Good quality build, 12 outlets, remote trigger, and oh yeah... Did I mention it made a night and day difference in sound quality?

None so far...

This review is for the Monster HTS2000 MKII. I don't normally post reviews, but this product deserves my time and effort. I have been trying to refine the audio quality of my system over the past eight years, lastly adding the awesome Krell KAV500 five channel amp over 3 years ago. The sound was very good for both music and movies. I read the reviews posted here before purchasing, and was almost hesitant to spend the cash because of the negative comments. I don't know if maybe the quality of my electric circuit was far worse than theirs, or if they just don't know how to listen, but when I connected this conditioner, a whole new world opened up. The sound difference is downright amazing, letting my KAV500 shine. The soundstage opened up tremendously, the bass got deeper and much more articulated, and the mids and highs are more crisp and airy also. Two channel direct mode really opens up now, making friends think the surrounds are on. When playing Dolby Digital or DTS sources, the surrounds really come to life and show a lot more dynamics than before.

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Belkin and off brand surge protectors

Nice design. Enough plugs. Does the job-perhaps too much cleaning for my taste.

Takes away treble while adding a boomy bass.

After reading review after review I decided to purchase the HTS 2000 for myself. What I have discovered is this. They are not all the same. I purchased my first HTS 2000 at Cambridge Soundworks for $200 to try it out for a week. It did everything it promised: cleaning out the background and tightening the sound. So I returned it and bought another one on Ebay. This second one however sucked all the life out of my machines. I tried it using different plugs to different outlets, switched or unswitched. I just didn't want to spend $300-1000 for a good conditioner because I might as well upgrade my speakers with that much money. I finally settled on plugging everything except my Marantz DV8300. The result is half and half. It cleans out the sound WITHOUT totally sucking the highs and totally booming up the bass. I hope some of you who are not satisfied with this conditioner to try it. If you have the money, get a PS Audio or something like that.

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cheap extensions. wall outlet

Cost, Labeled outlets w/ component centered filtering.

Lack of remote AC switching (what would I expect for the price?)

I felt motivated to write this review because I simply do not agree with some of the harsher comments concerning the HTS-2000. I have replaced many a interconnect, tirelessly repositioned speakers and optimized my system to draw out the best it has to offer, but no one improvement in my system has cost so little and increased the performance so much. I have noticed a all around improvement in audio and video performance. Audio wise I have noticed that by CD playback is clearer and more open. It is interesting to notice details that previous disappeared into the noise of the background. Playback of my run-of-the-mill Toshiba DVD player has increased so much that I have decided not purchase an upgrade. Watching DVDs that I seen many times over has been like watching a new movie (sorry for the cliché). I am amazed at the details that were previously missing, especially spatial improvements. Not to be too generic, but I have noticed a overall increase in audio output. The improvement in video has been in the area of a sharpened and crisper picture. I stand amazed at this product, particulary the price. I was prepared to pay much more for the improvements that I have noticed, but why? I am truly satisified with my system. Thanks Monster for bringing the beauty of "Clean Power" to the masses. Equipment Summary: Integra DTR-7 Sony 70 ES CD player Toshiba SD-2109 DVD JVS SVHS VCR Hitachi 61” Monitor Main L/R DCM Timeframe V6.0 Center Paradigm CC-350 Surrounds Paradigm ADP-150 Sub-woofer HSU Research VTF-2 Vampire Interconnects Monster Video-3 Component Cables

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Monster HTS-2600

Works as great power strip with 12 outlets.

Works as great power strip with 12 outlets.

After noticing absolutley no difference between using this product and not, I borrowed my friend''''s Audio Prism A.C. line sniffer to check it out. The reading I got at the wall and out of each of the outlets on the HTS 2000 "line conditioner" were exactly the same. Whatever this unit does, it does at an unmeasurable level. Overall I would recomend it as a very expensive power strip.

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Panamax 1000- Does deliver the goods!

Very big and beefy. Seems well built (like other Monster gear). Cool labeling feature, able to wall/rack mount.

Weird manual. Seems like an afterthought. Colors don't match labels.

So - If you look at it from my point of view. Using crappy surge protectors from Home Depot, this is a huge change. I, like many others cannot justify 1000's for a line cleaner et al. I am building a budget system. The HTS2000 was just what I expected. It was very easy to set up. It comes with labels to mark all of your power cords and that was apealling to my anal nature.

Everything on it is beefy. Even the labeling for where things go - It's a bakelite plastic. The unit is rolled steel. The cable to the wall is very huge (and copper). The plugs require correct phase (you cannot put an AC cord in without the correct polarity). A side bonus is the extra cables included to hook up cabletv and phone (for TIVO etc.)

A couple of annoyances - The colored labels for marking your cords don't match the colored receptacles. No big deal really - just annoying. The manual was ok except for one bit of confusion. I have asked Monster to give clarification on why you are not supposed to put a "non integrated rcvr" into the "amp" outlet. I have a pretty big amp (AV3300) and wanted it protected thru that outlet.

Overall it improved two things - My video signal in the SF East Bay is crappy. It cleaned up the local channels and seemed to help with overall picture. (I need to go back and reset the video to take advantage of it.) From my newbie POV, the audio does seem a bit louder. Can't explain why, but I can tell the settings are too high for typical DVD and Audio from TV. I will know more when I listen to few more recordings and watch more movies.

I especially like the warranty (100K) for your equipment. Not sure how this will be enforcable, but makes me feel better ;-)

@200 bucks - you will get what you expect. It's worth at least that much.

My System (Since everyone else does it..)
JVC AV-36D800
Denon AV3300
Toshiba 3108
Teac CD platter
Yamaha Speakers
Monster and Radio shack cabling
Paradigm Mini's (Next week - woohoo!!!)

"Never hit a man with glasses; hit him with your fist"

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Cheap Home depot and assorted others

A whole lot of outlets

Size, price

Well after reading rave reviews about this product here I talked my dealer into selling me one of these for $145 +tax.

I had high hopes that it would do only 2 things.
1. remove some video noise from my new HDTV
2. remove some audio noise from my PC connected to above tv

Unfortunately it did neither. The TV problem is apparently internal to the set as it does it even with nothing connected so no fault of the Monster Power. However I appear to have some sort of ground loop between my PC and my home theater system. I use the PC for progressive out DVD to the Mitsubishi WT-46805. While the video is smooth as silk, the audio has a very noticable hum, but only when coming from the PC and nothing else. In the near future I hope to eliminate this by going to a Digital out form the PC, but for now it is very annoying.

The hum not only didn't go away, it wasn't even reduced. I tried the PC in all 3 outlets, video, audio and the high wattage subwoofer one, it all sounded the same. So apparently this device does not do all it is cracked up to.
I did listen to a few CD's and admit they sounded clear, but I am not sure they were $150 clearer than before.

I am taking this back, I may get the 1000 instead if I can find it for around $75 since I like the $100,000 equipment protection it affords, but I don't think it actually did anything at all for my video or my sound, which is how they sell it. Just an expensive and extremely large surge suppressor.

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6 outlet generic surge suppressor

Real improvement in video and audio performance

none

I was hoping for small improvements but, instead, received a big improvement in cable reception (it was really crap). However, this improvement resulted from AC filtering only. I originally ran the RF cable into the HTS-2000 but the resulting picture was too dark (the same thing happened when I hooked the cable into my receiver), so I kept the cable hooked directly to my VCR/TV. There was little or no change to the video from by DVD and VCR, but the picture quality was already very good. Audio quality seemed about the same but 5 or 6 db louder!

It seems well built and designed and, for only $135 at Globalmart.com, this is a fine upgrade and a great deal!

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Panamax

Cleaner sound, better imaging, much improved video performance.

Nothing comes to mind.

The most dramatic improvement I noticed was the video. The colors are so much more vivid, and the blacks blacker. During dark scenes on letterbox movies I can't see where the letterbox lines end. I upgraded to a really good video cable after I purchased this, and the difference that made wasn't nearly as noticeable. The sound also improved a good deal with more clarity, separation, imaging, and transparency.

After getting used to the differences the HTS-2000 has made on my system, I am still very happy with this purchase. It's nice to know I'm covered in the event of a catasrophic power surge as well.

Since it is relatively easy to get this product for 130 bucks, it has to be the best value in the audio industry.

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This is the only power conditioner I've used.

Improved color seperation, does not interfere with performance of audio components

I was looking for a surge protector that would not hurt my system performance, and improve it if possible. I started with the top of the line hts 5000. It hurt my b&k avr 202 receiver performance terribly. The stereo image was degraded and many subtleties were lost. But, it really helped my video performance. Detail was improved, and contrast went up several notches.

So, I switched to the hts 2500 after a great review of the 2000 by the Absolute Sound. It improved video like the hts 5000, but best of all, did not interfere with the sound of the receiver. It may have actually improved it a bit.

Some people have had good luck with the 5000, but I'm glad I ended up with the 2500.

If you are serious about line conditioning, have a seperate line installed from your circuit breaker box to the outlet you use for your equipment. Get 10 gauge wire. It will really improve sound quality in addition to any power conditioning. I bought the acclaimed wattagate outlet from hcmaudio.com for about half the retail price ($130 vs. $240). If that costs too much, get a hubble hospital grade outlet for $20-$30. Don't use the 50 cent outlets for your equipment.

I've also played with power cords and recommend them. They really do work. Try either the Synergistic Research Master AC coupler (rave review from the Absolute Sound), or sonichorizon.com hurricane or skyline power cords from hcmaudio.com. The latter is a small production operation, but they are much more flexible than the synergistic research and twice as long - and they sound as good or better.

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HTS 5000 (hurt my system performance)

It actually works as advertised, and it affordable.

None

This product deserves the rave review it got in The Absolute Sound, and should be in any system beyond the most basic or casual. I was very skeptical after my previous experiences with power conditioners costing many times as much. My home theater system includes a Velodyne 18 inch subwoofer, Martin Logan CLS-IIs, and an old Mitsubishi projection monitor. The HTS 2000 really tightened and made deeper the very low bass, cleaned up the midrange and treble somewhat, and the blacks were blacker from my projection monitor. The changes made by this product at least equal or outdo those made by megabuck interconnects or cables and other esoterica for which audiophiles pay through the nose. I went out and bought two more after what it did in my main system, and the difference was still noticeable, especially in the bass. Put this accessory at the top of the list way above "upgrading" your cables or buying bricks to put on top of your amps.

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