Modern digital devices have become the cornerstone of our civilization. Almost every aspect of our lives depends, or at least includes some sort of electronic device.
Whether we are talking about phones, computers or larger and more complex machines. As you already know, all of these electronics need power in order to function. We are so used to plugging a cable into the wall socket, that most of us completely disregard just what kind of impact the electrical grid can have on our devices.
Every time you plug in your TV, digital instrument, computer, or anything else that requires power, you are tapping into a huge power grid.
The thing is that this infrastructure we all rely on hasn’t been updated for a long time. This brings into question the reliability of the network, and what kind of impact it can have on your devices.
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Voltage fluctuations are a real thing, and can lead serious problems. Since overhauling power grids costs a lot of money and would take a long time to get done, we need a more immediate solution. Enter Furman PST-8D – a power station which protects your devices.
Overview
APCs and similar devices have become a necessity if you have any sort of sensitive equipment. These devices will offer protection from over-voltage, sudden loss of power and similar problems. However, there are other issues that are equally as important and need to be addressed.
While power surge can damage your devices, things such as AC line noise will reduce their performance significantly. Having a power conditioner like Furman PST-8D that can remedy those issues is a must if you need high quality performance.
Features
When you unpack the Furman PST-8D, first thing you realize is just how big this thing is. Compared to your regular power strip, PST-8D is gigantic. The case is made of metal, and the whole package seems pretty robust. There are eight outlets in total, with four being linearly filtered, and the other four capable of digital-ultrasonic noise filtering.
Zero ground contamination ability this power conditioner offers ensures constant delivery of very pure AC power. This is extremely important when you are using high quality and high sensitivity audio/video equipment. The most robust feature on Furman PST-8D is the SMP or Series Multi-Stage Protection that deals with even the worst AC surges you could experience.
We are talking about instances where voltage spikes high enough to completely destroy any electrical devices plugged into the grid. These are not that common, but they do happen from time to time.
When that does happen, automatic Extreme Voltage Shutdown springs into action, and protects all of your electronics from the effects of the surge. This feature is extremely useful if you experience wiring issues in your home. Older homes might have old power circuits that are known to fail from time to time causing a whole array of potentially dangerous issues.
The threshold for EVS to activate is 137 volts. Once that level is passed, Furman PST-8D shuts down automatically. It’s one of that few protected power strips that offers this kind of protection.
Performance
Furman PST-8D is the type of power strip you definitely want to have in a studio filled with expensive audio or video equipment. Eight power outlets isn’t really that much, however it’s enough to protect your most critical equipment. Furman PST-8D is quite bulky, which may be an issue if you are short on space, and are trying to stuff it under a table somewhere. However, the type of protection it offers is worth the hassle.
In terms of surge protection, this power station definitely gets the job done. There is a set of LED lights that let you know whether or not the protection is on, or if there are any issues with the power supply to the strip.
Outlets are pretty tight and provide a decent amount of prong retention. Plugging and unplugging cables is easy, but once you plug something in, it stays that way securely.
When in use, Furman PST-8D is very quiet. Usually power strips of this size tend to be quite noisy, however that is not the case with PST-8D. It has no negative impacts on audio equipment in terms of inducing a hiss in the signal or anything similar.
What we like
Great surge protection is the core of this power station. The fact that it offers this type of protection along with a lot of other features you definitely want to have, makes it one of the better products of this type on the market. It’s pretty quiet, and the whole package inspires confidence.
What we don’t like
The only real issue we have with this power station is its huge size. Power surge protection strips are always going to be a bit bigger than your usual stuff, but Furman PST-8D just took that to the extreme.
It is so large that its size greatly limits its use. Unfortunately, power surge protection requires some pretty chunky components to be squeezed under the hood. Whether or not Furman could have delivered this type of performance in a smaller package is up for debate.
Conclusion
Power surge protection is something only a few people think about. The large majority either isn’t familiar with these devices, or simply isn’t interested in using them. Sure, a good power surge protection costs a decent amount of money, but that is nothing compared to the amount of money it can save you by protecting your electronics from over-voltage.
This price to performance ration increases even more if you have a lot of expensive audio/video equipment that you use every day. Modern electronics are sensitive to power fluctuations, especially the more sophisticated devices. Not having any kind of protection is a big gamble with setups like these.
You are essentially risking losing a lot of money for no reason. Furman PST-8D is definitely something you should look into.