Anyone else using slugs instead of fuses? Comments on metals used and sound please

Will do although I have a lot of stuff, mostly that which I don't want to mess with, coming up so that will likely be a project in the unknown future.  Please post any more experiences you have a well and thanks!

steakster:  I picked up the titanium rod from McMaster-Carr.  You can probably find purer rod elsewhere and make sure you get the 99% titanium as there are many alloys out there, that is unless you get something like the platinum or palladium alloys.  And I was very curious about the cables using tungsten, but I've found that I like the molybdenum much better.  It's not quite as focused as the tungsten but has just as much detail and sounds smoother, sweeter, more organic.  I'm thinking about getting some titanium wire and molybdenum wire and mixing them to make a power cord.  That's what I've done with the slugs in my system, 1 titanium in the DAC, and moly slugs in the transport and amp.  It's the best combination I've tried so far.

@lcherepkai Thanks…no I do not know of anyone trying the Rhodium/TCopper slug from Verifiaudio.  It’s too pricey for me and I’d rather spend that $ towards a second SFB and use the silver slugs.  I do like their gold/copper slug as well for brighter components.

steakster:  Welcome to the sluggos club!  Yeah, it's kinda mind-blowing just how much of an improvement is wrought by subbing a solid slug in place of a fuse.  And the variation in sound from the different metals is much more than I would have anticipated.  Silver is a great choice all-around.  I'm really hoping to try the titanium alloys from American Elements mentioned above although I'm guessing the 

50% titanium/50% platinum will be well outside of my range but the 95% titanium/ 5% palladium should work very nicely (if I can ever get ahold of the company).  

Will you be sticking with silver slugs, or do you plan to experiment a bit?  It's crazy how little this costs and the improvements gained.  Best of luck with it!

tksteingraber:  I've been meaning to do a write-up on all the slugs I have on hand but just haven't had the time or energy to really get into it yet.  At the moment, I have copper, silver, titanium, tungsten, and molybdenum.  I recently found that American Elements of Los Angeles has titanium alloys incorporating either palladium or platinum.  I'm hugely interested in these, but the company hasn't responded to any of my email inquiries and the phone calls I've place always end up with me hanging up on their answering machine.  

Do you know if anyone has tried the rhodium plated slugs from Verafiaudio?

@lcherepkai  any updates on the various metal slugs you ordered?  I’m a silver fan.  Thanks

Thanks Everyone For Your Help - This arrived today with little warning :)

Best Holiday Wishes (hoping Tammy won’t take this down)
 

https://headphone.guru/headphone-guru-2023-product-of-the-year-awards/

+2 I use SFBs across two stereos and am very happy with the improved sound quality. Excellent value.

@thyname agree👍…Gets a bit pricey and cluttered when you have seven devices with power plug fuses.  SFB is a fantastic product improving SQ.  Very happy with mine. 

Swiss Fuse Box. I have two of them. Best of both worlds: no fuses, and the equipment is still protected 

Good Evening 

New High Purity Tellurium Copper with Rhodium Plating now in the house - at last.

Both sizes at the ready

Thanks - Mark 

tkstein: Already gave that thought after using solid copper for many years.

Next ’thought’ is wiring transformer wires straight to way better quality IEC inlet and skip in between crap with cheap clip metals, voltage conversion circuit board traces etc....

All gear is plugged into an Inakustik with built-in breaker.

@rx8man 🤔 What do you think about 925 Sterling?  92.5% vs your coin silver 90% silver/copper.  5mm x100mm at $40 for 5 fuses.  Ughhh will it end! I do like both the 100% Silver and the Gold immersion slug that came with the SFB. Subtle different flavors.  This is turning into another tube like obsession….

In my rig (Coin Silver) sounds better than the Titanium, midrange (vocals) are more present, much better conductivity without too much over the top brightness (hence the 10% Copper content)

Went down the middle between full Copper and full Silver, perfect balance to me.

@jacobsdad2000 

Good Morning 

Our new Tellurium Copper with Rhodium Plating are clearing customs. 

These are $199 for 5 x 20mm 

The 6 x 32mm are $299

I have High Purity Copper at $10 dollars each - same for High Purity Brass 

With BF Deals we sent our High Purity Copper with Gold Immersion - these are normally 25 dollars each 

Any Sluggo order has a freight charge of 8 dollars. 

Questions - 

Many thanks 

verafiaudio@gmail.com

rx8man:  This sounds very promising.  How does it compare to the titanium on inner detail and image placement?  And did you try pure silver?  I'm supposed to be getting the tungsten and molybdenum slugs tomorrow.  I'm going to end up with a nice big stash of sound options!  Appreciate you travelling this path as well.

I Received a 6" Coin/Silver rod (0.208 in. / 5.283 mm diameter) from Surepure Chemetals.

90% Silver, 10% Copper $120 bucks. In my rig this sounds better than the Titanium, midrange (vocals) are more present, much better conductivity without too much over the top brightness (hence the 10% Copper content)

Easy to cut, cordless drill as a lathe, hacksaw blade and file.

FWIW: Fuse clips are made from brass and copper with a tin plating to maintain a low-resistance electrical contact with the fuse.

Mark. How would one get one of these new sluggos as I just ordered your Black Friday special and this is coming with the Copper Gold Sluggo, the best to date from a week ago?   

@tksteingraber 

Good Morning

I DO HAVE higher level Piggies in the works - but frankly in my system what I have now (Piggy) seems to work really well.                 

New Sluggo - just awesome IMHO...

Protection is important as a vendor - but I know others are not worrying about this -

Cool in any event 

Thanks

@lcherepkai Neurosis 🤣 that it is!  Yes I told Mark I was interested in his new Rhodium sluggo.  Not sure if the pigtail cord or box causes a slight change.  Might be break-in or just me.  Some folks feel the silver is a little extended on the edges but for my system and ears I like the silver.  We all have our sound preferences. 

tksteingraber:  so, to use the SFB, you need an extra power cord?  Do you think this could be causing the slight reduction in fidelity or the box itself?   Will you be trying the rhodium sluggo when available?  With the holiday causing a back up in work, the CNC machine shop won't be done with my molybdenum and tungsten slugs until late next week!!  That should exacerbate my audiophile neurosis even further.   

Good Morning

Quick adder here in that my first shipment of what I think it "best to date" Sluggos will arrive next week

Tellurium Copper with Rhodium Plating is now done and on the way.

Not terribly expensive and delivering on all aspects I’m looking for

Feel free to e-mail me - might be a day or so - but I promise a reply

verafiaudio@gmail.com

Happy Holidays All

Mark

@lcherepkai Ok here’s my update on initial results with the Swiss fuse box on my Supratek Cab preamp.  Great quality product.  Sound is excellent but just a tad less satisfying than when playing Sluggo’s without the protection. Just a little softer less detail and clarity.  Very close and not sure if they have a break in period on the fuse box and pig tail cord.  My preference on the 3 metals that I have used is the 100% silver is definitely my favorite then copper with gold immersion, then close third is  100% copper.  All sound much better than quality audio fuses.  

I am a big fan of the Sluggos.  It makes most sense to me to have a Swiss Digital Fuse box behind them though.  While the odds of disaster are low, if it can happen, it will eventually.  Also, they can be reset, so it's the last fuse I will ever have to buy.  I have three and they have really elevated the sound in my system. It really is interesting how one can dial in the sound one prefers with different metals. I've noticed that it took my system a week to settle after each change.  I have found the Gold immersed Bronze to be my overall favorite so far.  I hear Mark has Tellurium Copper with Rhodium Plating sluggos coming soon and am looking forward to trying these next.

"Honestly, I’m shocked at how much detail and how precisely in space titanium places individual sounds. There can be a strangeness to the way some mids are portrayed, which is why I’m interested in hearing other metals as slugs but the difference between having the stock fuse, or even the copper slug in my DAC, versus using the titanium slug is the kind of sonic difference I would expect from a MAJOR component upgrade."

I drove to McMaster Carr for a 3/16"x 3/4" Titanium Dowel Pin,

Part #97395A872    $24.73

It replaced the previous Copper Slug in my CEC transport.

Everything you said about the Titanium is ditto, thanks for the tip!

@lcherepkai my speakers aren’t bi-amped they have the 1200w class D subs built into the towers.  Sound-wise:  Tighter, clearer bass, slightly more volume, improved soundstage depth and more defined hi’s without brightness.  Just overall improvement with no harshness added and with more clarity.  

tksteingraber:  I biamp my speakers as well but haven't installed a slug in the bass amp (D-Sonic) as I've had it go into protection mode a few times without really being pushed so not sure what's going on but don't want to take a chance.  What are you hearing with your subs with the silver slugs in place?  And please let us know how the Swiss fusebox compares to the slugs direct.  

And I'm having trouble getting the correct molybdenum rod.  I accidentally order 3/8" rather than 3/16" and then the seller sent out a replacement after I shipped the 3/8" back.  That arrived today and it's obviously smaller than 3/16" so.... we'll see.

@lcherepkai added silver slugs to my GE Tritan towers with active subs.  Another Wow. Really appreciate you suggesting the silver slugs, they  really make a difference.   I also ordered a Swiss fusebox for extra protection on my Supratek preamp and to see how they perform sound-wise.  Keep us updated on the other metals you try.  I am happy to stay with the silver but who knows in this whacked out hobby.  

lemonhaze:  Did you try any other slugs than the copper?  In my experience, copper is, by far, the least impressive.  The silver was quite an improvement in pretty much every way I find important, and titanium was quite a bit ahead of the silver in the way it images and precisely it does so.  I'm not saying that the Ti slug has laser focus, rather, it makes everything else sound a bit blurry by comparison.  I screwed up an ordered 3/8" molybdenum rod but have the correct replacement on the way.  Really curious to hear this and tungsten next week.   Thanks

larryi:  I'm not much of a DIYer but I think you have a good idea.  May I send you a slug of a TBD material and you can try this for yourself?  I would be quite interested in your findings

The assumption being made here is that the different metals used in the fuse affect the sound in that particular function as a fuse.  But, have you considered the possibility that simply adding into the circuit these different metals might have the same effect?  Have you tried something like putting a second fuse holder in line with the one in the gear where different slugs can be inserted without compromising safety?

@lcherepkai, I don't like what you are doing. Love it. When listening to different fuses I briefly inserted a Cu. tube I cut to the correct size as a reference and thought I would find the fuse that sounded closest to it. I tried a bunch including Synergistic Research Blue, the most expensive, that I rated about middle of the group.  I decided to leave the Cu. slug in place. I could not go back to a fuse after this. 

The amp I used for experimentation is a DIY Neurochrome so I have no problem  modding it. After some time I decided to direct wire the input bypassing the cheap plated fuse holder by soldering in some 14AWG OCC Ag. This was an improvement again but now does not allow for swapping out different metals as you are so keen to hear your findings on Tungsten, Rhodium and also Cobalt should you ever get a chance to try.

Replaced 4 components with silver  slugs.  Amp, pre, DAC, FOZ sound expander and all I can say is WOW!  Not minor.  Better than tube rolling or power cord upgrades.  Time to consider some additional protection options.  🤔

Thanks guys. I"ll call them to cut me a few

tweak1:  contact Golden State Silver and they will cut them to length for you.  I actually told them I might be steering some business their way for this purpose.  They sell on ebay and had a listing just for 2 of the slug precut and it was less than $45 for the pair. Probably cheaper if you bought rod yourself but they did a great job, much better than the machine than cut my copper and titanium rods

@tweak1 yes I use a vise with pads to hold the rod, cut off with a hand grinder with a thin metal cut off disc.  I finish the ends with a hand held knife sharpening belt sander with 220 grit.  A fine blade hacksaw and  fine  file will work as well.

@tksteingraber 

Aha, so you made your own slugs from the rod. What kind of saw blade and sand paper grit did you use

@tweak1 here’s the link to the GSS silver rod sets.  https://www.goldenstatesilver.com/products/4-gauge-rod-sets
I do finish the ends to smooth out the roughness once cut with my knife sharpener sanding belt.  I don’t spend alot of effort on the ends since they are not the contact points.  In fact high end fuse makers (Audio Magic) drill into the ends to fill fuses and leave uneven solder patch on the end.  Fiber optics makes sense to polish like a lense.

@tksteingraber 

If you cut them yourself, did you polish the cuts? I remember when I was using OEM  fiber optic cables, and a guy was selling his with polished ends using a large magnifying scope: it was a VG improvement

Very cool. I can’t help but wonder whether coating the fuse holder contacts with graphene oxide would add anything. Im on Golden State site now, but do not see the slugs. How did you approach them about it?

tksteingraber:  I'm delighted to hear that!  Yeah, for me, the silver has been a very large improvement over the copper slugs and they actually sound kinda warm in my system.  Maybe that's just compared to the titaniums although I wouldn't call those bright, maybe sunny but not bright.  I should have graphite, molybdenum, and tungsten to experiment with around Thanksgiving.  I would NEVER have thought I could get this level of sonic improvement for such a miniscule investment.  And thanks for not calling me an idiot.  That sure got old quick. Lol!

@lcherepkai my silver 4 ga silver rods from Golden Gate Silver arrived today.  Cut to 20 mm and replaced my copper slug's. The silver sound excellent.  More clarity and separation of instruments. The copper sounds very good but I would recommend spending the extra $’s and use silver.  The copper sounds very good but silver just a bit better in every way.  My 2 cents on my system.

"I favor U235/ Pu 239 with a nearby neutron source."

Do you find the sound radiates better?

I found some good sterling silver tubing from an online source to use in my Magnepan MMGs.  I don't listen overly loud and I don't listen to music that could be considered "challenging" for this speaker (as in, primarily, anything heavy metal or rap) so I'm not concerned at all about damaging the speakers.  

To my ears, the difference was subtle but detectable.  Added a hint of airiness, or glimmer.

I favor U235/ Pu 239 with a nearby neutron source.

@thecarpathian 

It's not my topic to speculate what else should be considered, but when approximately 1/4" x 1-1/4" of a specific material in the signal or power supply path makes a sonic difference to someone's ears, it's a reasonable question to ask, especially when a less conductive material like Ti is reported to make a difference.  Blind testing with a variety of materials might provide some interesting results.  And just to add to the fun, conductivity of many metals varies with the temper.  

@pickindoug ,

Where else did you have in mind?