When you’ve finished setting up your musical instruments, the last thing you want is to have them damaged by electricity or have their audio quality compromised as a result of electrical source issues. Such issues as noisy interference, voltage fluctuation, electrical surges, and electromagnetic interference can affect your equipment in different ways. To protect your equipment from such issues, a power conditioner is your best friend. These little wonderful appliances will protect your equipment by providing consistent power through a voltage regulating feature. They also have the abilities of noise suppressing and transient protection against power surges.
In this article, we’ll look at the 10 best power conditioners currently available on the market and will also discuss factors you must consider before buying one.
Top 10 Best Power Conditioners
1. Furman PST-8D
Furman is well-known and respected for making the best power conditioners in the market and this is one of the best products that have ever made in terms of quality and value. It is a 15-Amp Aluminum Chassis 8-Outlet Power Station that delivers advanced level power conditioning in any setup. It delivers the best possible performance, delivering constant, stable, clean, and safe AC power to electronic devices. Series Multi-Stage Protection (SMP) guards against power surges while Extreme-Voltage Shutdown protects your musical equipment against over-voltage. AC noise are eliminated by Advanced Linear Filtering Technology, giving you improved audio and video clarity.
The Furman PST-8D power conditioner is perfect in so many ways. Because of specially designed circuit, there is no chance of ground contamination. Also, it includes surge protection for coaxial and telephone service lines.
2. Panamax MR4300
Having been an active player in the industry for over three decades, Panamax has produced some of the most recognized power conditioners of all time. This is one of their top products and remains one of the very best power management outlet you can get in the market. It offers surge protection and power conditioning to home theater systems. Each of the 9 protected and filtered outlets features exclusive Automatic Voltage Monitoring (AVM), Protect and Disconnect Technology, and Panamax Level 3 Noise Filtration. All these work together to provide industry-best protection for musical equipment.
The Panamax MR4300 power management system comes with all the necessary technology to offer all the protection your equipment need. It comes with $5,000,000 Limited Lifetime Connected Equipment Protection Policy and Lifetime Product Warranty.
3. Furman PL-Plus DMC
This is another top-quality Power Conditioner from industry leaders, Furman. It is a 15 Amp power conditioner that also features a high inrush magnetic circuit breaker for added protection. With it, you are sure of the highest level of surge and spike protection, thanks to Furman’s exclusive SMP technology. Noise contamination and inter-component interference are efficiently minimized, thanks to the isolated outlet banks.
There are a lot of other features that make the Furman PL-Plus DMC Power Conditioner a great appliance. The 9 Outlets come with dual retractable LED Lights and Voltmeter/Ammeter. It also features Series Multi-Stage Protection Plus (SMP+) circuit with extreme voltage that ensures maintenance-free surge suppression. There is also a large digital voltage display that keeps you informed about the current state of your power.
4. SurgeX SX-1115-RT
This is a high end power management appliance that guarantees protection for your musical equipment and other important appliances. It is basically a monster that provides professional-grade surge elimination and power conditioning for Audio, Video, Security and IT, and other mission critical rack mount equipment. It features Advanced Series Mode surge elimination technology that can effectively eliminate surge energy up to 6,000 volts without any side effect like contamination of ground wire.
The SurgeX SX-1115-RT Rack Mount Surge Eliminator will never degrade or fail after repeated power strikes. This product line meets the most stringent government purchase specifications for power line surge suppressors. With the A-1-1 rating, you can be sure of dependable protection from any level of power anomalies and other interferences.
5. Tripp Lite LC2400
This is a powerful line conditioner that offers maximum protection to sensitive electronics, computer accessories and home theater equipment from all forms of power related damages and performance problems. It is equipped with advanced automatic voltage regulation that corrects brownouts and overvoltage. It has a powerful 1440-joule surge protection rating. Power capacity is 2400W and it has 6 AC outlets with 6-ft cord.
The Tripp Lite LC2400 Line Conditioner has a series of 7 color-coded LEDs that gives you quick diagnostic feedback so you understand the situation you are dealing with and the protection it is offering at any time. This power conditioner comes with $25,000 ultimate Lifetime Insurance as well as two year product warranty.
6. Panamax M5400-PM
This is another wonderful product from industry pioneers, Panamax. The sort of protection and voltage regulation it offers to your musical equipment help to bring out the best in them. It will improve picture and sound quality, thanks to the Level 4+ power cleaning and filtration. Every symptom of contaminated power like pops, details, hisses, hums, and visual artifacts can be eliminated by this power conditioner. It will also provide a consisted level of optimal power to prolong the equipment life.
To provide the ultimate protection in the event of a serious surge or brownout, the Panamax M5400-PM 11-Outlet Home Theater Power Conditioner will automatically shut off power heading to any of your electronics. It will automatically restore juice to them once voltage level returns to normal.
7. Furman M-8X2 Merit Series
Yet another product from this top manufacturer, the Furman M-8X2 is a budget option that performs beyond expectations. It is very popular among individuals that have music studio for personal use. It is also widely used for home theater protection. It is highly regarded for its simplicity, effectiveness, and affordability.
The Furman M-8X2 features AC noise filtering that reduces RFI/EMI interference for cleaner sounds; spike and surge protection that ensures that equipment stays safe as the power supply to it stays clean; as well as 15 Amp capacity with circuit breaker. There are 9 total outlets (8 rear panel outlets and 1 front panel) to make using it a lot convenient.
8. PYLE PCO850
This is a rack mountable Power Strip Surge Protector with 9 Outlets. It is perfect for individuals that are setting up their first home theater and are on a budget. It is one of the most affordable power conditioners in the market. In spite of that, it is a very reliable appliance that offers spike and surge protection with energy dissipation of up 150 Joule. It also has a built-in AC noise filter for cleaner sound. It can effectively eliminate unwanted radio frequency interferences and electromagnetic interferences.
The Pyle Power Supply Conditioner has other impressive features. It comes with 15 Amp rating complete with circuit breaker. For a budget power conditioner, it offers more than you will ask from it (except you are being unrealistic).
9. Pyle PS900
This is another dependable product from Pyle. There are so many impressive things about this product sides from the fact that it improves audio and video clarity. It is not just your typical power conditioner but also a processor sequencer. It has a built-in micro-controller that offers optimum performance for most precise electrical timing.
The Pyle PS900 power controller comes with the right features to improve the performance of your musical equipment and protect them at the same time. In addition to the micro-controller, there is a two-stage filter on the rare panel that supplies filtered power for each output, a LED display to deliver lots of useful information, and an output cut switch for all 9 channels. Compared to power conditioners with similar set of features, this product is reasonably priced.
10. Furman SS6B
This is another affordable power purifier and surge protector from Furman that will ensure that your audio-video system get clean electricity for improved performance. It comes with a powerful noise filter that can eliminate noises and other interferences to help you enjoy your equipment better.
The Furman Power Conditioner SS6B comes with several impressive features including illumination ON/OFF switch, circuit breaker, 15 foot power cord, and 6 outlet block. The device can meaningfully improve the performance of your musical equipment, thanks to the EMI/RFI noise attenuation. The heavy duty metal construction ensures durability even though this power conditioner is quite affordable.
Buyer’s Guide
Do you really need a power conditioner? Mostly, people don’t talk about the importance of these appliances in a sound system setup. Power conditioners are the unsung heroes of music production and audio engineering in most studios. When you have expensive equipment, it is important that you do everything you can to protect them from the potential damages that can be caused by electricity. A power conditioner can do this and more. In addition to offering protection against electrical surges and spikes, they also have noise filters that can meaningfully improve audio and video clarity. They may not be the most exciting equipment in studio and home theater setups, but power conditioners are the best insurance you can have for your wonderful equipment and electronics.
Like every other appliance in the market, power conditioners come in different brands and models. Picking one from the many options can be a daunting task unless you completely understand how they work. Even if you do, researching about all the available models in the market will be a daunting task. We have made things a lot easier by reviewing the best ten of these products that are currently available and providing links to where you can purchase them at the best prices. It is still important, however, that we provide a little guide on how to buy the best power conditioner for your need.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Power Conditioner
Whether you are picking from the products we have reviewed here or looking at other options, there are some important factors that will determine how your power conditioner will be useful to you. Here, we will briefly discuss some of these important factors:
Your Specific Need
How you are going to use the power conditioner is one of the most important things to consider when trying to choose one. The type and number of equipment you are trying to protect should determine the type of power conditioner you will buy. When you just need some protection for your home theater, an average power conditioner may be enough but when you are looking for a power management device for a professional studio, you need a professional-grade power conditioner. Match the capacity of the device with the load you expect it to carry before buying it.
The Three-in-one Approach
As mentioned earlier, power conditioners are not only capable of protecting your equipment from electrical issues. Most of the products you will find in the market are capable of three basic functions: they can protect your electrical equipment, they can correct the voltage, and they can remove noise. Ensure that any power conditioner you are considering buying is capable of these three functions before you pay for it.
Helpful Features
Most power conditioners in the market come with lots of helpful features and those are the type you need. Some of the features you can pay close attention to are input voltage display, outlet on the front, extendable lights, and power switch on front. You should also consider the number of outlets it offers, the rating, and any unique technology it employs to improve the performance of your equipment.
Warranty
You need to check the warranty the manufacturers of any power conditioner offers. This is mostly the reflection of the build and the quality of the appliance and you need something that you can actually rely on to serve for years. Some manufacturers also offer insurance for your equipment when you buy their power conditioner. This is often an indication of trust in their product and you should consider their reputation too.
Conclusion
A power conditioner is a very important appliance. They are necessary when you want to protect your musical equipment and other electronics from electrical issues. They can also be very helpful in eliminating other interference, thereby, helping your equipment to perform better. We have reviewed the ten best power conditioners on the market currently and provided links to them. We have equally considered how to buy the perfect one for your specific need. Consider your options carefully and buy with confidence.