Conditioner vs. Surge protector

If you have a Siemens panel, the Siemens BoltShield is the preferred kind.

In any other case if your maker has an in-panel, brekerless surge protector it's better.

MOV's do not limit current, BTW, they are used in parallel.

In all cases, the panel surge protectors should be used alongside surge protectors at the devices.  Furman with LiFT and SMP, or Tripp Lite Isobar are my recommendations there. 

Make sure that anything you expect to be a surge protector is actually UL rated.  No big deal for Square-D, Siemens or Furman but some boutique brands never get this.

Unless you need whole-house surge protection, I’d go with one of the better conditioner/surge protectors (Audience, Core Power, Synergistic, Shunyata, etc.) because you get cleaner power that often provides meaningful sonic benefits along with surge protection.  I’ve got an Audience AR1p with a Wiremold 9-outlet power strip that takes care of all my needs and no MOVs that’ll self destruct if they’re ever needed to work.  The only thing I miss is that I can’t put my digital components on an isolated outlet that the larger conditioners offer, but for the low $$$ spent I’m ok with it.  Best of luck in whatever you decide. 

My 2 cents:

Buy and install a whole house surge protector first.

You can always add more protection down the line. 

This way all your electronics have a minimum of protection, not just your stereo.

B

Please be aware that as of 2020, the NEC requires a whole house surge protector.  They are relatively inexpensive and effective.

Here's a wholesale link to FS140 if you are going to have it professionally installed.

Not familiar with the company, but it was in the first 5 hits I got with a WWW search.

I live in the Los Angeles area and surge protect everything that needs it.