Determining current flow to install "audiophile" fuses.


There are 4 fuses in my Odyssey Stratos amp. I recently returned some AMR fuses because they rolled off the highs and lows a little too much for me. Mids were excellent though. Anyway, I'm getting ready to try the Hi-Fi Tuning Classic Gold fuses, as they are on clearance now for $10/ea. Are they any good? However, I have read that they are a directional fuse? Can anyone confirm this? If that is the case, does anyone know the current flow for the Odyssey Stratos? Or, does anyone know how figure out current flow by opening up the top and looking at the circuitry? 


jsbach1685
I don't know if its this thread or the three fingers of the single barrel bourbon I've had tonight, but I'm laughing my a$$ off at this point. 

Al ... I bought new wiper blades from the dealer for my Lexus LS ... and they suck. However, when I recently changed the worn Goodyear Eagles put on by the previous owner for a new set of Michelin Premiers it was like going from a noisy clumpy ride to gliding on velvet.  I don't have a clue about tire technology ... but I know what I hear and feel in my car. And by the way, with the new quiet ride, the Mark Levinson sound system has much better highs and mids. Too bad it doesn't have a fuse that can be changed out for an SR Black fuse ... or does it? Hmmm ... 

Ralph ... As we know, not everyone hears the same and/or makes honest assessments of audio gear. As good as your electronics are ... and in my opinion, fantastic, a bad review can be devastating to a small manufacturer. We both know a certain reviewer who did a little tube rolling in one of your gorgeous sounding  pre-amps before he wrote his review and didn't like the sound. He then proceeded to write a negative review based on the sound he got from other than stock tubes provided by the factory.  Enough said there.  My assessment of the review was that the guy must have been STONED.  :-)

Georgelofi ...
 
"This is just a shill fest..."

 Obviously you've tried the SR Black fuses in your own system in order to come up with such an assessment, right? Surely you wouldn't intimate that there is some kind of dishonesty going on here unless you've actually tried the fuses for yourself. Why of course not ... Only a complete ass would do something like that.  

Over and out ...  






If you guys just had a minuscule amount of AC theory, you would understand the voodoo in this BS of fuse reversal, and whatever else is being shilled here on them.  

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/determining-current-flow-to-install-audiophile-fuses/post?postid=1319945#1319945

https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/1319829

Cheers George

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have near the knowledge ( practical or theoretical) than most here, but I just can't seem to hear any difference between stock or audiophile fuses ( regardless of direction). I'm not knocking those that do, more power to you......they can enjoyed their perceived improved sound and I'll enjoy saving all that money :) IMO most tweaks haven't provided any improved sonics for me and have found that quality components, system synergy and speaker placement go much further in obtaining good sound........but these many "reasonably" priced tweaks are oh so tempting. " You mean I can transform my systems sound for a mere few hundred dollars?". It used to be too tempting for me to pass up, but not anymore. Marketers are great at exploiting our obsession with obtaining audio nirvana. A good glass of Scotch or a martini is all the tweaking I need to take my music listening to the next level ;)
In the last 1.5 years we have replaced fuses of many amp, pre amps sources and even a few set of speakers.

I have to admit that the differences in how big the influences are of the fuses are big. And yess there are a few situations that it didn’t do as much as other situations.

In the past I sold many Primare products and with the amps it makes only a small step to be honest. So I don’t recommend these products.

As a dealer you need to know which products make a big improvement and which don’t. Beside this any client need to have the freedom to get his money back.

But beside this in many sistuations we had a lot of succes. You need to have the freedom to test fuses so you know how it will work in your situation.

It takes about a week ( 24 hours a day for 7 days) before the fuses are burned in. In the beginning often the image is too much focussed on instrumenrs and voices. After a week it becomes more like a whole part.

When it doesn’t bring enough, you should have the option to bring it back and get your amount back.
Mac48025 wrote,

"I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have near the knowledge ( practical or theoretical) than most here, but I just can’t seem to hear any difference between stock or audiophile fuses ( regardless of direction)....."You mean I can transform my systems sound for a mere few hundred dollars?". It used to be too tempting for me to pass up, but not anymore. Marketers are great at exploiting our obsession with obtaining audio nirvana. A good glass of Scotch or a martini is all the tweaking I need to take my music listening to the next level."

Hmmmm, one wonders, why do Anti Tweakers oft seem to favor a good strong belt of whiskey over tweaks? ;-) At least Mapman can take some comfort in the fact that there exists another person who cannot hear fuses or directionality of same.

Other famous Skeptic quotes,

"I swear I can’t hear absolute polarity."

"I honestly can’t hear the difference between CD and LP."

"I cannot tell when a CD is dynamically compressed."

"I can’t hear the difference between really expensive cables and Monster Cable."

Cheers (hic)

geoff kait
machina dynamica
" I have to admit that the differences in how big the influences are of the fuses are big. And yes there are a few situations that it didn’t do as much as other situations. "

Well Bo you earn points in my book for acknowledging that results vary.   Its the only correct position to take with most anything audio since not all appreciate any audio product equally as is evidenced by the variety of gear and approaches out there. 

So if you have customers that trust your recommendations, then more power to them if you make recommendations that retain their trust.

Oregonpapa 4-26-2016
Al ... I bought new wiper blades from the dealer for my Lexus LS ... and they suck. However, when I recently changed the worn Goodyear Eagles put on by the previous owner for a new set of Michelin Premiers it was like going from a noisy clumpy ride to gliding on velvet.  I don't have a clue about tire technology ... but I know what I hear and feel in my car. And by the way, with the new quiet ride, the Mark Levinson sound system has much better highs and mids. Too bad it doesn't have a fuse that can be changed out for an SR Black fuse ... or does it? Hmmm ...
Perhaps the Goodyears would have done better if some or all of them had been re-mounted such that what was the inside surface was on the outside.  That way they would be rotating in the opposite direction. 

Only kidding :-)

Actually, I'm not surprised.  One of the versions of the Goodyear Eagle is original equipment on my Porsche Cayman S.  Definitely designed for performance, not comfort, at least in that version.

Regards,
-- Al
 
To create a difference in sound is quite easy, but to create an improvement is something totally different and also a lot more difficult.

That is why I work and think by Tru-Fi. Because these are 8 different parts you judge sound for. Each part of a set I can judge by Tru-Fi when I am aware of the properties it owns. ( d.n.a.) These parts has nothing to do with personal taste but with facts who are noticeable by hearing.

This makes audio so much more easy tot understand and use. This is the main reason why I test so much ( for me it does not cost energy at all. To be honest I think I am even addicted)

https://www.facebook.com/bobby.kingma/media_set?set=a.10156554423700083.1073741937.588405082&typ...

https://www.facebook.com/bobby.kingma/media_set?set=a.10156573228780083.1073741942.588405082&typ...

I share my testresults all the time with my clients. Because I can improve sound over and over again. In each year I create many new options to improve sound.

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again but expecting a different result.

It is a repeating way for me as well to create a better endresult. Always using the same parametres.

I have proven to many people that it creates a superior endresult in sound compared to the ’old fashion way’ of creating an audio set.


Geoffkait wrote "PS for Atmasphere: time to catch up to the 21st century. A lot has happened in those 27 years. We have quantum chips and everything! ;-)"

to which Atmasphere responded,

"Yes, the quantum chips are a hoax."

That you would say that, in light of my Super Intelligent Chip and the WA Quantum Chip, neither of which is a hoax, my superstitious friend, sort of reinforces my statement that it’s time to play catch up. I can certainly appreciate that everyone has his own thing and that audiophiles and manufacturers tend to get blinders on for other things that are happening, you know like advanced fuses and quantum chips. That focusing on business at hand and ignoring others things is what I like to call Stove Piping. And perhaps it’s time to allow some of quantum mechanics into your thinking. It’s only been what, like a hundred years since quantum mechanics came out?

geoff kait
machina dynamica
we do artificial atoms right

In 2015 we also did a lot of research in smog. This was even for me totally new. I never did any research in this area.

Now in 2016 I can say mannnn smog really F. up the sound and quality of each audio system.

I was very sceptical about this to be honest. Ronald Kemp send me different times stuff to test. But for a long time I never was interested to test it.

The same regarding the fuses I was wrong, you can easilly improve the sound.

I have done many tests and now I know exactly were and how to use it. This I keep for myself. Test it yourself.....

This is a lot more difficult to use than fuses. Because it is very easy to create a lower endresult in sound when you use it wrong.

Because compared to how old the electricity equipment is in your house and what they use makes it a lot different in result. There are electric groups which will not work with these stickers

There are many amps, sources, conditiones and places were you cannot use them.

I take it with me to clients and I compare and test to see were it works and needs to be placed.

The Maxiimus is by far the best tool I ever tested to improve sound based on electricity.

Shootouts I did with clients made people go crazy. Some people said; it is f. with my brian. Most people heard how big the differences were. And it is difficult to go back without it.

http://www.monoandstereo.com/2016/04/kemp-elektroniks-maxiimus-p16-review_3.html#more


Hey Bo please stay on topic and ease up on the shilling or I may now have to deduct those points you earned earlier.   :^)
They are talking about the  WA Quantum Chip. I did not start it. Just a reply on his remarks.

Fuses and these chips have a lot in common. 
I suggest exercising extreme caution when even mentioning WA Quantum Chips. People will be freaking out all over the place.
Post removed 
Post removed 
bo1972

  • Fuses and these chips have a lot in common.


Yes the biggest load of BS ever seen/heard since, the Shun Mook Mpingo Discs from the early 90’s another gullible sucker.

I hope members here are not being sucked in by all this voodoo. Your audio equipment is designed by brilliant electronic technicians who have passion for good sound.

Don't let these shilling witchdoctors here and their cronies that have no idea about the technical/scientific design of audio, suck you in with their voodoo BS!!  


Cheers George

bo1972 "... Audio is not transparent, but it is controlled by brands and money. This is the main reason why people get a low level in quality."


Actually, the audio world functions quite well as an open market. Wall Street should be so transparent! Of course, this may not be convenient for dealers such as bo1972, who want to promote some supposedly proprietary expertise.

Choices which are made in shops are often made on political choices. Even at shows sets are created by political choices.

It is very easy to explain in words but even a lot more easy with sound how limited audio is in endresult by the way audio is sold and created.

When you talk with many different audio owners you see a pattern why many of them are not as happy as they would like to be with their set.

When the world of audio would be more open and honest customers would have a better endresult.

Beside this people in audio need to spend more time on research of products and new systems. To give better information to their clients.
Georgelofi wrote,

"Yes the biggest load of BS ever seen/heard since, the Shun Mook Mpingo Discs from the early 90’s another gullible sucker.

I hope members here are not being sucked in by all this voodoo. Your audio equipment is designed by brilliant electronic technicians who have passion for good sound.

Don’t let these shilling witchdoctors here and their cronies that have no idea about the technical/scientific design of audio, suck you in with their voodoo BS!!"

Gee, if Shun Mook Mpingo discs were a hoax what’s with all those rave reviews? Do you reviewers were given a free Shun Mook Mpingo disc for writing a positive review? Or perhaps a big wad of cash? Do you believe there is some sort of global conspiracy related to audiophile tweaks like WA Quantum Chips and fancy fuses and Mpingo discs that is intended to appeal to young, naive and vulnerable audiophiles? Hey, weren’t the Chinese experts at brainwashing? Whaaaaaat? Lol



You are talking about Chips and fuses who are fake. My personal opinion is that over 95% of all product in audio are not worth the money it cost.

There are so many different products who are not that good as people think they are. I think this post will be removed agian.

People don't want to hear the truth, people want to hear what they wish to hear.




Tests are used to give an idea about the quality of the product? How big do you think the chance is that this is the truth?
Hello, just curious, how can they test a WA Quantum Chip? Has anyone actually tried to test one? I am not referring to listening tests, I’m already on board the whole freewheelin’ WA Chip thing. I’m referring to more uh, traditional tests. For example a fuse WA Quantum Chip. Oh, just an FYI - the first quantum chip, the original orange Intelligent Chip from Golden Sound, celebrated it’s 10th anniversary last year. ;-) There was even chips subsequent to the Intelligent Chip, which was for treating CDs, for placing on power cords and cables.

geoff kait
machina dramatica
we do artificial atoms right

I wrote:

Another consideration regarding directionality. A fuse which is properly specified for the circuit is half way toward melting.

To which geofkait asked:
How so, Thom? If that’s actually true, what is the relationship of being "half way toward melting" to directionality? Just curious.  

I don't have an answer as to the effect based on a fuse's operating environment, but think about how directionality is explained - by the drawing of wire through a die inducing some sort of molecular alignment or orientation. 

If this wire (fuse) is then heated to near its melting point (and it remains so in its normal operating environment), couldn't this possibly have an influence on said orientation?

Perhaps this has already been covered since you asked the question.  This thread has taken off beyond my time constraints to follow it.

... Thom

This kind of thinking would intimate that it’s a diode one way but not the other!!!

And it’s not like linear crystal wire that for memory Vandenhul or someone bought out in the 80’s, that can’t be bent at all either.

It’s not a diode, or linear crystal to have such an effect.

It’s resistance wire, end of story and 1/2" long at that!!!!


Cheers George

Georgelofi wrote,

"It’s resistance wire, end of story and 1/2" long at that!!!!"

Yes, it’s resistance wire. Resistance wire that measures better in one direction than the other, in terms of resistance. And it’s only 1/2" long at that!!! Would it be a fair statement to say that if the teeny little wire was say ten feet long the difference in measured resistance would be something to write home about? See where I’m going with this?

Recall the Carbon One conductor cables of yore? Was that Van den Hul? They would not be directional of course, nor would the current line of Stealth Audio pure carbon (nano fibers) conductor cables, no? News Flash! Van den Hul currently produced pure carbon conductor cables, maybe with carbon nanotubes. The plot thickens.

PS - I’m still trying to decode what Thom posted with respect to melting and directionality.

PPS - Say, does anyone happen to know if Jack Bybee is using carbon nanotubes in his new Bybee Bullets?

Van den Hul is a very nice person. For a couple of years he was always waiting for me at an audio show which was kept every year. 

He always wanted to make a round with me during this show.

I owned and tested his best cables. But these days he is not the best anymore. In my world only the best products count, the rest doesn't make sense.

When you use the chips wrong you will loose a lot of details and even in dynamics. It is easy to change the sound but it needs to be an improvement.

When they work well, you get a higher blacklevel and a sharper individual focus of instruments and voices.

And the low freq. become more tight with even more layers.

In many situations it also didn't improve the sound, you even went to a lower quality in sound.

You cannot use and buy them blind!!
Bo wrote,

"When you use the chips wrong you will loose a lot of details and even in dynamics. It is easy to change the sound but it needs to be an improvement."

if you ever get a chance try wrapping a WA Quantum Chip for Cables around the House AC wire, the one for the audio circuit, coming into the circuit breaker box. You’ll think you died and went to heaven. Now, you might say, they now have a WA Quantum Chip for Power so just use that. But I say it’s more cost effective to use the Cable chip, since you know, the Power Chip costs five times as much. There should be products for every budget, no? Lol

cheerios

Bo wrote,

"Van den Hul is a very nice person. For a couple of years he was always waiting for me at an audio show which was kept every year.

He always wanted to make a round with me during this show.

I owned and tested his best cables. But these days he is not the best anymore. In my world only the best products count, the rest doesn't make sense."

i hate to judge before all the facts are in but I suspect you probably missed the whole point of my mentioning Van den Hul's carbon cables.  You know, the ones with the amorphous conductor which, unlike metal conductors, is not directional.

g. kait

Czarivey wrote,

OK here’s the thread specifically dedicated to believers so all believers can "transfer" your thoughts there:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/direction-of-aftermarket-fuses-only-for-believers

Wouldn’t it make more sense if you said, "OK here’s the thread specifically dedicated to believers so all trolls can transfer your "thoughts" there?



It depends which "units" of sense had been used.
If there are milligrams of sense than perhaps a lot more, if there are kilograms of sense than perhaps not.
 georgelofi sez:

"i hate to judge before all the facts are in ...."

Really George? You seem to have no problem judging SR Black fuses without listening to them. And  you seem to have no problem judging your fellow audiophiles and putting them into a negative light by suggesting that something nefarious is going on and that shilling is taking place either.  

At what point in time will you put your prejudices aside and order some fuses to try for yourself?  30 day return policy, remember? 

Until you take the leap and try the fuses for yourself, your credibility is shot ... null and void ... Nada ... Bull. 

Over and out ... 
Post removed 

And you will have absolutely no credibility papa, if you keep promoting that there’s a undeniable difference in sound quality with directionality of fuses here on this thread.

I suggest you go back to the other SR thread you started where your credibility is only half shot, instead of aligning yourself to the full blown voodoo wackos here.


Cheers George

I recently removed my power amp fuse (cleaned the contact area) and when I put it back I forgot which direction it had been in, thus ruining my shot at trying to hear a difference…I will not remove it again soon as I don't like to move my 50 lb tube amp around…I just have to sit there and listen and wonder…are the electrons moving properly? Is the recent rabid promotion of SR fuses reasonable and/or logical? They are simply neither and play like they're commercially funded. 30 day refund or not, the heavy handed hype is simply too damn off-putting to get on board…illogical magical hifi tweaks come and go, and most seem like a sadly lame waste of time and (some people's) money.

wolf_Garcia

I recently removed my power amp fuse (cleaned the contact area) and when I put it back I forgot which direction it had been in, thus ruining my shot at trying to hear a difference…I will not remove it again soon as I don’t like to move my 50 lb tube amp around…I just have to sit there and listen and wonder…are the electrons moving properly?


Doesn’t matter Wolf, as the flow changes direction 60 x a second in the USA (60hz). And 50 x times a second here in Australia (50hz).

That’s why it’s called AC (alternating current) this is why "fuse direction" is all a load of voodoo BS.

http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/ac.htm#.VyMcFLlJm70


Cheers George

Thank you Georgelofi.
Bo bo and geoffkait - the fool-ers - may reconsider?
Doubtful though for "fools rush in; but seldom change their 'stance' (we can't refer to minds that don't exist-can we?? Maybe we can in this fantasyland )" . I feel you referenced a most appropriate article--but I'm sure rebuts will follow. Nice work.
Did you guys read Bo's post on the maxiimus??!!  If this thread wasn't ridiculous enough that takes it to a whole new level. And I can just hear the believers already "if you haven't heard it you don't have an opinion". Well I don't have to hit my thumb with a hammer to know that it's going to hurt. It's called common sense and apparently is not that common. 
Analogluvr, I read it and my reaction was similar to yours.  It almost seemed like a satire of audiophile tweaks.

Regards,
-- Al
 
I suspect the benchmark for Uber Skeptics and Tweakaphobes is whether you laughed so hard that milk squirted out of your mouth. 

Ta ta
I kind of found it amusing, but mostly just lost interest quickly and couldn’t force myself to read the whole thing.

Does that make me a bad person?

I’m sure some will find it fascinating. Everyone loves a good mystery.
Post removed 
I know, but I think this fuse business belongs with the green CD marker and the $650 wood volume knob. Anyway, the electricity flows from the transformer and caps, toward the output transistors.
It's really more aphilosophical question at this point.  

If one hears it is it real?   And what % is due to s fuse?   

Inquiring minds want to know. 🤑
"I know, but I think this fuse business belongs with the green CD marker and the $650 wood volume knob. Anyway, the electricity flows from the transformer and caps, toward the output transistors."

Build it and they will come.

;-)
The Maxiimus sell itself. You put it on and off, and even during listening. The differences are this huge, that you don't want to go back.

I had it with me last week to a client, he directly orderd one. After this we visited another client to deliver his Lumin player. After the demo with the Maxximus he said; I will buy one next month.

One of my best friends often lgoes with me to clients was amazed as well. He will buy one as well.

At the end convincing results only will work. 
The cables of Van den Hul are by far not the best in the market. That is why they are not good enough. Even I like him as a person, I don’t think his cabels are that convincing

I was one of the first who tested his powercables back in 2003. He send them to me to test. They were not good enoug, this was what I said to him. It is as it is!