Home Theater Power Quality Equipment Reviews

The Electric Bamboo AC Line Purifier is a power conditioner that has 4 digital and 4 analog grounded outlets, 100% passive design Hubble isolated ground receptacles, 110 - 120V operation and output limits of 1650 watts. The methodology used to review this product was to audition the Electric Bamboo on several occasions, at one point with a different brand of interconnects. Reviewer paid close attention to the top end extension and a critical listening session was held between Electric Bamboo, Thor, and PS Audio Power Plant Premieres.

The APC S20 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup is a power conditioner accessory. The nominal input/output voltage is 120V, input frequency is 50/60 Hz +/- 3 Hz (auto sensing), output power capacity is 1250 Watts / 1500 VA, efficiency at full load is 90%, output frequency (sync to mains): 47 - 63 Hz and maximum input current is 12A. Items reviewed include the front panel controls, rear panel inputs and outputs, sequenced and remote power control, battery backup and voltage regulation, surge, spike and over-voltage protection, line noise filtering, environmental monitoring, communications and control, installation and use.

The APC AV C10 Home Theater Power Filter is a power strip manufactured by APC AV and provides surge suppression and EMI/noise filtration. Safety agency approvals include UL1449, UL1363, UL + CSA FCC Part 15 and Part 68 Class B. Testing of the Let-Through Voltage used a ring wave as opposed to the UL 330V rating. This measurement indicates the maximum amount of above nominal peak voltage the device will allow to reach your equipment after surge suppression. A Quality Assurance Test Data Report verifies full functionality, cosmetics, etc. and gives the status on each tested item, a total of 16 tests. The setup and installation of the unit was also tested.

The APC AV H15 1.5kVA H Type Power Conditioner is manufactured by APC. Review includes information on the front and back panels, setup and setup menu, installation, general use, viewing and listening evaluations.

The Audience Adept Response power conditioner is an AC-line power conditioner with power-factor correction, RF/noise filtering, transient suppression, and 12 Hubbell high-conductivity power outlets. Current/voltage: 15A or 20A/130V, standard; 220V, 230V with 240V available. The Adept Response combines three approaches to power conditioning: filtering, power-factor correction, and isolation. The sound was tested by using the unit with the reviewer's personal audio system as well as installing the AR in systems wired with products from Stereovox, Nirvana, Nordost, and Shunyata Research and then listening without the unit to judge the difference.

The Adept Response 12-T is a 12-socket, line conditioner from Audience. The power switch is a high quality magnetic circuit breaker. The choice to use a magnetic rather than the more conventional thermal circuit breaker was based on the understanding that resistance in a thermal breaker increases as power demand increases. This would cause heat dependent, resistive modulation of the incoming voltage, effectively reducing the power available to your equipment at the precise times you need it most. The state of the art inductive components used contribute no significant series resistance, maintaining a low impedance power path to your playback system. Each of its 12 high-grade IEC outlets is first individually filtered, and then double filtered from every other outlet in the device, providing for maximum component-to-component isolation. The internal capacitive components are fabricated from Teflon®.

The Audience aR6 Power Conditioner is a passive power conditioner and features low-impedance/high-current design, cryogenic treatment, non-degrading surge protection, Auricap capacitors used in the filters for each outlet and a magnetic-type circuit breaker/power switch. During testing, when not using the aR6, a DIY six-outlet AC power strip with high-current internal wiring and power cord was used so all components could be connected to a single outlet -- just as if the aR6 were being used but without power conditioning. Listening comparisons were done with wall-outlet power and an ExactPower EP15A. During the review period, the preamp, digital components and amplifier were only turned off to change their power connections -- important for ensuring repeatable results when evaluating power conditioners. Break-in requires two to three weeks of powering the system 24 hours a day at low volume levels, or even with the equipment simply idling, and you’ll be at or near the end of the break-in period.

The Audience aR1p one-outlet power conditioner is a high-resolution power conditioner that plugs directly into the wall outlet. Testing included comparing the aR1p with a Power Plant P300 and a Sony SCD-1 by plugging the ARC LS5 Mk.III preamp alternately into each.

The Adept Response aR12 AC Conditioner is a line conditioner manufactured by Audience. The rear panel has 12 individually isolated and filtered Hubbell power receptacles and is equipped with its own 10AWG AC cord, terminated with (20A) Neutrik Powercon and (15A) Marinco connectors.

The Belkin PureAV™ Hybrid AVU1500 UPS with PureFilter Technology has combined Belkin's PureAV PureFilter Technology with the power of a 1500VA, 1000-watt, battery-backup system (UPS). The review included the unit's main display, rear panel, battery installation and the unit's performance by simulating a power outage.