Should Someone Use a Power Conditioner For Your Audio Equipment?

I recently read an article about using a power conditioner like the one linking below:
Furman M-8Dx Merit Series Power Conditioning, 15 Amp, 9 Outlets with Wall Wart Spacing, Pullout Lights, Digital Voltmeter
<img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ada0e79-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00145EVJ6" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> The article stated that it was useful to help protect your delicate electronic equipment against power fluctuations. As some who in the past has lost my computer for what seemed like unknown reasons I'm just wondering what the Sonar community at large feels about the piece of hardware and if its necessary to invest in something like this? 
 
Here's another link: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=art+power+conditioner&clk_rvr_id=1128475707362&gclid=CNzWnJSNwNACFU46gQodKLUPxw&geo_id=10232&MT_ID=70&crlp=154413987598_1647&rlsatarget=kwd-1100181369&keyword=art+power+conditioner&treatment_id=7&poi=&adpos=1t7&device=c&crdt=0&ul_noapp=true
 
Thanks for any replies!
 

I've always had some sort of Furman Rack conditioner. I have one on my live set up and one in the studio. 
They are just a bunch of heavy duty Capacitors in a box. I like them more for their rack mounting than I believe they are the best thing going. I've always scored mine cheap in pawn shops and thrift stores for $10-$15.  
A good quality UPS would be a better investment. Most of those are also power conditioners. 

 I always use Furman Power conditioners.  I current have two of them in use.  One is for my rack gear and the other is what my keyboards and amps are plugged into. 
 
We have to keep our studio gear safe, no matter if we paid a little or a lot for it, it still must remain protected.
 
 

The "power conditioners"  are nothing more than surge protectors unless you get into the real high
$$$ models with voltage regulation, etc.
 
I use a UPS system.  It has some surge protection but that does not seem to be a problem with my AC power, however I do have some power outages. Like many commercial installations I have 3rd wire ground at each receptacle as there is no metal conduit (that could be used for ground connections) just AC power grade PVC conduit.  The UPS (battery backup) maintains power during short power outages and as it has a control connection to the PC it allows auto (orderly) shutdown if there is an extended outage.  
 
I used to work as a Regional LAN/WAN Network and Hardware Help Desk Manager for a Federal Government Agency.  When they were in preliminary preparation to upgrade the on-line network from  IBM 3270 "dumb" terminals to PC based LAN systems at our field offices. one of the steps was to take a recording power monitor to each office and do measurements on the AC power.  Findings were that most had "clean" power and high quality ($200) surge protectors for the workstations were all that was needed.  UPS systems were purchased for the server and communications equipment.  Most of the observed power outages were short duration (5 minute range) and a UPS would take care of those.  In the case of longer duration power outages, the UPS allowed "orderly" shut down the server.  One other thing that was specified for all AC power outlets. for the equipment, were Hubbell IG 5262  "Isolated Ground" receptacles (orange color receptacles).  Specifications also included a requirement to run a 3rd wire ground directly from the AC power (breaker) box ground to the ground lug on the Isolated Ground Receptacle.  Conduit grounds were unacceptable.  Isolated grounds eliminated some potential noise on the AC power lines.  This may sound like "overkill" for a recording studio but it really isn't.   

I have a Monster Power 3500 power conditioner that I bought a few years agi, and it's really helped me. Before I bought it, I would run into random noise in my system. After installing the power conditioner, the noise was gone and hasn't been back.

Seems to be general consensus on power conditioners. Not a bad idea but you get what you pay for. When I put together a pedal board I generally put a Monster power bar with line conditioning as the first component. THey are under $200 and perform all the basic protection functions along with some AC line conditioning. There are 2 main reasons I use them. Firstly, they provide basic protection for users and equipment, secondly, if you read the fine print on the box you'll see that if you register the power bar with Monster they will insure the equipment attached to their power bar. I think the value is around $15,000, but don't hold me to that. It's really about peace of mind.

Thanks all for your replies, thoughts and suggestions, as Robert says in #16 reply (above) I too am always amazed at the kind, intelligent and helpful answers that I receive when asking questions on this forum!
 
One ,more reason that I am proud to be part of this group of very fine people, the people of Sonar!