What is the Hamer of....

[tomteriffic]

Hey guys, I lost a fave-rave Athena subwoofer recently and it appears to have been hit right in the switch-mode power supply by a power blip. I've got another one coming, but it's the same basic plate amplifier with switch-mode supply. A little reading has informed me that this type of power supply is more susceptible to blips, brownouts and surges than a conventional linear type.

Embarrassingly, when I took the old one out, I realized that, due to its distance from the main power distribution, I had it run straight into the wall. Obviously some sort of strip/conditioner/surge protector is in order.

I've been out of the loop a while and most of what I've got is either heavier-duty Furman stuff for the road rigs or several Tripp-Lite units for the studio, computers, HT system, etc. this could be just a one-holer, for what I need.

So what's a good answer to this? Big current capability isn't an issue. And for several reasons, Homey don't do Monster. At all.

[LostArt]

apc

[veatch]

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=AR-1215

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techsp...?base_sku=LE600

Edited as APC linky was wrong..

[unfun75]

I like the looks of that APC above. Says it weighs 7lbs. That's hefty.

[veatch]

Note I've used the Furman with great success. I've used other APC products with mixed success, but have no experience with this particular unit.

I thought the APC would be easier for you to "hide" than the rack mount Furman.

Hope that helps.

[HSB0531]

The Furman stuff is ok.

The APC is heavy because it has a battery (battery backup P/S).

The best type of conditioners are balanced power conditioners, although, they are pricey.

The problem with switch mode power supplies is, most aren't built well.

[Armitage]

For around the house, I have a surge suppressor hooked up at my panel. Not only does it stop everything on all phases coming into the house, protecting everything from the Star Trek like gas stove and dryer, down to my clock radios and coffee maker, it also protects me from internally generated spikes from the freezer and furnace/air conditioner etc.

Every electrical wholesaler sells them (to the public). The do require the installation of another dual circuit breaker though. They're not pretty, but are generally only $100. I also have a Leviton coaxial surge suppressor where the Cable TV enters the house, a much better one then the cable company puts in.

I had a Furman on my rack (but I don't know where it is anymore)... they make quite a few different models, most are just surge protectors with a bit of RF filtering. I still use those honking big Monster HTS1000 Powerbars... yeah I know, but I got four free...

[thecajunboy]

Every electrical wholesaler sells them (to the public). The do require the installation of another dual circuit breaker though. They're not pretty, but are generally only $100.

Any particular brand recommendations for these?

[Armitage]

Leviton, SYCOM, Intermatic, Panamax are the common respected guys... there are tons though. Just ask at your wholesaler who they recommend.

[FiguredMaple]

These are great, but pricey:

http://www.richardgrayspowercompany.com/

[JohnnyB]

Generally speaking, I'd say PS Audio is the Hamer of power conditioners. They've been in business about the same length of time, their stuff is extremely well made and reasonably priced compared to the competition, they are well-known among audio people and almost invisible to the rest of the world. Sound familiar?

Here's a radical approach:

For a bit more money, there's this, which looks to be really good. Read more about it on PS Audio's website.

[Armitage]

"The World's First In-Wall Power Protector" that's hysterical. I had them in my first house... everybody makes them. Recently I've probably put in dozens of Leviton's Hospital Grade 8280-W receptacles for people. I've got a couple spares for myself... but just never bothered.

I'm not saying the Soloist isn't better, at 4 to 5 times the cost it should be, but there are, and have been, plenty of in wall surge suppressors and noise filters. A toroidal choke (balun coil) and MOVs have been the standard... because they're tremendously cheap and effective.

"No more tangled cords or confusing choices of which power cable to feed into the conditioner" Come on, who writes this stuff? Monster? Who has only two cables coming out of their system that's not going to a power bar somewhere? How confused could you be with only two cords?

Besides, when it fails in a little black puff after an unusually huge spike, I don't want to have to repaint.

A surge suppressor belongs where the power and noise all come in and meet, at the panel, with local secondary protection for special items. Let it take the hit where it comes in before it spreads through your house and hits everything. A panel protector doesn't come with a pretty 1/4 aluminum plate to make you go wow or impress your friends... it just works. Of course it's not priced as a specialty target item either.

BTW, you can buy snap on Ferrite beads at any electronics place, even Amazon... and put them on power cables for everything you want to limit RF noise to. They're like $3. I got a bunch for some guys trying to kill the noise from compact floresents...

[JohnnyB]

"No more tangled cords or confusing choices of which power cable to feed into the conditioner" Come on, who writes this stuff? Monster? Who has only two cables coming out of their system that's not going to a power bar somewhere? How confused could you be with only two cords?

You're right; the Audio Advisor write-up is pretty dorky. Some may find PS Audio's own description more informative. They make a case that there are times where a conditioned outlet would be preferable to a power strip, where space is at a premium. It also means you plug several sensitive A/V components into a garden variety power strip, and then plug it into one of these outlets.

[Armitage]

I'm sure it's a very good unit... I just hate goofy claims.

And once again, why would someone want to use a garden variety power bar, if they're so concerned about power quality? Some people go nuts with Hospital grade plugs and stuff why have junk at the end? And having it at the panel keeps it completely out of sight and does the whole house.

I don't know, I just think it's funny. Like those $1500 4ft power cables... the first 160 miles don't matter... and the 7 volt daily swings most streets get doesn't matter... but that .000001 volt possible difference is a crisis! Heck, there's more of a difference between receptacles on either side of the equipment! Just plug into the one closest to the panel, heck their stereo would sound SO much better next door, closer to the street transformer.

Right now I'm sitting with Paul Brule the CEO of a power management company (that services Google's new power monitoring system)... and it's hysterical what people think about power...

[JohnnyB]

I don't know, I just think it's funny. Like those $1500 4ft power cables... the first 160 miles don't matter... and the 7 volt daily swings most streets get doesn't matter... but that .000001 volt possible difference is a crisis! Heck, there's more of a difference between receptacles on either side of the equipment! Just plug into the one closest to the panel, heck their stereo would sound SO much better next door, closer to the street transformer.

That's why PS Audio also makes this and this.

BTW, Tom asked for the Hamer of power conditioners. When you consider what Hamer has represented all along, detractors might question the costly benefits of one-piece Honduras mahogany bodies vs. 5-piece agathis, or frets leveled to .01" tolerance, or 17 layers of hand-rubbed lacquer, or 3-piece pre-stressed necks. By the same token, I wouldn't see a $20 spike/surge protector power strip as the Hamer of power conditioners.

[HSB0531]

http://www.equitech.com/