@gbmcleod
Like @davidpritchard , thank you for your input into this unnecessarily contentious discussion on fuses. Your last paragraph pretty much sums it up re: we are the ones now tasked with getting our hands dirty in order to further gains and insights that others can use to further their enjoyment.
The boors should move on, unless there is some perverse enjoyment in their wailing and rending of cloth that can be had.
As for the use of rhodium in my PADIS fuses, I find them remarkably balanced and not at all lean in the midrange. Different systems will get different results.
All the best,
Nonoise
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@auxinput, As much as I'd like to try something new, I'm quite satisfied with my TWL American Series power cords. They brought everything up a notch or two when I first put them in and they're staying put. 😄
All the best,
Nonoise |
Finally got around to putting a PADS fuse in the 'ol Marantz integrated and it was like it coughed up a hairball. 🐱
Well, not as drastic as that but I can't see things getting any better for the foreseeable future. What I had before was some really good sonic representations of the music and now it has a more corporeal feel to it. Not 3-D but more of "hey, there's someone actually singing over there, or, that guitar sounds a bit too real."
Add in more thump to the bass, a more liquid presentation and when called for some outstanding separation and you get the picture. Also, as with the fuse changes in the SACD player, everything is now louder than what I'm used to hearing. I've had to turn it down 2-3db to get the same level that I"m used to. My old setting is just too loud.
I normally listen with SPLs at around the mid 70s, with peaks into the low 80s. When I used to turn it down to the 60s, it was listenable, but weak, and lacking in dynamics. After the fuse changes, I turned it down for a moment and realized I could hear everything with the same level of enjoyment and appreciation as when louder. All that was lacking was the oomph from normal levels. I always thought that because my speakers are only 85db that I had to turn that volume knob up to wake the speakers up but that is now not the case.
Head scratching time.
All the best,
Nonoise |
@geoffkait - Naw. I'm not going to fret much since I know what to expect. We audiophiles know the drill. It's just the wait until that moment when it all clicks into place. Like I said, I'm going to put a CD on repeat every night now and couple in the regular listening that I do and I'll hit that 200 hr mark shortly.
As for all the other variables, that too is part and parcel to the game. We've all had our systems dialed in only to go "huh?" when it doesn't sound right, and it turns out to be just one of those variables doing it's thing.
It's just that what I've heard these fuses are capable of, and for the cost, makes me wish I've gotten them first since they're half the price I paid for the HiFi Silver Stars and that was two years ago. Prices have gone up with each newer version of the other brands and these PADIS fuses didn't. No newer and better, USDA ( Mom and three out of four dentists)) approved, along with the price increase. Just the same fuse and the same price.
All the best,
Nonoise
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@auxinput, I'm not looking forward to the ups and downs to come so I'll continue to put some CDs on repeat overnight to speed things up. I'm so impatient having to wait to try the PADIS in my amp.
The frustration one goes through when everything "sounds right now"to "what the heck happened" can be off putting but to anyone who tries these fuses, they're worth it. It's really no worse than cables or DACs.
After hearing of your plight, I'm glad I only have one fuse in my integrated. I don't know if I have the patience to experiment to the extent you have but in the end, it's worth it.
All the best,
Nonoise |
@auxinput, as of now I have PADIS fuses (all 4) in my Marantz SA15S2b SACD player and a HiFi Silver Star in my Marantz PM15S2b integrated.
That's about it.
What I appreciate about the PADIS fuses is the no nonsense way they advertise them. All they say about them is that they're:
audio grade
high pure copper
OFC
extremely low inductance
non-magentic
have a surge capacity of 1ns @ 1500A
rhodium plated (with no nickel substrate)
No voodoo or metaphysical claims. Just a well made component (that some here seem to confuse with a wire) that sells for a reasonable price. I seem to remember that they used to be available, stateside, over a year ago (or more) for the same money and then, they were only available overseas. I wonder if they were squeezed or incentivized to move on. It's probably my imagination. 🤔
All the best,
Nonoise
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Well, I can't wait for the 200 hour mark so I'll deal with what I'm hearing up to hour 45.
Everything was great until around 18-20 hrs in and the highs receded and everything else took on a most mid-fi of expression.😫 I seriously considered taking the PADIS fuses out and put the HiFi Silver Stars back in.
Put the 'ol SACD player on repeat for the night and 9 hours later all was very well indeed. Around hour 36 I got the most expansive soundstage yet. There is now a wealth, if not surfeit of musical info coming at me.
@auxinput informed that it would go through some ups and downs and he was right. He also said how revealing it can make of things upstream. I'd like to add that they are ruthlessly revealing of recordings as well. There's no where the music can hide now. Everything is ferreted out yet nothing draws undue attention to itself.
There's also not a hint or trace of "digital" in the presentation. No grate, bite or hash: very clean yet natural sounding (to the point of actual neutrality?). It can be warm, detailed, bombastic, expressive, nuanced, etc. all at the same time. Very easy to listen to. It's amazing how when the music is out of balance (leading edge here, bass up there, mid range in your face) that other aspects of music takes a big step back and you don't notice it until balance is restored.
I've yet to put one in my integrated and will still wait a bit for that. If you have any fuse that's in the signal path (like my SACD player or a speaker like a Maggie) then you owe yourself to try this PADIS fuse. I haven't heard the SR Red or Black fuses and am going to compare the SR 20 with the PADIS (in the integrated) when I get a chance.
Again, for about $25 apiece, these fuses are the bee's knees. 🐝
All the best,
Nonoise |
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Well, I've had the PADIS fuses in my Marantz SACD player now for two days and they're staying put. I experienced the same thing with them as with the HiFi Tuning fuses: tried them one way and ended up reversing them for better sound.
They exhibited the same tendency as the HiFi fuses when in the wrong direction: recessed highs, a soundstage with the speakers as the limit line, lack of air and extension up high, etc. They bettered the HiFi fuses though in sounding better when in the wrong way but once I reversed them, I got similar results as with the HiFi fuses in the way of improvements.
What the PADIS has over the HiFi fuses is better control of the lows, wonderful vocals, masses strings, acoustic and electric guitars, and anything with tone. The HiFi fuses have what I'd describe as a bright or heightened leading edge on everything that wasn't apparent until I put in the PADIS fuses. Both are actually fine with me since if I never touched the HiFi fuses, I'd be still happy with them. They are engaging.
Another way to put it is to say that the HiFi fuses have a more digital rendering while the PADIS sound more analogue (when I first heard them the image of a phonograph came to mind). As for the OP's question on how they'd perform in an amp, I can't say right now as I'm letting them break in until I hear no more improvement and then I'll try a PADIS and a SR20 fuse in my integrated.
For about $23 apiece, there's no real downside to this folks. They arrived from Germany in 4 days and they are a bargain for those who don't want to shell out what SR fuses are going for.
All the best,
Nonoise |
He used the very same analogy for cables. Can't wait to see if he uses it for amps and speakers. |
I have no qualms with the images of the fuse that George posted. I suppose they are of the same one as it ages. That is the type of fuse I avoid using: a bog standard one, made to a price point.
Again, 😩, a better made fuse can be had if you're willing to pony up for it and it doesn't need to break the bank.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Al, I do the same. You should see how long I take to drive away once I start my car. I still shudder when I see someone start their car and immediately drive off. That engine won't last for long.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Couldn't all this caution with powering on and off of equipment be construed as going a bit overboard when defending a belief? Some here have bandied about how PCs cannot possibly get one better sound because, inferior amp design. Yet we all must walk on eggshells when it comes to fuses? Common sense is being conflated with "what if" or "it just might be". Anyone that impatient to operate their equipment shouldn't be allowed near said equipment. I'd hate to see them operate at a shooting range. Not really an argument to make. I've pointed out in another thread about high rupturing fuses and how it seems that what works for them was simply applied to the fuses we use in audio equipment. Yes, they charge too much (unless you know where to look) but HR fuses DON'T deteriorate with age. Wouldn't anyone want a fuse like that? Something designed to remain constant and perform consistently, instead of rolling the dice whenever you turn something on? I've heard the differences they make and no amount of debate will convince me I'm hearing things. In fact, I've just ordered 5 PADIS fuses for about $130 (with shipping from Germany) and will let everyone know what I find out about them. It's really no biggie. All the best, Nonoise |
I've turned my equipment on and off as much as anyone here and I've never had a fuse blow on me. Maybe you should have someone take a look at your equipment if it's blowing fuses once a week. 🤔 |
Thanks, I forgot about simply bumping up a notch.
As for his take on the sound, I feel your take is more to my liking as I like tone and texture more than most other attributes.
And for all those who jumped on the SR20 fuse sale, if you're replacing a HiFi Tuning fuse, the folk over at the PS Audio forum site all said to face the fuse the opposite of the way the HiFi Tuning fuse is oriented. In other words, If you have it reading left-to-right and like the sound, put the SR20 in reading left-to-right. They were unanimous on that account, for what it's worth.
All the best,
Nonoise |
I'm hoping that what PADIS makes for themselves is better than what they make for others. I'm still kicking myself for taking my time about the SR20 fuses. Partsconnexion had all the ones I needed but the prices didn't reflect the discount. Going to eBay, they had the prices but not all the ones I needed. By the time I got back to Partsconnexion, all the ones I needed were gone save for one in 1.6A. Getting sidetracked, I found out that PADIS can be had from Germany, England and Canada, with Canada being the cheapest, but PADIS doesn't make a small fuse in 1.6A. Maybe a SR20 in 1.6A and everything else (1A and 8A) with PADIS. My only other hope is that VH Audio will come down on their prices soon. They still have the older pricing. What makes it even worse is I found a blog over at PS Audio where all the commenters preferred the SR20 over the HiFi Tuning fuses. Oh well, early bird and all. By the way, here's the list of fuses where that guy from Singapore tested them out on his equipment. It's not the last word on fuses but his honest take on them. All the best, Nonoise |
After checking out the prices on the SR20 fuses I went and did more research only to come back and find that the inventory just about vanished. Seems like I'll be leaning towards the PADIS or Furutech.
Man, they went fast. I guess a lot of people read these threads. 😫
All the best,
Nonoise |
@auxinput-Thanks again for the feedback. I just came back from rereading your link and the one I linked to back to an audiophile in Singapore who tested all the fuses around before the SR Blacks came out and what he had to say as well. I then checked out his system page and he has more invested in his gear than some people have in their homes. And surprise, surprise, what he has in his system are the SR20 fuses for his Calyx Femto DAC and Telos QBT-18 fuses for his Conrad Johnson GAT and ART mono blocks.
Costs are not a concern of his and he chose the SR20s. That, and what you just told me will have me checking them out as well as the Furutech brand, which I think are made by the same folk who make PADIS fuses, which I can get from Germany via eBay.
By the way, I don't mind the wait that it takes for rhodium to burn in as I've replaced the spades for bananas on my Zu Event SCs and they are rhodium over copper and the jump in sound quality is most appreciated.
Time to do some sleuthing.
All the best,
Nonoise |
@auxinput-thanks for the helpful feedback. Higher resolution and focus are paramount to me as I feel the rest of my system is up to par. I can always use a little more high end extension and air, decay, and ambience without the stridency or hash and have more resolution depth-wise, in the soundstage. Most is recording dependent but the additional benefits tell me that what can be extracted remains to be seen (heard). 😀
The HiFi Silver Stars (once reversed) showed me what's possible as the afore mentioned qualities appreciably improved in that direction. Like you, I don't want to spend so much for the Blacks and maybe the SR20 fuses would be what I'm looking for. I'll reread your linked thread as well.
All the best,
Nonoise
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Finally, a sane discussion on the differences with fuses. I've been so tempted, as of late, to get some SR Black fuses to replace my HiFi Tuning Sliver Stars but lately, from what I've read here and on other threads, the Blacks may be too much of a good thing and lean things out.
It took me about two years to just try reversing the HiFi fuses in my Marantz SACD player (I was very hesitant) and the improvement shocked me. It just sounds so right as of now.
Can anyone chime in who has been in my particular neck of the woods on any noticeable improvement by going up to a Red or Black fuse over a HiFi Tuning Silver Star? It would be most appreciated.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Anyone care to hazard a guess what post #80 will be? |
