?
What really is the difference in terms of conditioning (apart from nice led readouts) between a low cost power conditioner like a Furman M-8 and something like the Monster Powercenter Pro 3500?
Links:
Furman M-8 - click here
Monster Powercenter pro 3500 - click here
Hi Tom,
The answer may be that MOV’s typically fail
after a few large transients. So, the more expensive
surge suppressors put several of these in a parallel
arrangement. More Mov’s = more circuitry = more expensive.
Please download this .pdf for detailed discussion +
a view of said parallel circuit.
Right click on this link and do a "save link as"
http://www.arema.org/eseries…037.pdf
Another option is a UPS (un-interruptable power supply)
with voltage stabilization circuit.
Constant Power to the People
Couldn’t edit my last post -
But the Monster is also doing
line conditioning. This is usually achieved
by adding filtering using coils (chokes) and
capacitors. The problem is, when you incorporate
those components into a surge protection scheme,
you end up compromising the surge protection part,
because now when you do get a sizable surge, the coils
are storing (electro-magnetic) fields and the Caps are
storing (electro-static) fields, and these add to the
complexity of dealing with the surge itself. Obviously,
they (Monster) think they’ve done it well, and they may
have. Thus the big difference in price of the two products.
I prefer the all Natural Aloe/Herbal power conditioners as I find it restores the natural sheen of healthy hair often eliminated by the stress of frequent washing, blow drying and curling irons.
Failing that I go for a Henna treatment.
…ooops, sorry, wrong forum 
(Sorry Tom, couldn’t help myself).
Wash your hair with mayonnaise to restore the sheen Mark. LOL. 
D
Personally, I use furniture glue. It has a nice shine, and really lasts.
Quote: (TomS @ Feb. 06 2008, 7:08 AM)
Personally, I use furniture glue. It has a nice shine, and really lasts.
I instantly summoned the mental image of a sales guy that used to call on us at work. I swear you could bounce a bowling ball off that guys head and his hair wouldn't budge a millimeter! LOL.
Back on topic, 7 o' 11 pretty much has it nailed. However, instead of that Monster jobbie at 300 clams, look into a low-mid range UPS with line conditioning instead. Add up all your loads and size the UPS accordingly. The decent ones not only clean up the incoming line, they also provide you the means to do an orderly shutdown in the event the juice goes completely away.
D
Quote: (Diogenes @ Feb. 06 2008, 12:52 PM)
Wash your hair with mayonnaise to restore the sheen Mark. LOL.
D
Thanks mate! I'll give that a try.
(now look, we've gone an' wrecked Tom's thread)
Quote:
Personally, I use furniture glue. It has a nice shine, and really lasts.
Haven't used anything but Jimmy Johnson's Hair Plaster with concrete.
Quote:
I instantly summoned the mental image of a sales guy that used to call on us at work. I swear you could bounce a bowling ball off that guys head and his hair wouldn't budge a millimeter! LOL.
Yup. Been meaning to tell you. That was me.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank sevenofeleven for the very helpful reply. Not so much you other guys. Wwell, I dunno about D. OK, I'll thank you too.
OK, I will thank Mark A also b/c he’s a good guy.
Well, anyway, the ubiquitous Furman thingies claim to be power conditioners as well as surge protectors, but the Monster ones claim to have “stage 3” conditioners, and also to have outputs that are “optimized” for analog, digital and something else I forget.
That last part sounds like hooey to me.
What could it possibly mean to optimize power for digital hardware vs. analog?
I mean, isn’t what is good for a lexicon digital reverb also good for some old vintage tube compressor?
Is it marketing hype?
Quote: (TomS @ Feb. 07 2008, 5:17 PM)
OK, I will thank Mark A also b/c he's a good guy.
especially as he owes you cash!
So is there a reason for looking at this Tom? I think we take the quality of our power supply here in the UK for granted. It's very rare to have problems, but I guess that may not be thte same everywhere.
Well, I have all sorts of issues, actually. Lots of them are just RF sources - transformers in the house, the radio transmitter that is down the road (which comes through the guitar amp and one of my condensors occasionally). And I like single coil pickups. Why the heck doesn’t Fender make strats with sheilding as a normal feature? 
But there are other noises, and I just want to see what I can do about them. Probably nothing.
Tom,
Have you checked out a Strat with the “American Noiseless” pickups? Man, those things are SCHA-WEEET. They sound wonderful and are dead quiet. I am jonesin’ for a set to put in my Strat. Another nice p’up is the Gibson HP-90’s… single-coil bark and bite just like original P-90’s but no hum or buzz.
If you are having a lot of problems with EMI and RF interference, a power conditioner may not help much…
The EMI, you’ll get from flourescent lamp ballasts and such. I remember your problem with noise from dimmers. Some light dimmers radiate all kind of nasty crap back into the power line as well as nasty emissions in the RF range.
Anyway… good luck in the quest for single-coil, noiseless nirvana…
D
Quote:
That last part sounds like hooey to me.
Well "Monster" IS the king of hooey. (IMO... no flames please!)
The unit you linked to has separate noise suppression circuits for each 'branch'. That's about the only "plus" I can see over the Furman. As for that hokum about "optimized for digital"... I'd take that with a BIG dose of salt... Clean, noise free power is clean, noise free power. Period.
D
Yup - my two favorite pickups ever - single coil strat and p-90 - both make very nice antennae.
Check this out Tom… I’m gonna do it to both my Strats this weekend. Shielding a Strat
Here is a kit link also. Shielding kit…
Seems a small price to pay for a hum free vintage sound! 
This place is great!
All one has to do is remember what thread and there is a solution to just about any home audio problem that may arise (and usually affordable ones too)
If I ever do own a strat, or any guitar that has that issue for that matter “Power Conditioners” is already filed away in that great abyss of useless and useful knowledge stored semantically, and “SAVE AS” has been pressed…
keep shinin’
jerm 
Quote: (TomS @ Feb. 07 2008, 7:23 PM)
Yup - my two favorite pickups ever - single coil strat and p-90 - both make very nice antennae.
Mine make a superb receiver for hearing-aid loops too.