Monster Power HTS 1000MKII??

[elitehak]

Anyone know about this product?
We bought our LCD tv today, and home theater, plus this Monster Power surge bar....everyone in the store was after this monster power bar like it was gold?
I thought a normal surge bar $20 CDN would do the job.
My wife had the last one from the store in her hands, and people were trying to get it away from her.
We decided to buy it approx $250 CDN (reg sales price 350 CDN). I looked at it more closely at home, and it says it cleans the AC signal, protects from surges, etc.

Anyone know why everyone one at the store was after this like crazy?
Is it really worth it or are they, or are we crazy for purchasing that or would a normal surge bar do the job?

Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks

Eli

[Krispy Kritter]

Any quality surge protector would work just as well. Most of the quality units will have warranty guaranteeing up to x amount of $ if it fails. If you happen to have poor/dirty power, you could consider getting a UPS style protector. You should be able to get a decent one for less than your Monster unit.

[computeguy]

I have the Monster 3600 Series II and I love it.. You def hear and see a difference in the
quality of the sight and sound.

Paid $499 for it.. good investment

[oldandinthe way]

Lunacy

Buy 5 surge protectors with decent insurance against damage. Change the surge protector every 6 months if your power is dirty. You will have saved more than half the cost of the monster and have better protection.

People who truly need surge protection, discover their surge protector eventually will fail to operate. They function by taking the hit instead of your equipment.

[ozymango]

My ex-wife's an electrical engineer, and she once explained all this stuff to me in something resembling English and basically I'll second what Krispy Kreme and oldandintheway said -- you really don't need to spend that much, and definitely check if the company offers some kind of warranty if your stuff fries. The surge supressors I've got run about $20 each (for six outlets) from Surge Arrest (you can find 'em on the web) and have a $25,000 equipment damage guarantee (against damage, that is).

I don't dislike Monster stuff, but I do think they seriously overcharge you for what you get. $250 for a surge supressor? For that, you could almost get a whole-house surge supressor (seriously) and have it connected to your mains, it'll protect your entire house.

The brunt of the actual "protection" your surge supressor offers is through basically a $5 metal oxide veristor (MOV) that stops the spike, but it'll burn out in the process. Trouble is, the "sensor" that tells you whether or not your MOV is gone, isn't always trustworthy, meaning your surge supressor can go bye-bye on you, where it's been fried but still passing current. Doesn't happen all the time, but it can happen, so best thing to do is really read the fine print on your device and make sure you replace it every X years (if they recommend it) or when whatever indicator it has tells you to.

EDIT: A quick check of the web shows me a Tripp Lite surge protector, 6 outlet, with a $50,000 ultimate lifetime insurance (if it fries your stuff), for $29 US.

So unless your $250 Monster surge suppressor includes free replacement of all equipment, plus delivery and setup and complimentary back rub, I'd say that's a bit pricey.