MAX® 4400 A/V Line Conditioner
Panamax offers a wide range of products to serve
the needs of consumers seeking reliable power conditioning for their A/V
components. The company has recently introduced a new product that handles
more current than conventional power conditioners. The new MAX® 4400 is
designed to work with a 20-amp power outlet and provide up to nine receptacles
with the same current rating. One nice advantage is the unit accepts standard
AC plugs while still accommodating the higher current 20-amp components.
The same SurgeGate Plus™ circuitry is used with the MAX® 4400 that is
found in the more expensive MAX® products. Front panel indicators show
status for Switched Outlets, Voltage Trigger, Ground
OK and Unsafe Voltage. A convenient 3-prong outlet (20-amp
compatible) is also provided on the front panel for temporary AC power
connections. The Switched Outlets button is used to manually switch
the outlets on the rear panel. If a black faceplate is not you're first
preference, Panamax offers an optional silver faceplate that matches many
of the today's new A/V products.
The
rear panel has eight outlets available that work with either 15 or 20-amp
AC plugs. A separate ground terminal is provided on the unit as an option
for connecting the chassis to a solid earth ground. There's also a 20-amp
resetable circuit breaker. The delay switch (0 or 10 seconds) determines
the time from the trigger to the activation of the switched outlets. The
3.5mm DC sense input connection allows the unit to be remotely triggered
from another device. We connected the MAX® 4400 to our Parasound AVC-2500u
A/V controller for testing purposes. One item to note is the unit does
require a 20-amp receptacle at the
end of the 11.5 foot power cord.
Inside
The inside of the MAX® 4400 is not as complicated as some of the other
Panamax MAX® products we've seen. Two relays are built into the main board;
one for the SurgeGate Plus™ circuitry and the other for the switched outlets.
The noise filtration circuit design does not use inductors to ensure high
current demands can be met. This is particularly important for high current
components such as multi-channel power amplifiers and subwoofers.
MOVs (Metal Oxide Varistors) are used in several places inside of the MAX® 4400 to clamp transient voltages that can damage electronics. These devices are commonly used in the industry for surge suppression. The build quality of the MAX® 4400 interior is consistent with other Panamax products we've seen.
While we didn't observe or hear any improvement in our system using this product, we certainly felt better about having our expensive components protected with the MAX® 4400. Products such as this offer consumers insurance on their costly A/V systems. Benefits vary depending on where one lives. However, it's a small price to pay ($299 retail) and you can certainly sleep better at night.
Conclusion
The Panamax MAX® 4400 is unique in that it handles 20-amp circuits compared
to the standard 15-amp used throughout the industry. The MAX® 4400 looks
simple, yet still provides excellent protection from the elements. The
SurgeGate Plus™ circuitry constantly monitors the incoming voltage and
shuts down the outputs in the event of a voltage problem. The MAX® 4400 is backed by the impressive $5,000,000
Connected Equipment Guarantee that insures your equipment will be protected.
The 3-year product warranty covers repair or replacement of any defective
product.
- Kevin
Nakano