In the underworld of DVD entertainment an ongoing debate rages over how to, and when to, effectively improve the performance of your entertainment system. With more and more general consumers recognizing the need and importance of high-quality cables such as interconnects and speaker wire, what many overlook is the havoc that "dirty" power wreaks on every component as it goes into the system.

If you thought that dirty power and lack of management were only issues associated with Enron, then you will surely be left holding worthless shares in your entertainment investment. Allow me to explain.

Every component in your entertainment system relies on AC power (voltage) coming into the system to operate. Likewise, each component is greatly affected by the power as it enters the system. The term "dirty" power applies to any power being used regardless of where you live, how fancy your home is, or isn't. Dirty power is any power that is unconditioned as it comes out of the outlet. Consider that the power in your home is a network of sorts. Every component plugged into that network has a negative effect on it in one way or another. These components, in line with the power network all relate to draw and/or spikes in the voltage and (whether or not you can see or hear them in your system) they exist nonetheless.

Unique Features - The HTPS 7000 was designed by Richard Marsh, well-known in audiophile circles as the inventor of the MultiCap internal bypass capacitor as well as an engineer behind many high-end audio components. The HTPS 7000 employs Monster's Dual Balanced Pure Power Transformers and Clean Stage Power 5 power conditioner.

Monster Power Home Theater Power Source (HTPS) 7000 currently represents the flagship power conditioning and surge protection product in their line-up in Monster Power products. The HTPS 7000 is both a power conditioner and 3145 joule rated surge protector built into one. What makes the HTPS 7000 unique is that it offers a programmable management system that truly simplifies a complex home theater setup. And so, in addition to unsurpassed surge suppression and power conditioning, the HTPS 7000 also offers programmable switching options that make powering up/down multiple components a remarkably intuitive process. To make the HTPS even more utilitarian, the unit also offers component-to-component isolation, and even goes so far as to support three internally shielded 75-ohm coaxial surge suppressors. So cable, satellite, radio, and HD antennas, etc. are not only protected, but also isolated from one another to eliminate interference.

The Monster Power HTPS 7000 looks right at home in my cabinet, which holds several higher-end pieces--the Krell Showcase amplifier, Integra Research pre/pro and Rotel DVD and CD players. And as one would expect from a company with the name "Monster" in it, the HTPS 7000 is an industrial-looking unit and weighs just under 40 pounds. The black case is complimented with a brushed aluminum faceplate featuring an oval LED display which monitors line voltage and five LED indicator lights: grounded okay, protection on, clean power on, abnormal voltage, and wiring reversed. There are also four large buttons for tailoring the unit to your system's parameters.

Installation/Setup/Ease of Use - The 7000 is packaged well, and because it is so easy to set up and tailor the settings, the manual is just a few pages long. The unit comes with several color-coded labels that correspond with the color-coded inputs on the back panel--very thoughtful. And there is also a generous 8-foot Monster Powerline 300 power cable that is gold plated in 24k.

The back panel of the HTPS 7000 features 6 two-receptacle outlets labeled left to right: audio filter, digital filter 1, digital filter 2, and video filter. The last two are stacked and are labeled high power 1 and 2. Additionally, there are two DC triggers, two phone connections and an appliance-type power cable. This is where things get interesting. Out of the box, each outlet is programmed to remain "ON" and, as I previously noted, you can program each outlet to remain "ON" even when the main power is shut off. For example, I own a TiVo that must stay on at all times in order to record, but I want it to run through the HTPS 7000 for conditioning and surge protection. Simple, right? Yes, but in order to offer "remote control" ON/OFF the HTPS 7000 must somehow connect to a remote enabled device in my system--such as my preamp. The pre/pro is plugged into an outlet that will always have power and the 7000's remote trigger is plugged into the pre/pro.

Power cords are easily connected, however I need to mention that someone with big hands was clearly involved in the design of the 7000. I was elated to find enough room for my fat fingers to thread the coaxial connections on the back panel.

Now one begins to see more clearly the Monster Power HTPS 7000 is a lot more than just a power conditioner and surge suppressor--it's a ground-floor component.

Final Take - The Clean Power Stage 5 provides the connected components with both isolation and filtration through 5 discrete filters, (with an extra pair on the digital inputs) to effectively eliminate line-borne noise anomalies and prevent components in the system from potentially contaminating one another. Whereas some line conditioners only treat power coming in, this still leaves the door open to cross contamination when power is coming back out. The HTPS 7000 eliminates this probability by isolating components.

I currently employ a Richard Gray's Power Company power conditioner on my reference system full-time. I removed the Gray's unit from my system to install the HTPS 7000. After switching the units several times, my wife and I came to the conclusion that the Gray's unit produced a more refined picture--darker black levels and increased color saturation, but the Monster unit produced more refined audio, with astounding detail. However, this is nearly comparing apples to oranges, as the Gray's unit does not offer surge protection and the Monster HTPS boasts surge protection with a $750,000 insurance guarantee against damage. (And I suppose there is more than one way to look at that.) Likewise, the Gray's Power Company unit does not offer the management that the HTPS 7000 does.

Now I mentioned a Dual Balanced Power feature at the onset of this review. And this is where complicated power "noises" are simply eliminated. Electrical grounds are rarely (if ever) OV (zero volt) in a household for numerous reasons. The most common factor being what is commonly referred to as a "leaking ground." The only time we ever notice these disgusting leaks is while trying to enjoy our audio/video systems. Balanced power solves this issue through what is referred to as "common-mode rejection."

The overall effectiveness of the Monster HTPS 7000 on my entire system from management to increased performance was entirely unexpected, and deeply appreciated. I particularly noted a more special soundstage. The unit is well thought out and doesn't seem to cut any corners when it comes to component quality and attention to detail. (There's enough 24k gold plating on this unit that one could melt down to create some serious Bling-Bling...I know now where all that gold went that Mr. T used to sport around his neck.)

There are many who would argue that the $1,295 price tag leaves the HTPS 7000 as an option only for those with ultra high-end A/V systems. My thought is that one could effectively double the perceived value and performance of an existing system with the addition of the 7000. In my opinion, the HTPS 7000 serves as a solid foundation for ANY A/V system, regardless of the overall investment.

Suggested Retail Price
$1,299