2. misc-audio
  3. 1152917695

Isoclean fuses: definitely worth it

I just installed Isoclean fuses in my Naim CD5x and Nait5i. I sort of felt like I was going to the fringe by installing these but keep in mind they are right in the AC path so it made sense to me after installing a dedicated line and an "audiophile grade" AC receptacle.

I tried Buss ceramic fuses beforehand and they were just slightly better than stock.

The Isocleans, however, definitely provided a noticeable improvement over stock or Buss ceramics. In a nutshell: smoother treble, a touch more overall resolution (especially in the mids and treble) and elimination of a bit of grain and veiling. Polarity does matter. I checked a few times to verify but arrow down for my equipment was more natural (less bright) than arrow up. You may prefer the other polarity, of course. Note that they didn't affect rhythm as many products do (especially a lot of isolation devices) nor did they add any brightness (at least in the polarity I prefer).

They're not cheap for what they are ($25 per fuse) but the improvement was definitely worth $50 total investment to me.
greg7
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Willster, I don't see this thread as you do. There will always be people who do not hear the benefits of better fuses or off the direction of the fuse. There will also be differences of opinion about the best fuses. That is part of the hobby. I think you will find little consensus on anything discussed here. I am sure that Inpepin and I don't view each other as scumbags or ourselves as all knowing.
inpepinnovations
134 posts
 
Agreed, Tbg! And we have discussed this before. Also, yes just because I don't hear a difference, I would not jump to the conclusion that there is no difference to be heard. My problem is with the explanation or lack of explanation to account for the fact that others do hear a difference, when it is well known that subjective evidence (use of senses)is subject (pun intended) to error.

Willster, one learns nothing if there is no discourse or discussion or differences. I am always suspicious of unanimity in subjective issues, such as sound as perceived by humans. This is how myths are born and people led astray.

Geoffkait, I mind less spelling errors than errors in math. If objects fall at the same acceleration, they are also travelling at the same speed, acceleration being the first derivative of velocity or speed.

Respectfully,

Bob P.
willster
66 posts
 
I suppose I could have been to hasty. The digression on Galileo and falling objects was starting to sound a little like a "mine is bigger than yours" discussion. That gets old really fast. So does someone saying that a person is stupid, deaf, deluded if they say they hear something someone else disagrees with.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Bob P. What Galileo showed was that all objects are affected equally by the "accelerating field" (gravity). This acceleration is independent of the height from which an object is dropped. So, It's acceleration, not speed, that is the whole point.

Cheers, Geoff K.
More to discover