No, I have not tried one and do not plan to go down that particular rabbit hole. The aftermarket fuses I have tried have done basically nothing of significance to improve the sound of my system over long-term listening. OTOH, I have heard profound changes and improvements resulting from component and speaker changes, smaller changes due to cables, damping/support of components and speakers, and digital filtering, but basically nothing noticeable from changing/adding fuses and other small tweaks.
However, I have seen many accessory type products marketed to audiophiles as “game changers” and then when sales plateau, the manufacturer releases an upgraded version of the same product - i.e., the next game changer. I also find it interesting when posters on this site and other sites “review” these products and proclaim fantastic levels of sonic improvements resulting from the tweak yet then a few months down the road they have moved on to the next level of the same product or one from another manufacturer. How many times can a tweak transform someone’s system? The audio industry is far from alone in propagating repetitive cycles of manufactured demand for upgraded products. I used to see it annually with ski equipment and mountain bike parts, and I see it with everyday stuff like mattresses. It’s the American way.
Buyers must judge for themselves which products and improvements are worth the money. If someone chooses to spend their money and if they hear an improvement, then great for them. Based on my own experiences, I simply choose to no longer play the game, at least not with fuses. Good luck with your QSA fuses and happy listening.
Mitch2 - I’m currently using two QSA Yellows and four Blues. Mike just sent me a Violet to replace the Yellow fuse currently in the IEC for my Atoll IN300. If the Violet sounds as good as everyone states, I plan to upgrade to the Red within the three month period. I have not found anyone who has bought the Red/Black QSA fuse but I did find someone from What’s Best Forum (romaz) who bought the Silver fuse and compared the Silver to many other tweaks he’s made (which are some impressive tweaks). He said the Silver is the best tweak he’s made. Below is the link, so please take a gander. Quick question, have you tried a QSA fuse?
"I want to thank all the naysayers who haven’t tried the fuses"
Specifically, which are "the fuses" you are speaking about? I have tried multiple fuses by Furutech, HiFi-Tuning, Synergistic Research, Acme Audio, and more. Those long-term listening experiences in my own system have shaped my impression of aftermarket fuses, which I have specifically shared in previous posts. No, I haven't tried the $2,844 fuse posted about in this thread. It appears Clement Perry got half-way there with his review of the $1,422 Red fuse, but I don't remember reading from any posters here who have tried the $2,844 fuse. I am sure the buyers believe it is amazing.
I want to thank all the naysayers who haven’t tried the fuses for all of their profound statements. It is hard for me to understand why so many are downright angry about these fuses. If you do not want to pay the money for them, that is your prerogative and I am completely content with your decision. But don’t tell others who have tried them and have done a/b tests with stock and other audiophile fuses that they do not make an audible difference or that you can trick them by placing an arrow on the fuse.
But let’s say for craps and giggles, these fuses do not scientifically make an audible difference. But for those of us who bought them, our brain tells us we can hear a difference. If our brains tell us we hear improved sound quality and believe the fuses make an audible difference, doesn’t it mean they do? If my brain tells me I hear improved sound quality due to the fuse and I believe the improvement is worth the money I paid, then I’m completely satisfied and don’t really care what anyone else thinks. Even though that’s not the case because the fuses do make a huge difference. Every tweak out there has those who think the tweak is amazing and has made their system so much better, and others may say, meh. There are many audiophiles who believe cables don’t make a difference but most of us believe they do. I don’t really care if they don’t think they make a difference but they are missing out on some amazing improvements.
Paying thousands of dollars for a fuse is pure insanity, regardless of whether they make a sonic difference or not. However, if they contain quantum tunneled dark matter and antimuon alloy, then it's totally worth it.
How is it any different than spending $50-100K on a DAC or AMP? It is all relative to a degree. If I can improve the sound of my system due to the tiny little fuse that costs $2k, then maybe it is a good investment vs shelling out 5-10 times that for a new Amp.
Paying thousands of dollars for a fuse is pure insanity, regardless of whether they make a sonic difference or not. However, if they contain quantum tunneled dark matter and antimuon alloy, then it's totally worth it.
I’d be curious if one disguised and regular old 10 cent fuse as a $2800 one ( if it were possible to disguise) and conducted a comparison to the same model fuse undisguised, would people ( thinking the disguised fuse was real) still pick the disguised $2800 fuse.
$2,000 plus for a fuse, well I guess it has more parts than a preamp at $2,000 or an Amp at $2,000. Speakers perhaps at $2,000. Must be the cost of the design of the circuit board perhaps or the cost of the tubes used in the preamp that makes it $2,000 plus. Fuses must have a lot of cost in building them...smile!
I started reading this forum when I began researching audiophile fuses. This and a few other forums got me really excited about QSA fuses and the impact they have on any component that requires a fuse. It was really hard for me to comprehend why so many individuals had such a negative opinion about a fuse they hadn’t tried. I admit, I could find any information about what is in each fuse or why they are different from any other audiophile fuse (bottleneck mitigation) All the forums I read, those who purchased any color QSA fuse, experienced majot sound quality improvements.
After a few back-and-forth emails with Mike from TG, I decided to purchase a Yellow fuse for my Atoll IN300 and one for my SBooster that is connected to my Qutest. As soon as I put them in, I heard an improvement in sound quality. From talking to Mike, I knew the sound quality would improve over the next 24-48 hours. Well, Mike was not wrong and the sound quality kept improving until both fuses were fully broken in. I could go into all the improvements I heard, but fortunately, many on this post have already detailed the improved sound quality the fuses make. During my 30 day trial, the Synergistic Research Purple fuse hit the market and I read all the many positive reviews written about them. SR was offering the same 30 day trial, so I ordered two of them to do an a/b test. I have to say, the Purple fuse is very nice and sounds great, but for the same price, the QSA Yellow is a much better fuse. I sent the Purple fuses back.
So, after a few weeks, I decided to buy four Blue fuses to put on the board of my Atoll IN300. Knowing the fuses are directional, I was having a hard time getting them correct. I reached out to Steve Tsang Yick Man from QSA and he took the time to work with me to get all of them in the right direction. He didn’t have to do that, especially for the second cheapest fuse they make, but he did. Wow, another improvement which was way beyond the price I paid for the fuses. Currently, I’m upgrading the Yellow fuse in the Atoll IN300 for a Violet. The new fuse should be here in the next few weeks. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited.
I have no idea how or why these fuses work. I know there are different sizes of black stickers on the outside of different colored fuse and I’ve heard there are stones on some of them. For those who haven’t tried them, I agree, I would be skeptical too. But TG will give you 30 days to play with them and if you don’t like the fuse for any reason, you can send it back, no questions asked. In that case, if you have discretionary funds, why not try one out and if it doesn’t work or you cannot hear an auditable difference, send it back and tell us believers, we are crazy and full of crap. But if you don’t give them a shot, I believe you are missing out on major sound improvement at a very affordable price (you don’t have to buy the $10k fuse to experience improved sound quality). These fuses have improved and brought to life all the other tweaks I’ve made through the years to my system. I’m getting the most out of my interconnects, power cables, and linear power supply. I’m really excited to buy a QSA receptacle later this year. I might not understand how these fuses work but I know I hear a major difference after I put them in.
I bought a NOS fuse on a lark from NASA that is said to have been spares for the Apollo 14 mission. Not sure if it was used on a mission or was just left over but it was sourced from Cape Canaveral. Put in it in a McIntosh amp. Really added more space around the instruments to any type of music once installed.
First minutes of listening, its just ok. Actually, I don't think it is any better than my SR orange. But that fuse was treated with the High Fidelity 1260 contact enhancer. And perhaps I was expecting more based on all the chatter.
I have 2 more yellows to receive for my amps, so we shall see.
One more... What do you call a woman who loses 75% of her intelligence? A widow...
Anyway, I just ordered a couple more yellow fuses for my amps. Hopefully I will get those by the end of the month. My first yellow fuse is do to arrive Friday for my Lumin.
Hind site ozzy, same here 47 years last Feb. I hate to say almost 48 it's even longer.. She keeps asking why is there a Taxi outside. I keep saying one of us has to go.. The stereo won't fit in the cab.. Hint hint!!!
I’ve been married 45 years, happily married about 6 months! One more; Just think, I’ve been married so long that I could have been out of jail/prison by now!
I had the same problem. Then one day, she said: "If you come home with one more record, I'm going to leave you!" You know Ozzy ... I kind of miss her sometimes.
The red black fuse installed into my X2 was the biggest, besttest and greatest tweak I’ve ever experienced in my 175 years in audio. I’ve had all the SR stuff and the wavy wood sticks, super tweeters but nothing can keep up with this Red Black fuse.
Now I know you won’t sleep tonight having blown your fuse for reading this. Waiting for your next positive post on the Red Black in my system that goes for $2.8KKK two thousand eight hundred GHifi. 🤓 sleep tight .
$2844 is not enough. My mapman funky fuse will be coming out soon for $4823 and it will be 4X as good. Just don’t open up or warranty voided. ALso if it blows properly when it should no free replacements on a costly-to-make 5K fuse. THere is expensive stuff inside though so a local scrap metal yard might offer a good price for a blown funky fuse.
👍 And don’t forget.
To those "non technical" members that are interested, do not listen to fusers, listen to the techs of this industry that design the audio products. AND YOU WON"T SEE THEM ON THREADS LIKE THIS AGREEING WITH WHAT THESE FUSERS ARE SHILLING
Just clean and tighten your fuse holder and re-new your fuse (if old) with a good quality 50cent Bussman, Littlefuse or similar. As with "many switch-on surges" they do deteriorate, bend, stretch and get crusty with electrolysis formations on their fusible wire elements before they give out, as these pics show of a fuse wire element ageing over time show. https://ibb.co/9NbTwqK (even the $$$ boutique ones will age just as much also)
Tacoma w 230 k is not even broken in yet, expect better low end grunt and extension as the rings finally seat, notes may take on a blue tinge as valves find their own guides… no car payment:-)
I had a chance and tested a few ranging from yellow version and some higher priced mixed colour/crystal series fuses.
They were compared to an Orange fuse i had in place and at the $200-300 priced fuses have improved on the Orange.
Namely, what you get is a clear level up in clarity and detail, good neutral midrange and more layering.
It also seems to clearly looks that the end caps are rhodium type plating, which certainly would contribute to this improved clarity, Furutech fuse like, but without the slight brightness of the Furutech's.
At these price range, they are very good, no i did not get to test the $2,844 fuse and would not want to.
It it as good as expensive cables? i would say the $300 range fuse did add to the clarity and resolution wise, but find that it vneutral and may lack that very special "sonic contribution" which some "holy Grail" top end cables can provide if the systems sonics characteristics synergise giving a spectacular sound. Some may see this as a colouration, but all cables do have some form of positive or negative colouration and presentation.
$2844 is not enough. My mapman funky fuse will be coming out soon for $4823 and it will be 4X as good. Just don’t open up or warranty voided. ALso if it blows properly when it should no free replacements on a costly-to-make 5K fuse. THere is expensive stuff inside though so a local scrap metal yard might offer a good price for a blown funky fuse.
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