For those of you who don’t want to be “that guy”—the guy whose bar gig rig involves rackmount gear—we suggest you look away. The studio applications for power conditioning equipment are obvious, but for some reason a lot of players are comfortable rolling the dice and using office-supply-store power strips for gigs, only to scramble for that potentially deadly 99-cent, two-prong adapter when that inevitable buzz rears its ugly head. The P-1800 PF R’s superb instrument-specific uses should tempt you to buy a portable rack box to put next to your amp.
An update to Furman’s Power Factor Pro R, the P-1800 PF R features the company’s surge, spike and voltage technologies, as well as their new Clear Tone and Power Factor technologies, designed specifically for high-current electronic gear like guitar amps and powered studio monitors. We’re talking 45-plus amps of instantaneous reserve current and tuned filtering circuits that allow your amp to perform like it should—regardless of a whether a venue’s stage outlets are powering five neon beer signs and the kitchen’s deep freeze.
A digital voltmeter/ammeter takes the mystery out of current draw, while nine outlets (one on the front) in isolated banks give you more than you should need for a single rig. Extra touches include three wallwart-spaced outlets with securing straps, a BNC connector in the back for your gooseneck lamp, and even a front panel USB outlet.
Our demo unit handled amp testing in various circuits with aplomb, providing slightly to dramatically cleaner sound (not to mention peace of mind) when A/B’d with a Furman Merit X Series conditioner, a number of strips, and no conditioner at all.
Furman Sound
List $599
furmansound.com