20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Monster vs. Belkin: close call, but price and number of outlets shouldn't be the deciders.
[Since the following was written, the price difference between the Monster and Belkin (both approx. 25) has become decisively gaping (20 and 35), making the Belkin the only sane choice.}
Monster is premium quality at a premium price. Musicians will pay more for a Monster patch cord than some folks would pay for an electric piano. But on closer inspection,...
168 of 171 people found the following review helpful:
Ok, but there are better ones out there
I bought two surge protectors at the same time. One was the Monster AV 800, the other was APC Performance SurgeArrest 11 (PF11VT3).
The Monster is fine. Most importantly, it should do a good job of what it is designed for: extension cord + surge protection. It does NOT have a phone line protection, just for coax cables. But if your only criteria is whether...
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
I bought two surge protectors at the same time. One was the Monster AV 800, the other was APC Performance SurgeArrest 11 (PF11VT3).
The Monster is fine. Most importantly, it should do a good job of what it is designed for: extension cord + surge protection. It does NOT have a phone line protection, just for coax cables. But if your only criteria is whether it does it's job, it gets an A in that area.
But, I'm more picky, so here are additional items for consideration:
It has a right angle plug allowing it to be plugged easily to a wall behind a desk or other tight spots. The plug is angled towards the right hand side, so it's better if you're going to keep the surge protector on the right hand side of the wall outlet. My equipment was on the left side of the outlet on the wall, so the plug looks a little weird for me; the APC unit has a left angle, so that was a better fit. Obviously this is purely cosmetic.
I also have mixed feelings about the color-coded outlets. They also come with stickers so that you can tag the power cords, so that you know which cord belongs to which unit. That certainly makes things easy when you need to unplug just one of the items. On the other hand, since each plug is titled with a specific equipment name (TV, VCR, DVD Player), if you are plugging something else, you are stuck with using one of the existing tags so you have to sub-optimize. Again, just a cosmetic complaint.
But, overall, the main reason I'm not as passionate about the AV800 is that it is not as good a value as APC Performance SurgeArrest model is. I bought both at the same price (About $30 on Amazon). But:
a) APC comes with phone line protection, Monster doesn't (and in fact, you can connect two equipments to the same phone line on APC, so it also acts as a phone-line splitter)
b) APC has safety shutters on its outlets, Monster doesn't (Although they do make it slightly more difficult to plug things in and out of the APC unit, and some complain about this. I find it as a useful feature)
c) APC has 11 outlets, Monster has 8.
d) On APC, 2 of the outlets are "always on", while the remaining 8 can be swtiched on and off using the switch on the unit. This is useful, if you are going on vacation and want to leave only your VCR or DVR on for recording, but want to cut power off from your amplifier, your TV, and any other equipment. When you initially set it up, just make sure to put your VCR on the always on plugs. Then you can flip the switch to off and leave. Monster AV800 does not have such a feature, so the switch turns all outlets off.
e) Cord Guide - APC also has a cord guide, so you can group all cords together and guide them from one end of the surge protector, making it look a little tidier. It's not perfect, but better than nothing (which is what Monster has).
Finally, if you are obsessed about the joule rating (I'm not), the APC also has a higher joule rating at 2030 joules.
They both get the basic job done, but the APC comes with more bells and whistles, making life just a little easier, but for the same price.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
[Since the following was written, the price difference between the Monster and Belkin (both approx. 25) has become decisively gaping (20 and 35), making the Belkin the only sane choice.}
Monster is premium quality at a premium price. Musicians will pay more for a Monster patch cord than some folks would pay for an electric piano. But on closer inspection, this power strip is competitively priced. I recently purchased a 12-outlet Belkin strip at only several dollars below this Monster strip. But the Belkin would accommodate only 8 of my plugs because 6 of the receptacles are in a vertical row (with the ground holes on the inside, not the outside as is the case with Monster). Consequently, a right-angle plug took up the space of 3 receptacles, in effect reducing me to the same number outlets as this Monster.
Even so, why not save several bucks and get the Belkin? Two compelling reasons in favor of the Monster (the included HDMI cable isn't one of them): 1. The color coding is a thoughtful timesaver/frustration eliminator (how many times have you found yourself on the floor suddenly at a loss about which device connects to which receptacle?) 2. The well-illuminated surface tells you at a glance whether the unit is connected and receiving power (Belkin units have too few or zero lights, requiring the user to get down on all 4's to determine whether the problem is a loss of power to the strip).
I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars because only 3 of the 8 outlets are dedicated to those space-robbing power adapters (wall-warts). Count on the remaining 5 outlets accommodating no more than 2 additional power adapters.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
Tested it and going to buy it, June 13, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
My friend has this product - Monster Cable MP AV800. I am starting my own home theater system. I borrowed the surge protector from him because I needed one with a longer cord.
I need a decent surge protector and other Monster products were good so I'll end up buying this. The price is right. Hmmm, maybe I'll keep my friends and buy him a new one. :)
Other things I liked is the three outlets that allow space for ac adapters. The color coded outlets are convenient if you tend to add and remove plugs when other items are on. I think the coaxial and phone line protection are nice features. I haven't used the free video and phone cable so I don't have any comments regarding that besides that its free.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
This is a great value for a power cleaner/surge protector under $100. This will clean dirty electricity better than pieces in the hundreds of dollars in other brands, for a better picture and better sound. It also protects against cable spikes with it's coax protection. Not only are the color coded outlets nice to look at, they also help to correctly unplug the home theatre component you were looking for. Try and find something like this with an 1850 Joule rating, that has a lifetime replacement warranty. When your tv blows up from a lightning hit, don't say I didn't warn you. I bought 4 of these for all my tv's!! I recommend these to all!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
I purchased this surge protector to go with my new 46" Samsung LCD TV and accompaning electronic devices (Xbox 360, PS3, Blu-Ray Player). I have had it roughly three months now and I only have good things to say about it. I am a big fan of the Monster brand, having before purchased some of their products from Best Buy. All products worked well and are still working to this day. The same goes for this surge protector. Monster is a stand-out brand in an industry that gives you an infinity of choices. They may not be the cheapest, nor are they the most expensive, but they get the job done the way it's supposed to be done. I would recommend this and any other Monster product to anyone.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
I bought this Monster surge protector for my home theater and the Belkin one below for my home office:
Belkin 8 Outlet Home/Office Surge Protector with Phone/Coaxial Protection and Extended Cord
The Monster protector is just OK and not a great bang for the buck. Wasn't pleased with the level of detail on the description of this item. There are not any phone connections. Don't have the box in front of me, but I think surge protection is about 1350 Joules, with a $75,000 guarantee. This compares to the Belkin I bought for $5 less, which had 3500 Joules of protection and a $200,000 guarantee. I'm not an expert on the level of Joules I need to cover, but more is better. Additionally, the Belkin has phone protection, which will be more important to me as IPTV takes off, along with gold-plated coaxial connections. The Monster has clearly labeled outlets for each component, but that's really not that important to me.
I have no doubt this Monster product is quality, but the features aren't as good and it's not as good of a value.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
The Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter with surge protection is a good purchase and I'm more than happy with my purchase. The product provides stamped and color coded ques for which electronic device to be plugged into the select area of the power strip (no brainer). The product also comes with a monster coaxial cable as well as with peel off component label descriptors to affix to all your wires in the back or side of your home theatre system for easy identification. Great Amazon price and the standard delivery was fast and priced right :-)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
No complaints, I've only had this for a few months and haven't gone through any surges but I do have several other monster cable surge protectors and the whole line is great. For a low end monster it works fine but for really important stuff (Plasma TV, Gaming Comp $2000+) I have a HT850 with stage 1 voltage cleaning. But overall a good product for it's purpose
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
When I first hooked up my new HDTV and DVR, I couldn't get a signal to the DVR. When the cable guy came out, he said the problem was a weak signal. After working on my cable for 30 minutes, it turns out that the "surge protection" of the cable coax on this unit loses too much of the signal. Don't use it.
Otherwise, this product is fine...but I could have bought a cheaper one that didn't have these "extra" features.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection (Electronics)
The labeled outlets are a nice feature and the outlets are generously spaced. I agree it would be nice if recording device outlets (DVR, VCR, etc.) were not switched or were separately switched, but that's a minor complaint. As a power strip it is decent but not outstanding.
Technically speaking, the cord is a bit long for a surge suppressor; too much ground impedance for my comfort. I am *not* a fan of cable and phone "protectors" on power line suppressors - there is a significant risk of directing surges through your equipment by creating a ground loop. As my grounding instructor put it, "Lightning is the wolf - don't invite it in." Surge suppressors on the phone line are pointless if your house is fairly new, since the standard protector where the line connects to your house is far more effective than any add-on. If the video cable isn't grounded where it connects at your house, insist the cable company fix it. If it is, don't create a problem by adding a ground where it doesn't belong.
I have more experience than I ever wanted with surges, being responsible for several mountain top microwave sites that attract lightning. Most of the damage I see comes from ground loops, most of the rest is by direct strikes on power lines. If you are in an area where lightning damage is a big problem (especially if your electric service is on overhead lines) you should look into a comprehensive solution for power line entry installed by a licensed electrician. Google: whole house surge protection
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
(
Saving...
