Well, I couldn't resist, I purchased the HTS-3600 on ebay!
I want to try it out and if I don't like it ,I know I can sell it and get my money back considering how much I paid for it. I talked the guy down to $275.00($300.00 shipped)I could not find any better deal than that on the web, and that is for a new one! My Denon AVR-1803 still hasn't come in ,so I will be having fun hooking everything up at the same time. Overall, I am going from an Onkyo ht760 system that came with speakers to a Denon avr-1803 w/monster hts-3600. I will be useing the same crappy speakers that came with the Onkyo system. Anyone think I will hear a difference with the new receiver and the power thingy?
I think you will hear a difference with the receiver, but not the power thingie.
You bought a $300 "line conditioner" for a $300 receiver?
Any receiver with a switch mode power supply so poorly designed that noise on the AC input effects accoustic output of the amplification stage should be avoided because the company at fault has hired the world's single most incomptetent engineer.
Denon has never been such a company, though not even Aiwa would be guilty of this. I was able to design such an SMPS for my senior design project in college. I find it hard to believe that a seasoned analog circuit designer couldn't improve upon my ability to follow a reference design.
My suggestion would be to cancel both orders, and pick a receiver with more features if you want to spend $600.
Hate to be a bubble burster as well, but I'd cancel the HTS-3600 order, and put that $300 into a new pair of speakers to replace your admited crappy ones. You'll hear 1000% more difference with a better pair of speakers than you will with that HTS. The Denon is a good choice though, you should be quite happy with that.
It's your money though, so ultimately it's up to you.
spiff's right. Dropping the $300 on a pair of better speakers would be a better approach than a better receiver as the 1803 really is a fabulous receiver for the price.
With friends like these, who needs enemas?
Ok, but seriously, Semi has an excellent point. The chances that the $300 line conditioner will improve the sound of your $300 receiver are slim to none. And even if it does improve the sound your money would be better spent on a better receiver or better speakers.
In my opinion, line conditioners and other system improvements -- snake oil or not -- should only be considered after you've already purchased bona-fide-beyond-a-doubt improvements, such as new speakers, quality interconnects, and main components.
Still, if you're set on keeping the condition, I'm sure we're all eager to hear your review on the befores and afters.
Yes, it is always a good idea to make sure that you're not paying more for insurance than you are for what you're insuring. And that's what those line conditioner/UPS things are. Insurance.
Excellent point pm...
I'm wasn't saying that no one should buy a line conditioner, or other such devices. I guess I was surprised that someone would spend the money on that when they've got speakers that need upgrading.
Just like PM said...get your Denon, get your dvd player, get your speakers, THEN get your extras like power conditioners, upgraded cables, etc...
Not exactly. Line conditioners are supposed to improve the quality of the electricity flowing into your components (and thus supposedly improve the sound) more than they are meant to protect from damage.
Nope. Only at high end Power Companies are they marketed as "improving the sound". If you look at Tripp-Lite, etc, they're all about protection. Brownouts don't do good things to anything electric, and they protect against stuff like that. Don't believe the claims from those companies...
so does that mean my HTS800 is not sufficient? :-(
that depends what you have connected to it.
Franco, resist. If you want to spend more money get better speakers, which will make a difference.
for my 65" mits, a receiver & a pair of speakers. will there be that huge of a diff between a panamax line conditioner and a monster one?
Don't see why. What do the specs (the real specs, not the "this will make everything better" specs.) How many outlets do each of them have? How much power can they handle? I mean, a 65" TV would pull a lot of power. Can both of them handle it? Mind you, I'm not an expert on these things.
Well, even though I should of got speakers, the way I look at it I got a good deal and i don't have to buy it later. Anyway, my fiance is buying me some Paradigm monitor 7's with a matching center for Christmas. I can wait until Christmas for speakers, so I will enjoy my crappy ones until then. I hope I didn't start any flames in here for you guys that have and don't have Monster hts's. The way I see it I didn't miss out on a good deal , my system will look cool, and this thing should protect my stuff from surges and blackouts. I did have a t.v. burnout once because of a blackout(power was turning on and off frequently). I appreciate everyones opinion though, thank you.
I have the Monster Power Center HTS-2600 and it does the job nicely. HTS 2600 is all you need for normal home theater use. Spending extra money for 3600 or higher you can use it on speakers or somewhere else and get more bank for your money.