i think im going to go with the furman pst-10d and then some time down the road i will get the furman 15pfi.

 http://www.brickwall.com/oscope.htm

honestly - I don't know what too much of this means, but reading brickwalls site and looking at their graphs makes their product look promising.  I know you can't put much on what someone says about their own product, but it seems they do a fair comparison. 

after reading a bit more into brickwall, looks like zero surge is the OEM and sells the same items at lesser expense.

what about whole house protectors that connect directly to the panel such as

 http://www.squared.com/us/products/surge_protection.nsf/unid/DFD1DBCD6854AFA685256A78006DD636/$file/surgebreakerplusTech.htm

under $200   available at HomeDepot

Those look like they'd protect nicely against surges, but it's also good to have some filtration against electrical noise, plus some components, notably digital ones like CD and DVD players, send out their own noise and a whole house protector wouldn't catch that.

 well since i really don't know what a 12v trigger is, i am getting the furman pst-8d.  with everything hooked up i still have 3 outlets left, so i don't need the 10d.  the tech guy told me he has plugged digital and analog equipement in the same circuit and there was no distortion, so basically it doesn't matter that there is only 2 seperate bays.  price isn't bad either, i fount it for $115.  if i can buy the rest of the stuff (speakers, sub, tv) for less than planned, i may spring for the 15pfi.

efzauner:

what about whole house protectors that connect directly to the panel such as

 http://www.squared.com/us/products/surge_protection.nsf/unid/DFD1DBCD6854AFA685256A78006DD636/$file/surgebreakerplusTech.htm

under $200   available at HomeDepot

Point of entry protection has pro's and con's.  Most manufactures of these advocate using both a point of entry and local protection on each device.  There are surges created in the home that could exist on the same circut as your equipment.  If your equipment is in the middle of the line, the surge source on one end, and the whole house protection on the other end...the surge has to pass your gear to get to the whole house protection device.

Pro's and con's.  Good for point of entry protection from outside surges.  You still need a local surge protector.  The point of entry devices are actually helping your neighbors on your dime since your clamping surges for them as well.  

Mouse sells a 60mm MOV that was the largest I found.  I'm using 4 of them at my main as a point of entry device.  These things wear out as they absorb jolts so the larger the MOV, the longer they will likely last.  Some of the after market devices have very small MOV's that will not last long at all.  I blow the small ones all the time when using power tools.

There's a new player in town that users capacitors in stean of MOV's.  The capacitor approach is an off shoot of the power factor correction scheme used by many comercial sites. 

speakerfritz:

efzauner:

what about whole house protectors that connect directly to the panel such as

 http://www.squared.com/us/products/surge_protection.nsf/unid/DFD1DBCD6854AFA685256A78006DD636/$file/surgebreakerplusTech.htm

under $200   available at HomeDepot

 

Point of entry protection has pro's and con's.  Most manufactures of these advocate using both a point of entry and local protection on each device.  There are surges created in the home that could exist on the same circut as your equipment.  If your equipment is in the middle of the line, the surge source on one end, and the whole house protection on the other end...the surge has to pass your gear to get to the whole house protection device.

Pro's and con's.  Good for point of entry protection from outside surges.  You still need a local surge protector.  The point of entry devices are actually helping your neighbors on your dime since your clamping surges for them as well.  

Mouse sells a 60mm MOV that was the largest I found.  I'm using 4 of them at my main as a point of entry device.  These things wear out as they absorb jolts so the larger the MOV, the longer they will likely last.  Some of the after market devices have very small MOV's that will not last long at all.  I blow the small ones all the time when using power tools.

There's a new player in town that users capacitors in stean of MOV's.  The capacitor approach is an off shoot of the power factor correction scheme used by many comercial sites. 

Not sure what you mean by surge in the middle of the line. I have run 2 separate 12 gauge wire just for the HT room on 2 separate breakers. One I plan to use for the main HT receiver and amps and the other for other source gear etc. I do have lots of shop power tools but I dont listen to my lascalas while cutting wood!!! My understanding is that the surges are comming from outside the house and the whole house will protect from those as well as any surges taht may come from, say the washing mashine and heat pump.   Anyway. HT room still just 2x4 so I have some time to research more!