Home > Consumer Reviews > Panamax M5400-PM 11-Outlet Home Theater Power Conditioner

Went to some local brick and mortar stores and found they a lot of them had Monster Power voltage regulators and surge protectors. While they looked cool they also had high prices. I first saw the Panamax surge protector at Best Buy and the black finish and LED lighting got my attention. Did some research on the 5400-PM and decided that this is the one I will get. Bought it at a popular auction site and saved hundreds of dollars.

What I like about the 5400-PM model is that it has a high clean power level, 11 outlets, and high current outlets for my sub and receiver. I currently have 7 audio/video and gaming devices hooked up to the 5400-PM.
The black finish also looks great on my black wood TV stand and HDTV.

What I don't like is that there's is a very faint hum coming from the unit. I think it's the fan though. You can only hear this when it is dead silent in the room. The blue lighting on it's highest setting can be annoying so I set it an the lowest one.

I mainly got this unit to ensure none of my expensive HT equipment gets damage from surges etc.

Note: I have a PS3, Xbox 360 Elite, HD-DVD, Onkyo A/V receiver, Samsung 58in HDTV, 500w subwoofer, and cable box are all hooked up to the Panamax 5400-PM.

I've only had this unit for a couple of weeks, but I'd like to put in a good word for Panamax and their products.

I now have this model due to a lightning strike and the destruction of a 12 year old Panamax 1000+ surge protector. The unit did its job, thereby saving my electronics, but it no longer functioned properly. [...].

What I'm most pleased about was the immediate improvement in the quality of sound coming from my stereo equipment. I'd been plagued by buzzing ever since installing a DVR, and this is now completely gone. Outside of this, the overall sound has improved...bass impact, very black backgrounds, etc... Even with a outboard power supply on my turntable, the improvement in sound of with my vinyl has been shocking. I'd have upgraded long ago if only I'd known.

A definite five star rating, especially for those who value their sound quality and expect good customer support.

Until a voltage anomaly occurs, it is hard to know how this unit performs. But, I have no reason to doubt the listed specifications. Based upon those specifications, this unit should provide far, FAR better protection than a simple surge protector. And, it appears to be a far better value than even the entry level voltage regulator from Monster, inc (the AVS 2000). The online manual for the AVS 2000 -- unlike this Panamax -- offers very few specifics on voltage regulation.

What I can say is that my volt meter seems to indicate that the unit is providing even better protection than is advertised. The voltage entering my home normally ranges from 121V to 124V (not unusual). The unit advertises that it will not correct the voltage until it varies from 120V by plus or minus 6V. My very preliminary testing suggests that even within the 121V to 124V range, it is adjusting the voltage to something closer to 120V.

Here in the wild, wild west, various critters tend to find their way into our electrical grid, thereby shorting things out in sometimes spectacular ways and creating all sorts of havoc, voltage anomalies and blackouts. The damage suffered by my previous A/V system -- then protected by a high quality surge protector -- may well have been caused by these errant critters. My hope and expectation is that this unit will substantially prolong the useful life of my new A/V system.

Subjectively speaking, this unit does seem to have improved the picture and sound quality. But, I did not do any side-by-side testing.

I've had for a couple weeks now and this unit seems to work flawlessly. The dimmer settings for the dials are helpful. Regulates voltage as well as protects against surges. No issues!