Audio Amp / Power Issues / Power Conditioner

[DrumAnBass]

So I have a 5 yr old Kenwood THX receiver / amp and I seem to be having some power interference issues. When my AC kicks in the sound cuts out for a couple of seconds. Also when I close the door on my microwave oven the same happens?! An old Sony receiver I use for driving my outdoor speakers, plugged into the same outlet doesn't have the issue.

Tried different electrical outlets to no avail. So my thinking was - I need a line conditioner. Which I bought on EBay; an industrial 26 lb "Sola MCR 250" ferroresonant transformer device. Unfortunately I didn't read the specs too closely - this thing makes an incredibly annoying loud audible hum when turned on and also gets quite hot.    Not going to cut it for home theater use...

So any other suggestions? Anyone have experience with the Panamax or Monster power conditioners? Not looking to drop a lot of money on rectifying this issue..

[gryhnd]

Sounds perhaps like you have too many things on a single circuit? Your best option is to run the receiver off a dedicated circuit. I don't know your home layout, but it's not a difficult project as long as you can run the romex from your breaker box to someplace near the receiver.

It my HT, I have a dedicated circuit for audio, and one dedicated for video/dvd/htpc.

If these items are not all on the same circuit, your Kenwood may have a fault...unless your home is really old and/or your house very under-amped

[gryhnd]

PS - missed the part about trying different outlets. Make sure though, that those outlets are on different circuits. I've got some outlets that are on different levels of the house, but the electrician put them on the same breaker. WTF?

[DrumAnBass]

Yah I believe I tried 2 other outlets on different breakers; not 100% sure but I think they are.

I probably could rewire it to a dedicated circuit, but the thought of crawling around under my house doesn't sound like fun...

Why would closing my microwave door induce some sort of electrical interference? Any electrical engineers here?

[Ond]

Just a wild guess here, most amplifiers have a "de-thump" circuit which couples the amplifier output after a brief delay on power up.  These circuits use relays.  One of the main components in domestic amps to fail first (other than cheap power supply capacitors) are these relays.  They can be replaced.  A sudden current draw like an oven etc being switched may be triggering the de-thump.  I could be completely wrong BUT relays can become flaky on amplifiers.  I can hear a bunch of em all coming up on my Denon unit on switch on.  I'd get the amp checked first.