[LightninBoy]

I am currently building a HT system built around 5 MB-100s. I would like to devise a system for turning them all on and off easily. My preamp is the Outlaw 950 which has a 12v trigger. I'd like to leverage this if possible.

The Panamax Max 5100 and Monster Cable HTS2500 look like viable solutions. Just a few questions:

* Both are rated for only 15 amps. Seeing that I purposely ran a 20 amp circuit for plenty of power, this seems to handcuff that available power. Will 15 amps run 5 MB-100s (maybe 7 in the future) plus a DVD player, pre-amp, and 350watt projector?

* Each unit has only 2 high-current outlets, meaning I would need to plug an additional power strip into one of the high-current outlets and plug each MB-100 into the power strip. Can anyone recommend a decent quality power strip at a reasonable price (< $100)?

* Anyone have experience with either of these power conditioners? Are there others I should be considering? I'd like to stay under $400.

Thanks for any thoughts and ideas!

[bubba966]

A friend of mine has an HTS2500. I myself have 2 HTS3500's. Another friend of mine has 2 HTS5000's.

We've all been pretty happy with them.

On one of my HTS3500's I've got a 32" Toshiba CRT, a receiver (120w x5), a surround EX amp (100w x2), 2 powered subs (125w x2), a 1500w Step-Down Transformer for running 100v Japanese gear, 2 DVD players, a video standards transcoder, and an X-Box.

So that's a total of 9 channels of amplification, 2 DVDP's, one 32" monitor, a 1500w transfomer, a video converter, and an X-Box off of one HTS3500.

The other HTS3500 has a VCR and a few game systems running off it.

I've not had any problems with the HTS3500 handling the load I listed. While I don't know the exact amount of jucie 5 MB-100's pull, I doubt you'd have a problem running what you described off an HTS2500.

But I would suggest going for a HTS3500 or HTS5000 over the HTS2500. The higher up models have better filters and surge protection. And they've got a few other small features that the HTS2500 lacks.

[Curt]

This question has been asked a few times so I thought I would comment.

Note, in your case (115VAC) even if the MB-100s power supply can produce a 400 watt peak it would only require 400/115= 3.48A maximum current to do this. This maybe less current than some would think.

Most people play the MB-100s at 80-100 watts (averaged) for normal listening. This level is quite loud and can easily deliver music peaks of 160 watts or more.

To play at this normal listen level the MB-100s would draw about 200 watts (averaged) which is only 200/115= 1.74A. Therefore, it does seem that five MB-100s (8.7A total) would be quite comfortable operating with a good 15A supply. Even if you double the 8.7A current (17.4A total) a 20A breaker is more than enough.

Remember one thing, this is music program we are talking about and not MB-100s conectected to constant resistor load. It would most likely never be the case that all the MB-100s would be drawing maximum power at any one time which actually relaxes the power requirements quite a bit.

Please note for fast music peaks much of this current comes from the stored power in the 20,000 uF power supply filter capacitors. The low ESR capacitors can dump very high amperes for short periods of time, this is part of the planned MB-100 design.

Personally I like to allow 3A (@115VAC) for each MB-100 when using a power strip and have never had any problems.

For those who have 230VAC systems current requirements for are simply half of what they are for 115VAC (Amperes = Voltage/Impedance).

Hope this helps answer some of the power requirement questions out there. I will add this to our FAQ section on our website.