 Just what the doctor ordered |
| Review Date: October 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Black Belt Systems, MT, United States |
My A/V system has a honest amount of stuff. There's what I call the current generation set of gear... There's a Sony STR-DA5300ES receiver, a separate 750 watt power amp for my sub, a PS3/Blueray, an XBox360/HD-DVD, a conventional progressive scan DVD player, a Wii, a DBS/DVR, a Mac Mini and a CD/MD player. Then there is what I call the last generation set of gear, an XBox, a PS2, and a Gamecube. There are several wall warts for things like rechargable Wii controllers, an XBox 360 wheel, a network switch, a power supply for the dish multiplexer and so on. All of this feeds an Optoma 1080p projector which has its own UPS that also runs the Mac Mini (you *really* don't want a projector to suddenly lose power... the fan stops and the bulb immediately overheats, losing lifespan or even dying right there on the spot; and of course you don't want power to a computer failing, ever.)
The wiring for all this stuff is... formidable. Prior to getting the Monster unit, there were multiple power strips and cables just everywhere. So the first thing I got out of the MP PRO 3500 was increased organization and lessened clutter. I still needed a couple of power strips, partially because wall warts take up so much room, and partially because there are just so many units, but trust me, it is a *lot* better than it was.
The second thing is better quality AC, presumably, though I can't say I was aware of any problems caused in this area, it is certainly worthwhile to have all that stuff better protected against spikes and the like.
The third thing is information - having both the line voltage and the current draw available at one time is both fascinating and somewhat useful. You can multiply the one by the other and get the current power consumption in watts, by the way, for instance 5.2 amps at 120 VAC is about 624 watts. If the unit is really excellent for 3500 watts, that's about 29 amps, so your average household circuit will give out long before the MP PRO 3500 will. I plugged the unit into a dedicated circuit, if you're going to be using the kind of power this thing is capable of, I suggest you do the same (a dedicated circuit is basically an AC plug that has no other loads on it and has its own breaker.)
The MP PRO 3500 power center is robust, to say the least, the power cord is a cable you could hang a Volkswagen from. There are neon indicators in the unit's plug itself that tell you that the connection is ok (excellent ground, etc.) Then there are indicators on the front panel that assure you that the protection is working, the power is clean, and so on. All of this is very nice. The unit is a small light (though very strong.) I say it is light because the pressure of plugging something in is enough to go it around, which means you need to hold it with one hand and plug with the other, unfortunately. This is rack mount gear, and so you don't get feet with it; be careful you don't scratch something by moving it. Also make sure you pay attention to ventilation for your other gear - no feet also means no airspace in stacks of hardware. You can buy some inexpensive stick-on rubber feet to give you a small airspace at Radio Shack or various places online.
One thing the MP PRO 3500 provides that isn't of particular use to me is sequenced power-up; it turns on one set of AC connections after another. I just leave the MP PRO 3500 on and control the various units in and out of standby as required. Some things, like the Wii, will go on the net when "off" and fetch mail and so on; others maintain standby information, and things like the projector need power (for the fan) long after you turn them off. So I basically don't have a use for killing power to everything in normal operating regimes. But you may find the sequenced power-up to be of use.
The twelve plugs in the rear are separated into sets marked as high power audio, audio, digital and so forth. My MP PRO 3500 didn't come with any specs as to how much power one could draw from which outlets, but I've had no distress, for whatever that is worth. If you have more gear, or a significantly higher power system than I do, you might want to look into this. There are two more plugs on the front, I find them useful from time to time, for instance I have place my camera battery recharger on there, it's quite convenient.
The only quibble I have with the unit's design other than the weight is that the displays are a small bright; it kind of sits there like a sore thumb compared to the indicators and displays on my other gear.
All in all, I like the unit very much, feel that it offers excellent bang for the buck (not always the case with Monster, a company that isn't the least bit worried worried to wave snake oil under your nose, particularly in the area of cables), and I plot to buy a couple more for my musical gear. I've got a small recording studio at home which could use some power conditioning and protection.
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Affordable quality unit
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| Review Date: June 22, 2007 |
| Reviewer: A. Amy, USA |
I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality feel and ease of use this unit exhibits. It's heavy and solid, the rear plugs are color coded and sorted by equipment type for maximum noise filtration and isolation (ie, high power for amplifiers, digital for CD players, analog for cassette, VCR,.......), the voltage and current show is very simple to read, the surge protector is very powerful (about 2500 joules), and it shuts your equipment down in sequence if the voltage becomes unsafe (high or low). It looks excellent in my entertainment center (not quite brilliant, but it still blends) and a helpful flexible swinging lamp which plugs right into the unit is provided also should you have poor eyesight or be working in a dark corner.
Any complaints are confined to the minimal content of the owner's manual, and the fact that the plugs could have a slightly better grip.
Overall, this seems to be a fine Monster product, an brilliant addition to their terrific cables. |
Monster MP Pro 3500
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| Review Date: September 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Osceola Adams, Peoria, AZ |
| I bought a Mitsubishi WD-73734 TV, and was having problems with the picture getting dim, and occasionally the TV would just shut off. I had the TV hooked up to a power strip, but this did nothing to ensure the TV was getting clean, stable voltage. I never thought these line conditioners really made a difference, but I did research into the problem I was having, and chose this is what I needed. It comes with plenty of outlets, so I could connect all my stereo and video components through this. After observing the TV after connecting the MP Pro, I never had the problems I experienced earlier. These products really do make a difference! Also the show is very pleasant to look at, and the unit comes with a flexible light. |
Looks fantastic, excellent price
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| Review Date: December 7, 2007 |
| Reviewer: J. Segovia, LOS ANGELES, CA USA |
| The power center looks fantastic on my rack and very excellent price compared to the huge stores such as Circuit City and Best Buys, The light attachment works fantastic and it has one in the back and one in the front of the unit. I wished they would have included two lights as it is hard to unattached it since it is dark behind the unit. I leave it attached to the back and when I need it I simply reach behind and feel for the dimmer and turn it up. The two plugs in the front come in really handy to plug in temporary items such as a laptop or a light. I wish they would have had a dimmer for the led read out, but it is still a fantastic product, very sturdy and nice looking. I don't know how much protection it will give my equipment since I have not had a surge or lightning storm since I have had the unit so it has not been tested in that manner. Most of Monster equipment is overpriced so I jumped on this item when I saw the low price compared to other brand power center of similar capacity. |
A must if you have an HD TV
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| Review Date: December 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: D. Beeson, Olney, MD USA |
My son sells high-end home theater products. He was adamant that we shouldn't even plug in our new 50" plasma HDTV until we had a power center like the MP PRO 3500 to protect it. HDTV's are very susceptible to power surges, so spending a few hundred bucks for a excellent power center is cheap insurance.
This unit is made for A/V rack mounting but we have it just sitting in our entertainment center, which is OK because it's behind a door. If you need one that will sit out in the open, consider the MP PRO 3600 which is a few more dollars but designed for shelf mounting.
A real clean feature is the work light on a flexible stalk that comes with the unit and can be plugged in either in front or in back. Comes in real handy when you have to go in back to make all your entertainment system connections. |
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December 26th, 2009 | 
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