Yes there is substantial sound degradation. If you need surge protection with the least degradation I suggest Brickwall. The fact that they don't use MOVs also is a plus. There were times I thought my system sounded better through the Brickwall. Often my system would continue playing through various midwest thunderstorms when APC-based protected video systems throughout the house would struggle. Now, I have dedicated circuits and no protection or conditioning. I recommend Brickwall products without hesitation.
