]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Thank you so MUCH MUCH Johk for the tip . At that price, I had no choice but to pull the trigger on it even though I was leaning toward Panamax.
Thanks again everybody. I'll let U know how it turns out when I receive it.

Glad we could help you out with all the problems that you've come to us with!

[Johk]

Originally Posted by seigneur_rayden

Thank you so MUCH MUCH Johk for the tip . At that price, I had no choice but to pull the trigger on it even though I was leaning toward Panamax.
Thanks again everybody. I'll let U know how it turns out when I receive it.

Great you won't regret it and at that price it's a steal!

If only the deal was applicable in Canada (on the same site for Canada it's 405$), I would have bought another one...