The APC C10 is about as easy to setup as any standard power strip. You simply connect your cable and Ethernet devices to the appropriate side mounted I/O’s and plug in your components to the appropriately labeled outlets. I recommend plugging your subwoofer, and receiver into the “delayed” high current outlets which is a good idea to reduce inrush currents when powering up the entire system. With 12 surge protected outlets (2 for video, 6 for digital sources, 2 delayed high current and 2 analog),3 RF I/O’s, 1 RJ11 phone/fax input / 2 outputs and 1 RJ45 ethernet I/O, there are plenty of connection options to ensure your entire system is protected.

Display

There are a number of lights on the front panel which indicate the state of the unit. You have some control over them with respect to turning all of them off but the main power and protection ones by pressing and holding the on/off button.

• Protection On - on/off LED status illuminates blue when the unit is working properly
• Wiring OK - LED status illuminates blue if your outlet wiring is correct
• Filtering - LED status illuminates blue when the unit is working properly
• Input - monitors line voltage via blue LED indication from 90V to 140V in 10V increments
• Load – monitors the load condition on the line via LED indication from 20% to 120% in 20% increments
• Delayed On – LED illuminates blue when the delayed outlets are active (6 sec delay during initial power up)

I felt the LED display for line voltage and load was a bit cheesy and would have preferred a digital read out like Monster offers on their similarly priced HTS-1000MKIII. But considering the APC C10 has 4 additional filtered outlets over the Monster product, I think I’d take more filtered outlets over a digital readout I’d likely spend very little time monitoring. The APC in comparison is not nearly as flashy or busy looking as the Monster but instead is a much cleaner more ergonomically friendly solution.

Placement

I brought this unit over to my brother’s house and wired it to his home theater system which consisted of an older Yamaha A/V receiver, Sharp Aquos LCD display, Toshiba DVD player, Sony CD changer, Brighthouse cable box, and a JVC VCR. I neatly horizontally placed the unit under his A/V rack on the ground which was out of sight but still accessible. The C10 has pads on the bottom which increases static friction so it can be placed horizontally on the ground without fears of it moving around either from cable tension or excessive bass output from a local subwoofer. The unit also comes with a metal bracket which is said to be used for wall mounting but comes with no hardware to attach and I didn’t quite understand how to secure it to the unit. Regardless I feel the C10 is much less obtrusive when placed on the floor under an entertainment center then being mounted on a wall.

Conclusion

Once I flipped the power switch on my brother’s A/V system, it came alive and he breathed a sign of relief now that his system was fully protected. He remarked that the picture quality seemed to improve on his cable signal but I wasn’t certain I saw any appreciable benefit. This very well could have been a placebo affect. I was confident that the C10 didn’t cause any signal degradation, while at the same time ensured his system was protected against the numerous lighting storms and power surges we typically get in Florida. The APC AV C10 marks another well executed and no BS A/V power product from a company that is, in my experience, unparalleled in their collective knowledge of power protection and backup. I highly recommend this unit for anyone looking for a cost effective surge and power conditioning solution with ample outlets and unparalleled reliability.

APC AV C10 Power Filter

$199

APC AV
132 Fairgrounds Road
W. Kingston , RI 02892
877-272-2722
www.apcav.com

About APC
In February 2007, APC and MGE UPS Systems combined to form a $3.5 billion (€2.4 billion) Critical Power and Cooling Services business unit of Schneider Electric. The Critical Power and Cooling Services division offers the industry’s most comprehensive product and solution range for critical IT and process applications in industrial, enterprise, small and medium business and home environments. The company’s solutions include APC’s InfraStruXure® data center architecture, the industry’s most comprehensive integrated power, cooling, and management solution. The company’s products also include APC and MGE-brand uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), along with APC-brand precision cooling units, racks, and design and management software. Backed by the industry’s broadest service organization and an industry leading R&D investment, the company’s 12,000 employees help customers confront today’s unprecedented power, cooling and management challenges. Schneider Electric, with 112,000 employees and operations in 190 countries, had 2007 annual sales of $25 billion (€17.3 billion). For more information on APC, please visit www.apc.com. All trademarks are the property of their owners.