- On
- 2 Feb 2022
- Reading time
- 5 minutes
Looking to power manage your home theater system?
If the answer is yes, then let's get to know the basics first and see if you really need one.
What are power managers?
A home theatre power manager, or “home theatre power conditioner,” is an electrical device that accepts AC power from a wall outlet and regulates it for use by home entertainment set up. These devices are one of the most important things that you need to be looking for when setting up a home theater.
Power managers usually have many outlets, and each outlet is equipped with a switch. By switching off the power to an unused device, you can save on standby costs.
Usually, they run from $100 to $250 or more. Some are cheaper and some are more expensive than this range.
However, they are still relatively inexpensive considering the amount of money that can be saved by using them. To make sure you are getting one worth the price, make sure to look for the right electronic retail reviews.
Role of Home Theatre Power Managers
The main reason for using them is to create a cleaner supply of electricity for audio/video components. Theater power managers can also help remove harmful electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) that may affect the operation of sensitive equipment like computer drives and plasma TVs.
The first ones simply cleaned up dirty power by cutting the high-frequency transients caused by dimmer switches and fluorescent lights. Now they regulate voltage, ensure proper grounding, control inrush current (the surge of electricity that occurs when you turn on a device), filter out noise, and more.
The biggest problem when having a home theater is not hearing sound clearly due to outside noise. It ruins the experience and increases chances of getting distracted. Getting a good sound system that doesn't take too much space should do the trick. However, always check reviews, such as Bose Surround Sound reviews before making sure which one to pick.
Is Having A Home Theatre Power Manager Really a Necessity?
Right now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “is a theater power manager just a waste of money?”
Though not completely necessary, it is not a waste of money.
Power surges and spikes can cause a lot of damage to the delicate circuitry that makes up today’s computers and home theater systems.
Therefore, the use of power managers is important if you want to have the advantage of protecting your system against all of those possible hazards.
You can also improve the performance of your system by getting a theater power management system that is compatible with your home theater’s rating.
Dirty Power: How Does It Affect Your Home Theater?
Dirty power is also known as dirty electricity can appear in many forms: spikes, sags, variances in voltage, and noise.
It is a real threat to your home theatre power center, especially if you plan to invest in the entire set up. You don't want that Valencia theater seating you probably invested in going to waste!
The thing is that dirty power can affect your home theater in every way imaginable. It can damage your speakers and their drivers. It can even cause your receiver to blow a fuse or worse.
As these components are essential for the proper operation of your home theater system, dirty power is a threat that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Normal Noise Mode and Dirty Power: Their Connections
Normal noise mode is the presence of a low-level AC audio signal riding along with the high-level AC power signal.
It is usually caused by low-quality power sources in the home theatre power center such as a bad power supply or amplifier.
Dirty power can come from either external or internal sources. It can cause damage to sensitive components inside your audio source such as the dac, amp, preamp, and more.
As your audio source is connected to your amplifier, it will generate noise while passing through.
Both can be very annoying and distracting to hear the noise coming from your speaker.
To solve both issues, you can try using a power conditioner for improved performance and quality of sound coming from your home theater system.
Do Hardcore Audiophiles Hate Power Managers?
Many of the audiophiles — people who are highly critical when it comes to audio fidelity use power conditioners when they connect their audio devices to their power supply.
However, there is a group of “hardcore audiophiles” who are against the use of these devices.
They believe that power managers do more harm than good.
They claim that these devices remove sounds that should be heard and that their systems sound dull and lifeless as a result.
They also say that the dynamics — the difference between loud and soft sounds — are lost because power managers turn down or eliminate bass, treble, and other frequencies.
Which Home Theatre Power Manager Do Audiophiles Recommend?
There are three types of dedicated lines:
Line Conditioners (Power Managers)
Power Regenerators
Dedicated Lines with Isolation Transformers
For audiophiles who are on a tight budget, they would usually go for the first option, which is buying a conditioner or a power manager. For those who have more money to spend and especially for those that have a multi channel home theatre, it is recommended to go for regenerators instead.
The main difference between these two devices is that regenerators produce cleaner power than home theatre power management systems do.
However, since both are still not able to provide totally clean power, audiophiles are recommending that we install isolation transformers instead.
They are actually used in most professional recording studios around the world.
Surge Protectors vs. Power Managers: What’s the Difference?
The main purpose of a surge protector is to protect your electronic devices from damage caused by sudden power surges or fluctuations.
Theater Power conditioners, on the other hand, do more than just protect your electronics from sudden power surges. They provide additional functionality to ensure better performance and longevity for all your electrical components. Find out which one best suits your theater when checking out reviews about online shopping.
The main difference between a surge protector and a power manager/conditioner is that the latter has not only low-voltage capacity but also high voltage capacity.
This means that it can also handle sudden high voltage power surges to keep your connected devices safe from damage or destruction.
For this reason, power managers/conditioners are considered more complex than a simple surge protector because they have more features and functions that are engineered to better protect your devices than other similar devices.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that a good power manager is important, regardless of how big or small your home theater system is.
If you’re still unsure about whether to purchase a power manager for your home theatre power center, the best advice is to take the time to look at US-Reviews and make a choice based on what you need, your budget, and your own research.
