APC LE600 Line-R 600VA Automatic Voltage Regulator

The voltage regulator itself is great. Quality unit. Does its thing. Careful where you plug it in though. The unit has a hefty power transformer that can generate "back EMF" when the power is cut to it. If you plug this puppy into a surge protector, all the appliances in that surge protector can now be subject to EMI originating from this unit, and would be unprotected from it (since the source of EMI is coming downstream of that surge protector's EMI filters). Wish there was a warning of some sort. Now I'm shopping for new TV.

Works just fine. Been using for years.

These units ( I bought 3 of them) are fantastic. Two of them I've had for almost 4 years and they work like brand new. The PC I have connected to one also has less errors and rubs so much smoother. I was surprised how many problems fluctuating incoming power can cause. This line conditioner keeps the voltage rock steady and best of all you don't need to replace an expensive battery every year.Sure, if you want an extra 60 seconds or whatever when you lose power a battery backup is ok but if you are like me and want to protect your hardware and to help it run smoother..? This is the way to go. No debate.

The APC LE600 Line-R Automatic Voltage Regulator provides surge protection just like those power strips you can buy. But it also provides power protection as well, making sure the power going through it is kept at a steady voltage.I live in an area where we get frequent brownouts. Our household voltage will dip, the lights dim, and some appliances will turn off (especially electronics, such as the DVR and computers). Consumer grade battery backup units seem to allow the reduction in power to flow right though; they tend to come on-line after the power is off completely. The LE600 has a transformer inside that boosts the incoming power so its a steady voltage. It switches on silently and boosts the power in a fraction of a second.Now, the lights dim, but my DVR and my computer keep right on going.Prior to installing a LE600 on my entertainment system I was burning through Dish Network DVRs every few months. Since adding the LE600 to that system 2 years ago I have not had a DVR failure. I recently had my battery backup on the computer upstairs give up the ghost (the batteries do wear out, and are expensive to replace.) I replaced it with another LE600. For my use, the LE600 swings into action quick enough to prevent the system from rebooting during a brownout. The downside? Its not a battery backup, so if you lose power completely, your system goes down.There are more expensive alternatives, such as the  APC AV H15BLK Home Theater 1500VA Power Filter and Power Conditioner (BLACK) , if you want to protect very sensitive electronic components like that $10,000 tube-type amplifier you're dreaming about. I'm not an electrical engineer by any means, but my understanding is that the more expensive units do a better job of making sure the power sine wave is well formed. And lord knows, we all want a well formed power sine wave.But, for my home theater and home computer use, the APC LE600 has been a quick, inexpensive and long lasting solution. Highly recommended. APC AV H15BLK Home Theater 1500VA Power Filter and Power Conditioner (BLACK)

There seems to be much speculation about what this product is actually designed to do but there is no need to do so when product specifications are available. APC provides the owner's manual as a PDF available for download at their website - just use your favorite search engine and look in the "Documentation" tab of the product page - which details the designed performance of the product.The summary is that this device is designed to increase voltage as much as 6% or decrease voltage as much as 12% as long as the input voltage is between 85 and 140 volts (when this device is set to its default of regulating to 120 volts). No claims are made for performance beyond those ranges. When wall voltage is 85 volts, this device is rated to modify voltage to as high as 90 volts and when the wall voltage is 140 volts, this device is rated to modify voltage to as low as 123 volts.This performance is fine for most modern electronics where high voltages are more likely to cause damage than low voltages. However, if you believe you need better performance or if you live in a neighborhood with particularly poor power quality, one alternative is the  Tripp Lite LS606M 600 watt Line Conditioner 6 Outlet 120 volt . It is quite a bit more expensive, but its specifications claim better voltage regulation than this APC unit. Tripp Lite LS606M 600 watt Line Conditioner 6 Outlet 120 volt