Plenty of AC outlets

Shoddy build quality- off switch quit working, meter lamp quit working

Shoddy build quality, questionable benefit to system performance. Doesn't seem to help cable TV picture. System doesn't sound any better. Not sure if meter is accurate at all. Will upgrade soon to a non-Monster product. Monster spends their money on advertising.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom ACE-515

Amazing difference in my cable TV picture.

It just sounds awful, like taking a vacuum to your system and sucking the life from it.

I'm sad to report that the 3500 is, without question, the most disappointing audio product I've ever purchased. I was looking to replace my very old Adcom 180, and read Robert Harley's rave review of Monster's 2000 power conditioner in The Absolute Sound. I was most impressed by the fact that Richard Marsh was the "hired gun" designing Monster's power products, since he is arguably the top engineer in this field. And, after reading that he had designed an amazing power conditioner selling for $200 (if I remember correctly, Harley claimed Monster's 2000 model offered 85% of the performance of his $3,000 line conditioner!), I couldn't wait to hear what Marsh could cook up for $400.

Before I describe the sound, here's my system: Thiel 3.6 speakers, Theta Gen Va processor, Theta Basic transport, Passion V passive pre-amp, and Sunfire amp -- my gear is fully balanced. Interconnects are Audioquest Diamond balanced, speaker cables are Cardas Hexlink 5C.

The word that best describes the effect of the 3500 on my system is "lifeless." The soundstage collapsed; deep bass that--on certain material--I can actually FEEL, was gone; and the overall dynamics of the system became very constricted. I left the 3500 in my system for over two weeks, because I wanted to give it a fair trial. It never got better. And I started listening to my system much less. Finally, I just plugge my amp and processor into a "dedicated" wall outlet, and the difference was night and day! The "sound" of my system returned, just as I had remembered it.

I wrote to Richard Marsh, who was terrific... he replied almost immediately, and suggested that I try experimenting and seeing which outlets on the 3500 work best with which equipment. I gave this a try, but no luck... the unit just doesn't seem to provide my amp and processor with the power they need. One dealer told me that the level 3 filtering in the 3500 was a problem--like too much of a good thing--and that he felt the 2000 was actually a much better sounding conditioner, consistent with the review it had received.

The one positive to this purchase was pure chance... just for the hell of it, I ran my lousy cable picture (courtesy of Time Warner here in NYC) through the 3500, and it did an almost miraculous job of cleaning up the visual grunge. I was astounded. Unfortunately, video is not the reason I bought it.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom 180

Holds black very well. Cleaned up cable ghosting. Sound less bright.

Can't turn gauge light off, only dim it down.

I've had this unit for about a month and it has been a good purchase. I noticed immediately that the colors were more saturated and that black was very black. I ran Video Essentials again to adjust the display and now it looks great. My cable no longer ghosts like it used to, which is a godsend for some of my frequently watched channels. I noticed a slightly quieter sound overall, I'm not sure if that is the drop in power like the previous reviewer experienced. I guess if I had his system, I wouldn't be putting a $400 power piece in my rack. It would look cheap in comparison to my other stuff. The reason I went with the 3500 was the rack mount ability and the power gauge. If I had it to do over, I would go with the 2500. The 2000 may be good, but it's not a rack piece. One annoying fact is that you can't turn the power gauge light off. You can only dim it. Why is beyond me.

Value rating = 5 stars
Overall rating = 4 stars

More natural, life-like sound with a reduced digital edge.

In my system improvments were easy to discern but faults were not readily noticeable. The Monster PLC has done all that I could have expected. Yes, I would like a more refined, natural sound but that will require better components or the MG 1.6's.

I read a favorable review about the Monster HTS 2000 Power Line Conditioner and decided an in-home audition was in order! However, I decided on the more expensive ($400) HTS 3500 model because of it's rack component design (unlike the HTS 2000 which is a oversized power strip) and the added circuit to filter digital sources. I expected to hear marginal differences that required a careful A/B comparision. However, the improvements were immediate and obvious. Clearer, more defined bass. More natural vocals with a life-like presence. And clearer highs but with less of a digial edge. In my modest system (12 year old Magnapan speakers, Rotel separates, and a new Linn CD player) everything sounded more musical and listenable. Less hifi and more like real music, you could say. My initial reaction was so good, I listed with the PLC for 3 hours before the first A/B comparision. That may be a first! My system never sounded so good.

Similar Products Used:

None.

cheap, more than enough inputs

takes too much away from the music

i bought this unit, expecting it to be the most incredible thing since sliced bread. boy was i wrong. it took away a lot from the sound, especially in the high end. the unit itself made a loud buzzing noise, and the LED's were redicuously bright. i actually switched back to a 10 dollar surge protector. but if you don't care about any of the things i have listed, than go for it, maybe it will work out for you.

Similar Products Used:

power pack II, and generic surge protector

Looks cool, has a lot of plug in's. Can be rack mounted. Remote turn on.

To many digital pulgs in comparison to other outlets. No dedicated VCR imput. Needs programble turn on/off.

Well, I spent all of this money on my new system, spent even more on good interconnects. I was told that this is a MUST HAVE componet. However it is a retelitivly expensive one $400. So I went out to Good Guys and got one. What I had on hooked up was a big computer battery backup. (if I loose power I can still watch my move or finish my cd listning. This unit was $200 cheeper then the monster power.
Well I am sure that you are all asking did it make a differance? Well, not really. it did clean up my TV. that might be because I pluged in my TV cable threw it. And I don't have cable so I pluged in the attena also. That did make a differance, a real good one to. But sonicly (is that a word?) I can't hear a thing.
My system
Harmon Kardon ref 2.0 2.1
All H/R componets.
All Monster Cable "Z" series top end ones.
And monster HTS 3500.
APC Battery backup 1400 (still using it)
I am sure that if you have a OLD house or live where the power isn't good to begain with this is a good buy. And the insurance from spike protection is a nice bonus.

Similar Products Used:

None/ except for a APC ups

Allowed me to discover HTS 2000, which is great for audio

softens sound, removes detail from audio

I must report my additional experience with Monster power
conditioners, as I discoverd something surprising. As I and
other audiophiles previously posted here the HTS 3500 (with
stage 3 filtering) made high end audio systems worse. I was
puzzled because of Absolute Sound rave review for HTS 2000,
and I thought HTS 3500 must be even better. Just on a whim
I ordered the HTS 2000 (with stage 2 filtering) and what a
surprise! Just as reported in Absolute Sound, enhanced detail and better imaging, a nice improvement! Apparantly the stage 3 filtering is the problem for audiophiles. So if you want to improve audio skip the 3500 and go with 2000, you will save money and be pleasantly surprised. My system:

Musical Fidelity X-Ray cd player
0.5m SilverAudio Hyacinth
MF X-P100 preamp
0.5m SA Hyacinth
MF X-AS100 amp x 2 (bi-amped)
6ft AudioQuest Argent speaker cables
PSB Silver-i speakers

Similar Products Used:

Monster HTS 2000

The 3500 cleaned up a persistent hum that was added to my system when a sunfire cinema grand amp was added. Things are sounding overall extremely good, but this is a very difficult component to A/B test. My meter is accurate, and I experience no noise from the meter as the previous poster did. I'd also like to point out that fewer components/smaller circuit board is not a valid way to judge any device. For me, it sounds good, it looks good, and I'm quite pleased.

Too many to count

None that I could find

This is the most economical cost/performance model of all HTS grades. I tried them all. It simply improved the video and audio quality as if i am in a different world.
If TV and Audio manufacturers would incorporate this item in their product, they could kill the competition (until the competition would do the same)
Purchased via internet: courteous and prompt service by "HIFIforLESS.COM ($249.00 + SHIP)

Good price and warranty.

none yet.

I was experiencing the "electric chair" effect (dimming of my lights) and some short outs when running an electric heater with my a/v equipment. So I ran out and picked this up and I'm pretty happy knowing that my $12k plus investment is protected. The built in meter is a good gauge to see exactly the flux and inconsistency from the incoming current. Plenty of options for equipment plug-ins. Except there isn'te a specific outlet for the sub. Which is dissappointing. I ended up pluging into the "pre-amp" outlet. All in all it's comforting to know that everything is protected with the $100k warranty.

As far as clarity and sound... I notice a slight improvement on the audio end, but that could be my imagination. But then again, I've only had it for about a week. If you could get it for $300 or less, it's a good buy.

Oh by the way, the manual IS pretty crappy. It's a xerox with a staple in it. Talk about low budge. Sheesh!

Similar Products Used:

plain jane surge protectors and computer battery backups.