What Do You Use. . . ?

[David Meek]

For power conditioning and/or surge protection?

Currently (no pun intended ) I'm using a VansEvers Model 100 conditioner/protector. It's a 14-outlet component-sized unit. It's the chassis at the bottom of the stack in the photo in the link. With the harsh weather we get (thunderstorms, tropical storm, hurricanes, ocassional high winds) through here, not to mention Reliant Energy's "dirty" electrical current, I couldn't see going without protection for my system. Once in my system what I heard was the noise-floor seemed deeper and things just "felt" cleaner. Surprisingly (I really wasn't expecting this), I did see improvement in the video when I put this conditioner in the loop. I had to re-adjust my TV's settings with Video Essentials as it was brighter and more saturated that I was used to.

Do you use a conditioner/protector? If so, why? What improvements did you see, if any?




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[Eduardo]

I can't even imagine how dirty my power is in my bonus room. I am pretty sure all the outlets and fans are on the same circuit breaker. I plan to run a seperate line but that is not for a long while. My system definitely needs a power conditioner.

I can't answer your questions but from what I have read I am going to buy one as soon as possible.

Eduardo

http://home.nc.rr.com/ejimenez

[Kevin P]

I have a Monster power strip in my system. As for improvements, well, it gave me more outlets!

KJP




Official Computer Geek and Techno-Wiz Guru of HTGuide - Visit Tower of Power
My HT Site

[John Holmes]

I have the Optimus Home Theater Power Center (professional Series). It seems to do the job. I have been considering getting something better for quite sometime.

I had my reservations about it in the begining. But, after 3 yrs using it in Louisiana and now Florida (which have the same weather issues stated above), my equipment has never failed. And my sound and picture quailty is just fine by me.




"I came here, to chew bubble gum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubble gum!!!" My DVD's

[Lex]

I have found that my most natural power comes from virgin electrical eels. It's not easy to harness their power, but when you do, ahhhh! It takes a lot of capacitors to hold the power necessary for constant current flow for those "between charge" times. I only hook up that system for special occasionsl though, as eels are hard to come by.

The rest of the time, I use Panamax MAX1000+ and Panamax satellite strips. My 2 channel amplifier has built in conditioning and surge protection, augmented by a power cord with built in conditioning. That one plug straight into the wall. well, when the eels aren't available.

Someday I would like to add some PS Audio power.

Lex

[Andrew Pratt]

we have the advantage of being within 100 miles of the power generating stations so our power is pretty clean. I do have surge protectos (APC) on most of my gear though since thunderstorms are very common here.

[Robbie]

I too use the Monster Power strip. Seems to work ok. I'm sure there's better out there, just not in my system.

Robbie

[Burke Strickland]

I am using two Richard Grey's Power Company Model 400 http://www.richardgrayspowercompany.com/index2.html
with a couple of auxiliary heavy duty multiple-outlet power strips (NOT surge protectors) plugged into them to provide more outlets.

One significant benefit was not incurring ANY damage to my HT components the time a lightining-induced surge took out my central air last year. One surge protector strip for my computer gear on a different circuit gabe up the ghost buut also saved teh equipmenbt. the Richard Greys came through unscathed as far as I can tell.

At first I was very skeptical of any of the other possible benfits touted by trhe dealrer fort these units, but 1) they have all their equipment hiooked up to them in the displauy rooms, and 2) they offered me a home trial to check it out for myslef -- and though I really felt I was wasting my time, I took one home and tried it -- and had to ask myself if I was hallucinating when I saw the results on video. As for the home trial, next business day I handed over some plastic o keep the first one and then later bought another.

Like David I had to recalibrate my system to optimize the improvements (with Avia) and the blacks look subjectively deeper in what is now a more stable picture. I am pretty well convinced they were worth their fairly stepp going in price for the protection and the cleaner, more consistent power they provide.

Burke

[Wireless]

I'm using a Bybee power conditioner because at the time it was purchased I was a bonified audiophile convinced that power cords, interconnect, digital cables, and power conditioners made a difference in the sound coming out of my speakers.




John
My HT Picts

[Lex]

John, you say that like someone that isn't convinced anymore. Something happen that changed your mind?

I can't believe my virgin eel thing didn't even get a laugh. tough crowd! LOL

lex

[ThomasW]

In keeping with the W/E (wretched excess) motto

"if some's good,
more's better,
and too much is just enough......"

Had a whole house surge system installed in June

There's a dedicated 20 line that powers all the A/V equipment.
Plugged into that line is a Tice Titan/PowerBlock II (2-66 lb transformers.) These stabilize and 'clean' the line voltage

Plugged into the Tice transformers are multiple BP-4's that individually provide balanced power to each piece of front end gear. The power amps (there are a lot of these with 2 rooms of tri-amped multichannel speakers) are plugged into multiple BP-2.5's

Balanced power devices make the single most significant improvement to everything in the system. The noise floor in the audio components plummets and the video colors are deeper/richer/more pure with less overall video noise.

Geeze I hope I never have to move all this stuff to a different location




theAudioWorx
Klone-Audio

[David Meek]

Now THAT'S protection and conditioning Thomas. Yeah! :T




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[Burke Strickland]

I can't believe my virgin eel thing didn't even get a laugh. tough crowd!

That was a joke? I thought for sure it was true (but I guess the "virgin" part should have tipped me off.) :>)

Burke

[Lex]

LOL Burke, see, at least some of us can laugh. :

Lex

[Kevin P]

Thomas, how much does the Tice Titan/PowerBlock II go for? A tank of virgin electric eels might be cheaper! :LOL: BTW, how can you tell if they're virgins? 8O

KJP




Official Computer Geek and Techno-Wiz Guru of HTGuide - Visit Tower of Power
My HT Site

[David Meek]

some of us can laugh

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Heh. :rf

Now, back OT. . .




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[Robbie]

LOL Burke, see, at least some of us can laugh.

I'm with Burke on this one Lex. Just thought you had turned into one of those left wing, enviornment whackos trying to save the earth who had a thing for tight eels. :LOL:

Robbie

[ThomasW]

Kevin

The PowerBlock/Titan II combo originally sold for $2250 back in the early 1990's, ($1250 for the PowerBlock, an additional $1000 for the add-on Titan). I bought my set used for less than 1/2 that.

The new Tice stuff isn't built the same way. It doesn't have the massive voltage stabilizing transformers. It just contains the standard stuff to clamp surges/spikes/etc.

So if you can find the old MK-II series used go for it. I wouldn't buy the current Tice stuff.




theAudioWorx
Klone-Audio

[Lex]

LOL Robbie, you bad.

Lex