Fuse degradation?


I have had my MA-2275 for 5 years. Probably sat around mostly idle for the 10 years before that.  Turned it on prior to a listening session yesterday to let it warm up. While waiting and fiddling around something happened with our electrical grid. No storm in the area. Power goes out but then our generator kicks on. After 30 minutes or so, generator goes off and house goes back on electricity from our utility service. Wasn't paying attention to my system so uncertain when this happened but eventually notice the MA-2275 had no lights on. Check it out and hopefully only a blown fuse which it was. Pull fuse out and wire snapped. 5amp, 250v, 5X20mm fuse. I look on line. Go to local hardware store and find same Bussman fuse for $3. Plug in and OMG it is like a brand new and completely different amp. Sounds nothing like it did prior to old fuse going out. Crisp with an edge and the subs seem to perform so much better.

Question is this, do degrading fuses change the sound of the system before they actually snap? I replaced a $3 fuse with a $3 fuse with dramatic improvement. I will probably get one of the Synergistic fuses to see if I can tell a difference but my sound has improved so much with an equally priced swap that I can only think that the previous fuse was going bad for a quite a while and I just accepted that as normal.

ricmci

Showing 1 response by tradeontheweb

@ricmci 

I and nearly 100% of audio technicians believe what georgehifi has been saying about AC fuses below all this time. I’d suggest you;
1: “Just re-new your fuse with the same amperage if it’s old and has seen many turn on cycles, with a quality one like Bussman or Littlefuse. 2: And clean the cradle fuse contacts and maybe squeeze them in a little for a tight fit. And definitely don’t be sucked into any $$$ boutique hifi fuses

3: Just change the fuse if old for a quality brand EE industry standard 50c fuse, as fuses (even the $200 boutique one) also age after many turn on cycle surges.”  
4: And there is definitely no such thing as direction with an AC mains fuse.

Quick blow fuses aging  https://ibb.co/SyyVR6P  Slow blow fuses aging left to right. https://ibb.co/hKNfZ8r

Cheers

Scott