Any Recomendations For A PowerCenter?

[Sylin]

Demonstrating my ignorance here, but can someone please (in a nice way) explain the advantages of this type of product over say, the $50 Belkin surge protector I use currently?

I'm all for having an excuse to buy more stuff. What else should I have besides my receiver, PS3 and TiVo?

[DavePS3]

Even Richard Gray from RG's Power Company has 3 PurePower units. 65 pounds of muscle. It's the best I've come across. Go to Purepoweraps.com

[talbers23]

Originally Posted by ikcizokm

Demonstrating my ignorance here, but can someone please (in a nice way) explain the advantages of this type of product over say, the $50 Belkin surge protector I use currently?

I'm all for having an excuse to buy more stuff. What else should I have besides my receiver, PS3 and TiVo?

I noticed instant better colors and blacks with 11 outlet belkin.

[Pictor]

Originally Posted by talbers23

I noticed instant better colors and blacks with 11 outlet belkin.

Can you explain? Why would a surge suppressor or even a more expensive line conditioner give you better color or blacks?

I do believe in line conditioners but for different reasons and I tend to gravitate to Panamax and APC but both lines have cheap stuff too.

[jsb_hburg]

Originally Posted by Pictor

Can you explain? Why would a surge suppressor or even a more expensive line conditioner give you better color or blacks?

I do believe in line conditioners but for different reasons and I tend to gravitate to Panamax and APC but both lines have cheap stuff too.

From Panamax:

Level 4 Power Cleaning and Filtration eliminates common symptoms of contaminated power (including loss of detail, pops, hisses, hums and visual artifacts) and allows your A/V equipment to perform up to its full capability.

I have a Belkin PF60 and I immediately noticed the loss of hum in my speakers after installing it. The Belkin also improved the picture on my projector.

I am getting a second Belkin delivered this week to go with my new plasma. I will report back on the video improvement.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by Pictor

Can you explain? Why would a surge suppressor or even a more expensive line conditioner give you better color or blacks?

I bought a Monster HTS-5100 stage 4 v2.0

....honestly, I didn't notice any difference in PQ or AQ.


Everyone always talked about seeing differences...so I pony'd up some money, but notice nothing different.

(although I did trip a circuit when turning on a lamp in the room (odd)...the HTS kept everything protected as should!)

[Dust]

When I installed my Monster Reference Power Conditioner 3500 Mk II, I noticed an immediate difference in my sound quality. Even my wife and daughter noticed the better sound quality. I upgraded my Plasma at the same time, so I can't say if it improved the PQ. However, I believe it was well worth the money.

[b00st]

i believe this is one of those things that is of controversy...
some people think its snake oil....like myself...others don't....as i had it demostrated at 2 places and i did not notice a difference in PQ....wasn't really listening for AQ though. from my understanding its just great to have just incase you get a surge....you won't lose your equipment...which the regular little power strips actually don't protect against. i know these things are suppose to "clean" the "dirty power" but i did notice a difference in the demo as far as PQ went.

you can also put a a surge protector on your whole house for like 100 bucks. maybe its was 200...i forget...but that stops any power spikes too. and thats protection for the whole house.

[Dadds]

i have lots of surges in my town so i got one to be safe

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by Dust

When I installed my Monster Reference Power Conditioner 3500 Mk II, I noticed an immediate difference in my sound quality. Even my wife and daughter noticed the better sound quality. I upgraded my Plasma at the same time, so I can't say if it improved the PQ. However, I believe it was well worth the money.

I have the 3500 Mk II as well, and my experience with audio improvement was identical. I already had my Sony KDS A2000 1080p TV, and there was also noticeably less graininess when viewing with my Dish HD.

Whether or not you experience improvements really depends on the amount of components you have, as well as any outside interference. Unfortunately, my house has a local radio station nearby, and the cross interference caused by it is present in my land line, cell phone, radio reception, and undoubtedly my electrical. The Monster cleans it up and most importantly adds a high level of surge protection.

Also, check into whole house surge protection too. I got that as well after having a dryer fry in a recent surge. My neighbor lost over $20k worth of home theater gear and appliances, including his fridge.

[pbparham]

Originally Posted by ikcizokm

Demonstrating my ignorance here, but can someone please (in a nice way) explain the advantages of this type of product over say, the $50 Belkin surge protector I use currently?

I'm all for having an excuse to buy more stuff. What else should I have besides my receiver, PS3 and TiVo?

I'd like to chime in here with my first ever Blu-ray Forum post (insert golf-clap here?)

I think you should consider the monster route because of the 50% off aspect. The 1600 is a good unit, but for $50 more you can get the 2600, and for only $100 more you get the wondrous 3600. I use the 3600 with a 65" Hitachi projector, onkyo receiver (5.1 kef surround sound speakers + velodyne sub), cable box, x-box 360, and a soon to be sony blu-ray player (thank god the format war is ending!!!!!!!!!!). When you go up from the 1600 to the 2600 to the 3600, you gain separate filtering of the power supply going to analog, digital audio, and digital video devices(Stage 3 filtering- the 1600 is I believe stage 2-analog and digital audio). Simply put, your dvd or blu-ray player will be isolated totally from your audio receiver, so you will not see cross-over interference. This will show up in the details already mentioned by other posters.

Other features like the auto-disconnect and MOV power isolators also mean you have a much better chance of living through a power spike or lightning pop. In my mind, the only way to improve upon the Monster HTS-3600 is to get a power regulator, but that is another realm of activity altogether.

[350Now]

Is this a pricing error on the CC website. The HTS 2600 is 229.99 and the HTS 1600 is 199.99?

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by pbparham

I'd like to chime in here with my first ever Blu-ray Forum post (insert golf-clap here?)

I think you should consider the monster route because of the 50% off aspect. The 1600 is a good unit, but for $50 more you can get the 2600, and for only $100 more you get the wondrous 3600. I use the 3600 with a 65" Hitachi projector, onkyo receiver (5.1 kef surround sound speakers + velodyne sub), cable box, x-box 360, and a soon to be sony blu-ray player (thank god the format war is ending!!!!!!!!!!). When you go up from the 1600 to the 2600 to the 3600, you gain separate filtering of the power supply going to analog, digital audio, and digital video devices(Stage 3 filtering- the 1600 is I believe stage 2-analog and digital audio). Simply put, your dvd or blu-ray player will be isolated totally from your audio receiver, so you will not see cross-over interference. This will show up in the details already mentioned by other posters.

Other features like the auto-disconnect and MOV power isolators also mean you have a much better chance of living through a power spike or lightning pop. In my mind, the only way to improve upon the Monster HTS-3600 is to get a power regulator, but that is another realm of activity altogether.

First off, welcome to the forums, and welcome to Blu!

Secondly, thanks for the great info. This is the kind of geek-out detail I enjoy, so, much appreciated!

[pbparham]

Thank you for the welcome!

<Now with signature goodness!>

[DezNutz]

I have and use the HTS 3600 and I love it. I live in an older house (built in 1910) and had some serious cross-interferance and power regulation problems, and after I connected this unit it was like night and day correctly some screen interference from my reciever and made me feel alot better about having my HDTV, reciever, bose 5.1 surround sound, 60GB PS3, wii and cable box with alot better protection, seperation, and regulation.

[Dagger]

I have the HTS 3600 and think it's great. It may be overkill, but if you got thousands of dollars of equipment hooked up, what's an extra $100 - $150 over the HTS 1600?

I lost my last TV due to a surge. It was hooked up to relatively cheap Belkin ($50 or so). Thankfully, I bought the TV at Costco before the change in the return policy.

[jd13]

If you decide to get the 3600, go to pricegrabber.com. You can get it cheaper than that. For example Electronics Showplace has it for $324.50. If you feel uncomfortable with them, B&H Photo for $3 more. Even the featured merchants have it cheaper than Circuit City, and no tax...if you live outside the state the company is in.