Power Center™ HTS 5000 MKII with Clean Power™ Stage 4 v2.0

The HTS5000 was displayed on a 50” Sony Grand Wega LCD and the needle displayed a 115 volts using a Direct TV connection @ 720p, using a Sony Theater Sound System (I didn’t catch the model). The associate at Best Buy showed me the difference with and without the HTS 5000.

With the HTS 5000
The picture quality was jaw dropping. In one word the picture was alive! Images were more real looking; the scenery appeared as if it was being film live from location. For example: if you held a blue shirt in your hand, you will see the same blue shirt on TV! It would not be more vivid, sharp, dark or light, nor to warm/natural or cool. The sound from the Sony receiver was incredible. The voices were clear, always at the same volume. The music sounded like you were there. The bass was deep with a slight echo. I am not an audiophile so I don’t know what to call this. The sound that creates the bass had a consistent volume with a soft, extended tone/pitch, not a sharp & short tone/pitch. It was more of a soft “boooom…” not a “BOOM!” Trust me if you hear it like I did your ears will appreciate it.

Without the HTS 5000
The HTS 5000 the picture quality was vivid, average flesh tone with bright colors but images were a tad cloudy or smeary w/o the HTS 5000. The picture was not pixilated at all. The picture quality was still excellent w/o the HTS 5000. People still stop and look at this TV as its picture was eye appealing from other TV’s on display. The sound was good but w/o the echo in the bass. I was completely shocked to see that Satellite TV can be improved with the HTS 5000!

Compared to the Power Bar PB1100 and HTS 3500
After reading Consumer Reports; Satellite TV picture quality has a better rating then cable. This gave me an impression that Satellite TV picture quality was as good as it gets! However after comparing the picture and sound quality with and without the HTS 5000, I did see a noticeable difference. Although the HTS 5000 will set you back $630 with tax (MD) you do get the quality you are seeking. Comparing the picture and sound quality using Direct TV using the HTS 3500 and the Power Bar PB1100 was not the same. HTS 3500 did not produce the same picture as the HTS 5000. The voltage remained the same at 115 volts. It did produce a sharp picture. Flesh tone was not as good. Another HTS 3500 was found giving power to a 50” Sony with the Sony NS725P DVD. The images (RANDOM MOVIE CLIPS) were so pixilated at the circumference of people and objects I told the associate the DVD player is defective but in fact it was not! The picture was down right nasty as there is nothing worst then to see pixilation lag from image to scene, from scene to image, etc, etc! The HTS 35000 read 119 volts which was given power from the Monster AVS 2000 which read 120 volts. (As the associate advised that the AVS2 2000 is not intended for component use but for use by other surge suppressors!) The sound for the HTS 3500 was good and hard to distinguish from the HTS 5000. For $399 I feel you should get a little better performance for the money as it was on par more so with the Power Bar which is $200 less! The Power Bar was giving power to a 42 Sony LCD TV using a Samsung 720p/1080i DVD player. Picture quality was beautiful (ICE AGE MOVIE) but the sound was lacking compared to the HTS 5000. The Power Bar powering a Sony 50” LCD with Direct TV did not show the same level of life like quality as the HTS 5000. The sound quality from the Power Bar 1100 was not impressive at all just average with slight volume increase. But on it’s own for $199 it is a good entry level device for slight picture/sound improvement.



The Home Experience
I have a Sony Grand WEGA KF42WE610 42” using Comcast Cable reception w/o the box (analog reception). I wanted to give a bare bone truth if the HTS5000 is any good or not. After spending 1hr 30minutes properly installing my plugs, making sure my wall socket had 3 prongs (not use a 3 prong to 2 prong cheat which will void your warranty, the HTS5000 will not register as being grounded) and installing some copper wire to grounding the HTS 5000 itself (water pipe, iron/steel fixture tucked behind a wall or heater vent will do nicely) I was finally able to plug the HTS 5000, turn on the Sony STR-DE885 receiver w/ 150 watt preamp sub. I immediately noticed a better quality of sound and I was finally able to maintain its volume (as it would decrease and I would have to turn it up even more). It is the same sound quality as mentioned earlier with the Best Buy receiver. The picture is less pixilated and flesh tones are better (although nothing like Direct TV). Cartoon network has vivid, sharp colors (the colors orange and yellow, blue and purple, etc are distinguished. #1 noticeable difference pronounced even as I write this review is the TV’s sound quality! It is as good as my STR-885 Sony Receiver! The sound volume remains the same and the bass is much richer then before. The voices are crisp, clear and audible. In the past I accepted the fact that my TV speakers were no good (reason for buying the STR-885) until today! Another positive trait is viewing Channel 2 via cable. In my area channel 2 is the worst channel, producing a series of thin horizontal to diagonal lines. The lines are very noticeable and distracting giving a 3d effect as you attempt to watch a program only having a 75% viewable screen. After installing the HTS 5000, channel 2 is now 95% viewable. You now have to look real hard to find them from 5’ away! This is 2nd biggest improvement as I already have a 4 port, Electroline Drop Amp with single shielded RG-6 cable wire. The coax cable is connected to the HTS 5000 and a Monster top grade coax cable from the HTS 5000 to the TV.

SIDE NOTE
Although double shielded RG-6 coax cable would do better most that I have found do not have a solid copper core. As I was told that the signal travels around the circumference not inside. Regardless if you have solid copper core or not It is extremely important to check your cable connections to make sure the exposed copper wire does not have any marks or nicks around the circumference! If any are found there is a 100% chance you are not receiving the best picture possible. It is a MUST to cut the wire just below the connection, then buy $10-$18 “plastic” 2-Blade rotary coaxial cable stripper to properly strip it, place a coax connector then screw it back on your TV (This is intended for coax cable installed by your cable company. Monster coax cable and such are not part of this side note).

The Home Experience Voltage
When I first turn plugged this unit in Voltage was at 125V and did drop to about 115 volts using appliances in the kitchen. I did notice voltage as high as 125 volts until I turn the TV on then it would drop to 120 volts. I also have my computer, DSL and 18” monitor hooked up to the HTS 5000 and it remains 120 volts with the TV on! I did not notice anything better with the computer DSL or monitor.

Update 5-15-04
HTS 5000 with the XBOX
Even the Xbox was able to take advantage of the Monster HTS 5000 by obtaining better color, hue and saturation of colors and visibly seeing colors in the background. Lets uses Project Gotham Racing as an example of what I now see using the HTS 5000:
Darker, richer Black asphalt with graffiti painted on the road
Reflections of objects coming off the cars paint
Rainbows found in the water fountains using the DC track
Controls are more responsive while playing online
Appears that load times decreased by a few seconds
Overall richer colors

Update 5-19-04
I have yet to hear the humming noise again coming from the volt meter when you increase the light.

Description:
• All outlets are fully programmable to be switched, switched with delay, or unswitched
• Monster Clean Power™ Stage 4 v2.0 application-specific filters.
• $100,000 Connected Equipment Warranty
• Ultra-high 2775 joule rating
• Stage 4 v2.0
• 10 sockets color coded in groups of 2 (from groups 1 through 5)
• 1 phone input with 2 phone output connections but can only use 1 phone output at a time
• 2 coax connections cable
• 2 coax connections satellite
• 2 coax connections antenna
•
Height: 3.5 Inches
Height - With Feet: 3.875 Inches
Width: 17.0625 Inches
Depth: 14.0625 Inches
Weight: 12 lbs

Recommended: Yes