AVRant #45: Power Conditioner or Rip-off?
Geek bathroom reading. Someone at Denon is throwing a party. We get an email from someone named Gene. This may change the podcast dynamic in the future. What sort of sound card should you use with your HTPC? Tom and Clint weigh in. Of course, they can agree on one thing – why are you using an HTPC? Adrian has a few questions about 5.1 vs. 7.1 systems. Wireless speakers – good idea? Tom and Clint have reviewed a number of products and summarize. Running wires – Clint’s got a favorite method that doesn’t involve attics, basements, or pulling up carpets. How big should your room be for 7.1? What about upgrading speakers? New set or a pair of a time? As Audioholics, we really want to recommend something that we can’t. What could it be? What’s the deal with the Audioholics store and our recommended systems? Hurricane parties. Some shocking statements are made about a VERY prominent power conditioner manufacturer. Let the hate mail fly. Thanks for listening.
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I have read some good thinks about the Auzentech sound card. It supports the Creative Labs protocols, but should be better then those… My next pc will have one of these: http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php
Btw, for power in my HT, I use this:
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=3180
It’s designed for computer server use, but the specs seemed to be pretty cool. Power regeneration, surge protection, and battery backup, in a decently low cost box. The only problem with it is the fan noise. If it’s in your main gear area, then it will probably be too loud. I took mine apart, and took out the internal fan, and added a larger, external quiet fan to blow into the back. No, my mod isn’t UL certified, but it saved me nearly a thousand bucks… *grin* I wish I had some equipment to test the output on this to see if its doing what the specs say. Oh well. I may never know for sure…
Tripp Lite is a solid company and they don’t claim miracles or charge an arm and a leg. We didn’t necessarily need to pick on RGPC, but they are one of the most egregious offenders of having non-UL overpriced products that don’t do much more than surge protection.
I have used Tripp Lite products for years too, Jim. Great stuff. For the new house/theater, I will probably end up with a mix of Tripp and APC…
Clint – but they are so HUGE! They must be good! 😀
I didn’t forget the name of what I called to yell at Dina about, I forgot Steven Hawking’s name. I called to complain that she thought the original Office was called Office Space.
Okay. I stand behind the Auzentech brand, I use a X-Meridian and couldn’t be happier. I run three 3.5mm Belkin pure-audio to RCA cables to my “Ya-Ma-Hay” RX-V661 for a 5.1 system.
Music works well for a PC. But would like to comment on the fact that HD DVD playback is annoying as hell. PowerDVD would bring new glitches after every patch (ie: can’t pause, menu doesn’t show up…) and new discs wouldn’t play with out them. Yeah, I know HD DVD is dead (I still think it’s a superior format because Toshiba has dual video decoder and online interactivity at the beginning.) but I have aready adopted the PS3 as well so I don’t care.
I bought 2 of those Monster power things and it doesn’t make any difference, just for the piece of mind. Make fun of me if you want = )
I have an older Auzentech XPlosion (before they started using Creative tech) and it outputs pure Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect signals for my receiver to decode over coax or optical. Two channel audio sounds great when my Denon 2807 processes it into 5.1 DTS. If I come across a streaming video or something that is encoded with Dolby 5.1, I simply switch the output of the Auzentech to Dolby Digital Live and I can see that my receiver is getting a full 5.1 signal to the input. Please note, I do not use this as an HTPC.
Thing I learned today….. Richard Gray you Suck!! hello APC how you doin’ lol