It was a home system on a 20 amp circuit.

Said that he put it on another 20 amp circuit with nothing else turned on, and it did almost the same thing. Sure sounds like a current in-rush problem.

Any links to in-rush protectors?

The Rat. M80s, VP-150, QS8s, SVS PC 20-39+, OPPO, Onkyo 703s, Harmony 880 Sony 60" SXRD HDTV