Monster Regret!!


Good morning to the community!  Years ago, when I was much younger and a whole lot dumber, I bought into all the Monster cable hype.  I even went as far as purchasing their Monster Power AVS 2000 voltage stabilizer and HTS 5000 reference power center.  I’m currently saving my ducats for a PS Audio DirectStream Power Plant 15 and intend to install a dedicated line shortly. 

I am listening to Martin Logan 11As driven by PS Audio BHK 300 monoblocks.  I have the amps connected via a normal 120v home outlet.  My question, should I use the Monster Power stuff for my speakers, pre/pro, etc. or go to another outlet directly to the components? 

 

Many thanks!  

an10490413
Nothing wrong with monster. I’ll bet we all used some of their products at some point when we got started in this hobby. They were the pioneers. It’s what sounds good to you that counts. Me, I’ve been impressed with shunyata conditioners. Even my wife can tell the difference. Do whats best for you and have fun. It’s a great hobby. 
My thanks to you all!  Great advice!  I knew the community would know.  Thanks again!
I was at dinner in Vegas with Noel Lee, Bob Crump and John Curl back in 2000, I recall he suggested I use an accelerometer to measure seismic vibes for my sub hertz platform, which is obviously a very good idea. I was just happy to be there, it was my first rodeo. 🤠

Noel Lee born 1948 (age 71)
San Francisco, California
Lee graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and subsequently did work in laser fusion for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He quit his engineering job in 1974 to play drums for a country rockband. After the band separated, he founded Monster Cable Products in 1979, based on loudspeaker cables he invented and manufactured in his garage.
Ain't nuthin' wrong with owning and using a Monster AVS 2000. If I see one at the right price I will grab it.

Exactly how it will be used and what system I might put it in (AV system, maybe) is to be determined. But owing one is not a backward step.


This is an oft told, and rarely justified statement. Most quality amplifiers use inductive and other filtering means on the input to smooth out the rectified power peaks which happen only for brief periods of time on a linear power supply 100 or 120 times per second. Direct to the wall give you more top end, but it does not provide anything else in the way of sonic improvement and may be a detriment as usually the most critical thing is all your equipment sharing the exact same ground.
Older power conditioners or glorified surge protectors may help things sound "cleaner," but they also usually mute dynamics, imaging, air, depth, and decay because they ruin the low-impedance-output-to-high impedance-input relationship you want as the signal moves along it’s path.

Little is worse than having equipment connected to different outlets, dedicated or not. That's called a ground loop, and to that you can add ground level pumping (from your power amp). Yes XLR can eliminate much of that, but why cause a problem that needs to be fixed?
The AVS 2000 was a well rated product. Odds are you are better with it than without it, even for your amplifier. Don't go in with preconceived notions that you will lose dynamics, etc.   Just listen.