Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I just moved into a new apartment and have been reading about all of the new power strips out there, especially the green ones. I was wondering if you had any suggestions about which "green "power strips are out there with decent joules ratings. And when I say green, I mean power strips that have the remotes or switches to turn off all electricity flowing to certain plugs and with at least 2 plugs that are always on. I was looking specifically at sub $50 because I will need two, but if that is not possible I could be convinced otherwise. Thanks!"
Hi – this is a reply from Tom, at ZVOX. Thanks for your comments.
We use an analog, phase-manipulation design (we call it PhaseCue) for virtual surround sound because we prefer it to the digital alternatives. It provides a wide, deep, three-dimensional sound field without sacrificing musical accuracy or vocal clarity. In our experience, creating virtual surround in the digital domain almost always generates some less-than-natural results – for example, rain that sounds like white noise or female vocalists that take on a twangy sound.
We also find our customers prefer using the analog output of a TV because in many cases it allows them to use the TV remote to control the volume of the ZVOX. And we find that there is no audible difference between using an analog input vs. a digital input.
As for switching, we’ve found that most people would much rather use their TV to do switching, rather than using the sound system. It’s simpler, more intuitive and requires the use of fewer remote controls. And we’d rather spend dollars on quality speaker drivers and wood cabinets than on switching systems most people won’t use.