OK I am lazy I like to turn on one unit and have the rest of the system turn on sequentially.That's not laziness; it's good sense. With any reasonably ambitious system, sequenced turn-on/off is not just convenient, it is necessary to ensure the safety of your gear.
I currently use a Monster HTS5000. I like the delay for different outlets so the whole system doesn't turn at once. I want to upgrade.Why? What exactly is it you *don't* like about the HTS-5000 (besides the fact that it's arguably overpriced -- but then, so is almost everything else in this field)?
I could use some input and examples of what you do.For some years now, I've been using an old Adcom ACE-515; but I am *NOT* happy with it -- at least not as the complete solution. Twice now, it has rather spectacularly failed to protect the downstream equipment from lightning-induced powerline surges. So I too have been looking around for a suitable replacement. Alas, I've mostly come up empty in terms of any single product that will *properly* do both the line conditioning and the sequenced turn-on/off. Of course, in my case, this task is somewhat exacerbated by the fact that my current demands are somewhat extreme (including two 300W monoblocks, for starters). So I've concluded that the only practical way to solve this problem is to split the task into at least two separate devices (three, if you count the AC feed line from the breaker panel, which also plays a role). Here is my current "recipe" for proper audio/video system power:
1. - At least two (perhaps as many as four, depending on the equipment array) dedicated "20-amp" branch circuits running direct from the mail breaker panel to the equipment rack area. Both/all circuits should be tapped off the same phase in the panel, and wired with at least AWG10 cable (AWG8 if the runs are longer than average) -- i.e., one or two gauges heavier than code normally requires.
2. - A good commercial/industrial line conditioner / isolation transformer *or* a true double-conversion UPS on each branch circuit. The exact make/model is not critical, as long as they are well-made and have adequate current capacity (3KVA-rated units would be ideal; but 1.5-2KVA should suffice for at least most applications, depending on how the equipment is distributed across the multiple circuits); but they MUST match, so as to preserve phase integrity. Here are a couple of possible examples (but they are *ONLY* examples):
http://www.tsipower.com/AC-Power-Line-Conditioners.htm#The%20FLc%20Series
http://www.bomara.com/powervar/ABC3000-11.htm
http://www.powerware.com/ups/9120_UPS.asp?CC=1
3. - Power sequencing and control now becomes a completely separate issue, and can be handled via either the 12V trigger circuits common in today's components, or AC-relay based delay boxes. The exact configuration will depend on the specific equipment used; but if the amps and such do not already have trigger inputs, simple home-brew relay boxes can be used. If you want a commercial solution, there are plenty of possibilities, including your existing Monster HTS-5000 or any of several far less expensive alternatives -- heck, even a used ACE-515 (or two, to provide three-step sequencing) would be adequate for *this* purpose.