After connecting the DAC to my system, I listened briefly to some incredible sound, and then, the sound started dropping out, almost literally every five minutes. I had a friends brother, who runs his own electrical contracting company stop over to look at the issue. He was able to identify the problem as being associated with my refrigerator and large wine refrigerator, which are on the other side of the wall of my listening room. Every time they turn on, or cycle, the drop in power affects the DAC,
12-12-14 Nightfall
"He was able to identify the problem as being associated with my refrigerator and large wine refrigerator, which are on the other side of the wall of my listening room. Every time they turn on, or cycle, the drop in power affects the DAC,"
Did the Electrical Contractor, electrician, verify the receptacles on both sides of the wall are fed from the same branch circuit? By chance did he turn off the breaker that feeds the branch circuit that feeds the power to the refrigerators and then checked your audio equipment power and see it was dead as well ?
A question, though: I would expect that the refrigerators are probably not on the same breaker as the outlets supplying the system. If that is the case, are the refrigerators on the same AC phase (breaker panel "leg") as the outlets which supply the system? If so, perhaps the electrician could just move the system outlets to the other phase, and that would solve the problem.
Or if they are already on different phases, what I would wonder is if the DAC is responding to something other than a drop in voltage, such as RFI/EMI that is generated when the refrigerators turn on. If so, and if that is being coupled to the DAC through the house wiring (as opposed to through the air, which seems unlikely but is a possibility I wouldn't totally rule out), an inexpensive conditioner or filter might be the solution.
12-13-14: Almarg
Al,
All good points.
I would start first by verifying if indeed the refrigerators and audio equipment receptacles are fed from the same 120V branch circuit. Are the refrigerators located in the kitchen? If so the branch circuit wiring should be a minimum of #12 awg. Do electricians sometimes cheat and feed a lonely duplex receptacle on the other side of the wall from a kitchen circuit? yes.
If the OP's electrician did not check for sure, the OP can by checking the panel schedule on the electrical panel and turn off the breaker that feeds the refrigerators. If the panel schedule is not marked, well then, he will just have to start turning off one single pole 120V 20 amp breakers one at a time until he finds the correct circuit/s. He could plug a table lamp into the receptacle his audio system is plugged into instead of having his audio system turned-on and killing the power to it.
Note the OP said the audio system is on the other side of the wall where the refrigerators are located. If the audio equipment is not fed from the same branch circuit as the refrigerators,the problem could be caused by radiated EMI/RFI.
Solution might be to move the audio system to another wall if possible. It is also a very good chance the receptacles on another wall will be fed from another branch circuit.
He can find that out if he finds the breaker that feeds the refrigerators. With that breaker turned off check for power at the other receptacles in his audio room.
IF the problem is caused by radiated EMI/RFI due to the close proximity of the refrigerators and DAC, jmho, the OP will not solve his DAC problem with a power conditioner. If the audio equipment cannot be moved to another wall and the problem is being caused from radiated EMI/RFI it is possible a thick sheet of steel of sufficient size behind the two refrigerators might solve the problem. (Multiple layers of sandwiched steel bolted together will accomplish the same amount of shielding needed.)
Jim