derrickdj1 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Recently, a forum member suggested that I consider adding a power conditioner to my HT setup. I told him everything was on surge protectors. After some reading, there did seem to be some benefits to having a power conditioner for the HT equipment, protect against sags or surges in the electrical supply chain, equipment protection, clean energy to the HT gear, energy savings, and possibly improved sound and picture quality. For me, the added benefit of one touch everything on or off. The LED display also looks cool. It displays voltage, amps, and wattage. The all on function cut power completely off for 6 devices, and eliminated the vampire effect of the equipment, sucking power in stand-by mode. The plasma tv and oversized Pioneer Elite avr consume the most power in my setup. I also have a cable box, BD player, Wii game console and a power amp in the mix. My watts reading is between 420 -500. This seems like a lot for a relatively simple HT. I wonder what benefits other members feel a power conditioner brings to their systems and what type of reading they are seeing on the display. What's next, as , Ving Rhames said in Pulp Fiction, I will tell you what's next. I hope I have the Pulp Fiction thing correct, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Given the "accepted" voltage fluctuations, reliability issues during storms, and the desirability of being ably to reasonably protect my equipment and shut it down in the event of a power failure, I use UPS independent power supply battery systems and Furman surge protectors/ distributors. Before others get started..... my house is properly grounded, has a main power protection system, etc. That, however, does not address power fluctuations that the so-called whole house protection schemes are not designed to solve. That's only the first line of protection from massive power surges, lightning, etc. With expensive equipment that can be damaged by "unclean" or unreliable power, protection between the wall socket and the equipment is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abjonesiii Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I have conditioners on everything and I give them as gifts to family members I like em that much. Benefits for me are rock solid surge protection for years and years. The little six dollar power strips supposedly stop one good surge but thats it. Most cheap strips can't take multiple "little" ripples in the power and there surge ability diminishes over time leaving you equipment totally exposed and you don't know. Even expensive ones don't last forever. I have an article on this somewhere if i can find it I will post it. BTW I lost $2,000 of computers one night in the 90's because of cheap surge protectors Second is clean stable power. You can google this. Others have stated it far better than I can. I like the idea of feeding my hungry amps clean consistent power. Stick an ohms meter in an outlet and just watch the numbers jump. I uses a Panamax 5300PM in the HT, a Monster 2500 in the living room rig, and a Cyber Power 1350AVR on the iMac in my HS. Belkin makes some reasonably priced units that seem to be pretty good. APC if you can catch them on sale are good deals. And Monster power for all its flaws make really nice conditioners. My Panamax does not have a readout for power consumption so I have no idea what I use. But I do know my power bill averages $50-$100 more now than before I built my theater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abjonesiii Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I remembered this video I saw a while back. It's not the best production but it does state the case in a very simplified form. I'm a Panamax fan but any good conditioner should be like the one in the vid. ...err for some reason I can't embed the video so you will have to follow the link. Its a product page from Crutchfield. Look for the video below the picture. Panamax Video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 I have seen the Panamax line, very elegant design and reliablity for a power conditioner. We can think of our HT systems has a pet. Besides, caring for it, we feed the power hungry little beast. A lot of consideration is given to wires, connectors, room treatments, speakers and the avr/amps: but, protecting your system should be high on the list. Also the benefit of cutting the feeding bill to our pets. Years ago I lost my office computer system and all the phones due to a surg in a storm, and yes the computer way on one of the cheap surge protector, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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