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Monster power or Furman?

#22
You cant go wrong with a Furman PL pro with 20amps of protection. You can pick them up used for around 100-150 dollars.

Major label bands still use this exact model in their rigs. It is replaced with a series two PL plus model now which is just as good but twice as much new.

Someone mentioned that the newer amps have built in surge protection which is true but a lot of us run vintage or older stuff with our new stuff.

I would never trust a Wal mart power strip to protect my poweramps. I mean why spend thousands on nice gear and go cheap on the protection when you can grab a Furman that has proven its use over and over on the road with major acts day after day.
 
#25
I don't know why everyone forgets about line noise. I use a Furman in my rack. An inexpensive one. It eliminated line noise caused when the freezer in my basement cycled. I heard it happen. That alone is worth the purchase, to me.

Does a regular surge protector do this, as well?
 
#28
Gio S said:
Don't foget ETA. They make a lot of similar products at a much better cost with similar or better quality. Available at pro audio dealers.
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Yes they do but here is the issue I have.

The Furman is pricey but it has been designed specifically for an application of protecting your music gear.

The Furman also has a established reputation and is used by most major touring acts like Tool and Metallica. If Furman made a crappy product these bands would not use Furman.

So why try to save a few bucks and go cheap with a a product that is unproven or has little to no reputation. If you did not go cheap on your amps and gear why try to save 50 bucks on the most important part.
 
#31
swankfrank6 said:
a hundred bucks to protect against several thousand dollars worth of gear sounds good to me regardless if it's a power strip or on my rack where it would be convenient...
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What "protection" do you get for $100 that you couldn't get for $10 to $20?
 
#35
BlackElan said:
Yes they do but here is the issue I have.

The Furman is pricey but it has been designed specifically for an application of protecting your music gear.

The Furman also has a established reputation and is used by most major touring acts like Tool and Metallica. If Furman made a crappy product these bands would not use Furman.

So why try to save a few bucks and go cheap with a a product that is unproven or has little to no reputation. If you did not go cheap on your amps and gear why try to save 50 bucks on the most important part.
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Ha! They probably use Furman for the same reason they use the guitars and amps they use--because they're FREE.

Do you really think Metallica buys Furman conditioners? Or do you think that Furman *gives* Metallica a bunch of their products so that people like you will think "oh, those must be awesome, Metallica uses them!".

Hint: It's not the former.

A power strip is a power strip. It doesn't matter if it's rackmount and cost $500 or is velcroed to the back cover and cost $30.
 
#37
Jehos said:
Ha! They probably use Furman for the same reason they use the guitars and amps they use--because they're FREE.

Do you really think Metallica buys Furman conditioners? Or do you think that Furman *gives* Metallica a bunch of their products so that people like you will think "oh, those must be awesome, Metallica uses them!".

Hint: It's not the former.

A power strip is a power strip. It doesn't matter if it's rackmount and cost $500 or is velcroed to the back cover and cost $30.
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When you're at that level, just about anyone will give you endorsements. So the whole "they only use them because they're free" idea is bunk.

They serve a purpose (even if it only is to clean up/organize a larger rack), they're relatively cheap and readily available. They're like Shure SM57/58 microphones, an industry standard.

I agree that a power strip is a power strip, hence why I got the base model. I just like the convenience of having it rack mounted. Though I do wish the cable was a few feet longer.
 
#39
Vic Winters said:
When you're at that level, just about anyone will give you endorsements. So the whole "they only use them because they're free" idea is bunk.
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No, it actually proves my point that the brand doesn't matter to the top guys. The argument that Metallica even *cares* what brand of power conditioner they use is what's bunk. They use whatever endorsement deal their manager signed, or whatever the sound reinforcement company they hired to do their tour uses (which is the even more likely case). Kirk Hammett probably cares about the brand of power conditioner as much as he cares about what brand of truck the road crew uses to haul the gear around.
 
#40
I have used a Monster Power HTS3500 before and it was great...a little big for a typical rig though.

I currently use a Furman (the one with the pull out lights) and I like it....1 rack space...you get the idea. It does what it is supposed to do....provides lots of plugs and makes your rack a bit cleaner and most importantly makes your rack look cooler than it would normally.

Do you need one? Probably not. Do you need 5 basses? Do you need Ampeg? Do you need a Wal? Do you need better cables? Probably not.

There are always going to be people that say a $5 power strip from Wal Mart is just as good as a $500 Monster Power or a Furman......well....break out the signal testers and prove it. I am not for or against a $5 power strip nor a Furman...I just PREFER the latter.
 

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