protect my piano / worry about brownouts? / long: Compare two Power Conditioners - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: outsidequery
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 12, 2021, 03:48:32 pm
content: I’ve been considering 1 of 2 power conditioners for my new $4000 home digital piano Kawai CA 79 (120V; 2x50 W speakers (but I use headphones)) : a Panamax MR 4300 and a Furman PST 8D. I need to return at least one very soon.I am too ignorant and too talkative both!...Here are my questions, probably in order of what matters.1. what does my keyboard (+ 1 laptop) require?I would want surge protection. I am told that for this keyboard, it is likely preferable for the power to be turned off by the power button (then it can shut down properly.) It is certainly desirable to avoid brownouts if they are really an issue, preferably via a UPS (neither of these is a UPS. one will turn off power at a brownout.)2. what should I think of the above given reliability/durability of my units and of my power?However, my power company says that my particular townhouse hasn't really had power issues for years.Actually, my Panamax MR4300 turned off power twice in the past few weeks, so perhaps there were transient voltages outside 100V-135V. I don't know in which direction, since voltage was mostly normal. (Or else the MR4300 itself is having problems and turning things off too readily?)The Panamax tends to read between 119 V and 124 V, especially around 122. Sometimes it will fluctuate within seconds between 120-122 volts etc., sometimes there is not much change.Anyway,The front bar of the Panamax MR4300, with the display and lights, seems a little more fragile than the PST-8D; I actually got one of the lights out of place and had to push it back in the front, and the front panel seems sort of like it could be partly pried off, so I guess air could get through, but so what.They were both shipped to my door; the cardboard box of the MR4300 had a small dent on it, but the unit itself had styrofoam corner-pieces keeping it in place. The PST-8D seemed fine, but there wasn't as impressive cushioning, but they both turned on and don't seem to have gotten any scratch.3. what differences are there between the power conditioners that would matter if I wish to plug in my keyboard and one computer? anything else I should consider?(Is that question appropriate for the forum?)differences that seem possibly relevantlayoutdurability (obvious or as electronic protectors, also given how they were delivered to me-- I suspect the Furman is more durable, but I can't say, and it doesn't have a nice box to store it in)the Panamax MR4300 will turn off power if it detects a voltage < 100V (I am not sure how quickly), whereas the Furman PST-8D only stops high voltages.it will also read the voltage (at a readable speed, not as quickly as it would turn off power, of course.)warranty (I guess)Thank you!And now,4. out of curiosity, what other differences are there and what accounts for differences in cost? what differences/similarities are there in the purposes of these units? this is less urgent/significant to me.Furman PST 8-Dpossibly better surge protection (possiblylower initial clamping voltage, probably theoretically longer lasting)sturdier looking builddifferent layout in generaldifferent warranty -- only 1 year, and equipment warranty different (but I shouldn't rely on that anyway)marketed for stage musiciansPanamax MR 4300331 V at 1575 J3 year warrantymore expensive priceshows the voltagealso tries to turn off power momentarily if voltage is outside the range 100V to 135VI think the Furman might turn off power at 137V (not only 181+), so I see this as arising at too low voltagesmarketed for home theatershas LAN and some other grounding thingdifferent banksBoth have LiFT linear filtration, perhaps at different levels.I am not experienced enough to really know about the differences in banks between them, etc.specs onlineFurman: presumably is basically PST 8-DIGhttps://www.furmanpower.com/product/15a-8-outlet-surge-suppressor-wsmp-lift-evs-and-2-filtered-banks-PST-8%20DIGbut probably at least as good as PST 8 and that's probably as much as I care abouthttps://www.furmanpower.com/product/15a-8-outlet-surge-suppressor-strip-wsmp-lift-and-evs-PST-8vs.Panamax MR 4300https://www.panamax.com/product/mr4300-power-management/

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2021, 07:44:00 pm
content: I have avoided all of those concerns by the simple expedient of not using an electronic 'piano' at all. I have a Chickering grand piano that was made in about 1917 and still works and sounds great. Try that with a modern electronic device.So if you want 100 years of service regardless of the power company, don't buy electronic. I also own an electronic piano and by comparison it really sucks. It remains in its case while I play more modern music on the wooden piano. I'll bet you didn't know you could do that.

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2021, 08:00:13 pm
content: I can't speak to either of these units directly but I have used one of these for the past 4 years:https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/245-8634-art-pb-specifications-46249.pdfto protect some very expensive and unique scientific equipment I built in a rural garage (conditioned) in North Carolina. Because the power comes from overhead lines, there are often brown outs etc in windy weather. Even with rapid power on/offs (e.g., during hurricane season), I've never experienced any damaged to my equipment. Meanwhile, I have had laptop power supplies go belly up in the house that were not protected.On a purely irrational level, I like to think the rack versions are better engineered.