New Synergistic Master Fuse

Fuses even the cheaper one does change the sound , is it improvement? It's hard for me to tell. I have not decided to part with my $200 for a fuse?

At Synergistic Research we’ve isolated key factors that affect how electricity propagates by changing the behavior of electrons through Inductive Quantum Coupling methods we collectively call UEF Tech.  In fact, UEF Tech is so powerful even an electrical chain several miles long is fundamentally improved with nothing more than a single fuse engineered with our patented UEF Technology.

Quantum coupling is an effect in quantum mechanics in which two or more quantum systems are bound such that a change in one of the quantum states in one of the systems will cause an instantaneous change in all of the bound systems.

What a beautiful and successful marketing campaign.  It started with a rather low cost fuse, yellow as I remember?  And has now progressed from color to color, of course each new color being more expensive than the previous, and now to a $600 fuse that is so powerful it can control all the other fuses within your stereo.

What if the master fuse gets power hungry and decides it wants to start controlling more than the fuses in your stereo, and wants to control all the fuses in your house?  Is master fuse unauthorized domination of submissive fuses covered in the SR warranty? 

Great question, Lordmelton.  The only viable place for a Master fuse is in my streamer.  My conditioner has no fuse and my Lyngdforf 3400 does the dac-ing and also has no replaceable fuse.  A purple in my streamer has been amazing, but I can sell it if the Master gives me a nice step up.

After much procrastination went ahead and ordered a SR Master Fuse for my Power Conditioner.

SR recommends putting a Master Fuse in either the DAC or Power Conditioner to begin with. Since the Power Conditioner is the only gear that doesn't have a Purple fuse, thought that was the logical way to go.

Waiting for someone to confirm if putting a Master Fuse in their Streamer or DAC is better.

I've bought Blue and Orange Synergistic Research fuses over the years and in each case they positively improved sound quality. 

This new fuse is likely to be good tweak but is much too expensive for my budget. But I would recommend for those who can afford one to try it. 100% 30 day refund is offered. 

this is terrible news ozzy, I was hoping not to try one on my new DAC...

Add that to the fact that the audio signal does not go through the AC line fuse.

Yes, the audio signal goes through the fuse.  I mean where else?  You don't know what you're talking about.

sheridd2,

I think someone is being the typical wise guy. Ignore his post.

ozzy

ebm ..... the six you are ordering, are they for separate components or internal fuses for an amp etc?

lordmelton,

I went a little higher in value. I think SR is only recommending using one of the Master fuses for your source equipment and the rest in your system to be purple.

ozzy

@ozzy Oh dear, guess I'll need one for my streamer and one for my DAC.

Are you using the same size fuses for your gear or going up one level as recommended for Purple? Thanks.

Man, I am really digging the new Master Fuse that I installed in my Lumin. The music seems to be getting better daily. Still hard to comprehend why a fuse could make so much difference. Relax, just enjoy it...

If you guys are daring, you should try one in your main source component. Shake your head and then post your opinnion/reaction.

Notice I posted above to state your opinion After you have tried it.

I think there is a 30-day money back, so no worry other than the initial cash outlay.

ozzy

@cincyjim Fuse bottom right-hand corner

Will be ordering 6 ASAP!!

I use both the purple fuses and the Audiomagic beeswax fuses. These things need at least 20 hours to settle in and will get better over the next 50 hours.

Thanks guys I'll be ordering one for my DAC next week, but with the 30 day return I could try one in my power conditioner too......

these very positive reports here are terrible news...

I received fuse today and it's already phenomenal. After just a few hours of listening, I can say that the sound has become more holographic, it is fuller and very clean. It’s on another level than all previous ones. I’m using it in my streamer/dac and it replaced purple. Already thinking of buying second one for my preamp. 

jafant,

Yes, it has replaced the QSA red/black fuse.

The QSA fuse is still very good and does provide good detail. But I think the SR Master adds more depth and as I mentioned previously, more calmness. I prefer that sound.

ozzy

     Anyone actually interested in improving the sound/presentation of their system and curious, as to whether a simple fuse change might make a difference, can audition the Synergistic, at home, for 30 days, without risk.

     Click on the following and scroll down slightly.   You'll notice a proclamation/seal, promising your money back, if dissatisfied.

      No excuse not to try them for yourself (or a plethora of Synergistic's other products in your own home and system, with your own ears*) to dispel any mystery.

                                            SO MANY variables

      SO MUCH bias, unfounded opinion and REALLY SAD humor, from the usual triggered snowflakes.

        *Obviously: one must trust their ears, as well as their capacity for discerning the truth, because the Denyin'-tologists will tell you, "You're crazy!" (or some variant), should you determine they improve your sound..

             https://www.synergisticresearch.com/fuses/master-fuse/

                                           HAPPY LISTENING!

ozzy

Thank You for the report. Will the new SR Master fuse, replace your QSA fuse(s) ?

Happy Listening!

The SR Master fuse is pretty fantastic. The sound stage depth and width increases and there is a calmness in the sound that is really impressive.

I can't explain how just a fuse can perform so well; but the proof is in the listening.

ozzy

@ozzy really interested in your first feedbacks ! Thanks :)
You are probably still in burnin process but what are your first impressions ?

@ozzy Fantastic, hope this is a shootout with your QSA Red/Black too.

I'm going to use it with my Lumin X1.

ozzy

Ozzy,

  Looking forward to your observations after you have some hours on the fuse. Which peice of equipment did you choose to install it in ?

Just received my Master fuse.

ozzy

Synergistic welcome to ripoff city.

@ebm  Why?

@coralkong 

+1

If you replace a blown fuse you will notice an immediate improvement to the sound since when the fuse is blown there is no sound at all. 

I had Purple for a while in my integrated and DAC. It was interesting, but I ended up preferring the sound with it removed eventually; too much bloom and mid-bass emphasis. I could see these working for less musical systems though. I think this is honestly a cash grab and realizing that competition from QSA has proven there’s demand for higher priced fuses. I’ll try one in my DAC. Only thing I’ll lose is time, but for me it’s a fun process.

@cd45123,

I had the same experience. I put one in my custom Clayton Audio M-200 stereo amplifier. In the closest external spring loaded fuse holder to the IEC. Now it could just be that I did not give it the 50 to 300 hours needed to burn in. But after I took it out and replaced it with the ’regular’ fuse’ the ’Clayton Audio sound/voice’ was back. The funny thing is, I’m using all SR cable and it sounds fantastic without their own fuse! On my system, that is. 

@jayctoy 

myself I noticed the difference when I replaced amplifier fuse with at the time Hi Fi Tuning Black Fuse, so I tried Synergistic Research Orange Fuse it make some big difference in Middle and Low end.

I have not tried SR fuses. Fuses do change the sound. I notice it when I replaced blown fuse.

THE BIG Ripoff!!

Didn’t work for you? Great. Save your money.

Don’t believe in it? Great. Save your money.

Don’t understand it? Great. Save your money.

Is your equipment is not up to snuff? Bummer. Save your money. Buy some better stuff.

Want some measurements? Go see Amir over at ASR.

I trust my ears.

I'm looking forward to reading more real-world reviews on the SR Master Fuse.

It never ceases to amaze me when people just assume that just because they don't hear or understand something it must be true for everyone. Not only that, they have this insuppressible need to 'enlighten' everyone who, god forbid, had a different experience. Look, if you tried something out and didn't notice any improvement, good for you! Move on! Maybe the tweak or component didn't synergize with your system. And that's ok. But you have no business deciding for other people what's worth their time and money or not.

wolf_garcia

A live test is a test in real time with people in the room.

A live test is a test in real time with people in the room. 

so to speak.

(I did).

And I also noticed really no audible difference @wolf_garcia by doing so. 

wolf_garcia

Do a live test of fuse directionality with any group of serious listeners and you will notice that no consensus regarding audible differences of fuse direction will occur ...

You probably couldn’t get a consensus on anything else from them either, such as the best DAC or better sounding phono cartridge. Almost by definition, you don’t get consensus on preference - especially with audiophiles.

As an aside, what's a "live test"?

Do a live test of fuse directionality with any group of serious listeners and you will notice that no consensus regarding audible differences of fuse direction will occur. I dare anybody to try this (I did). And Dabel, since you're apparently incapable of noting sarcasm, by "special" I imply special listening skills claimed by the Fuser community, not your pseudo spiritual claptrap.

Sounds about right. But in all honesty @thecarpathian, I don’t believe Ted has ever disclosed this information, at least not through my readings anyway.

Quote

Q: Are fuses directional?

A: Yes, fuses are directional. Electricity should flow from the left to the right when you view the fuse (from "S" to the "R"). If you do not know the direction of flow, you should listen to the fuse inserted in both directions. One direction will sound more detailed. This is the correct way.

I’ve studied the direction of electricity flow prior to inserting any of these fuses in the gear. Therefore, "set and done" so to speak. For those of you with any ModWright Instrument Amps specifically the KWA150 Signature Edition, one needs to be delicate and extra careful during the process of fuse removal and installation.

@dabel ,

Appreciate the response, but what exactly did you mean by it?

Are you saying by some proprietary process it somehow becomes directional as if one end of the identically ended fuse receives some secret treatment the other end doesn't, thereby somehow making it directional?

I never tell anyone about my upgrade fuse

@wolf_garcia

Every living human on this "third planet from the sun" is Special, you’re included.

@thecarpathian

Proprietary

Question:

How can a fuse be directional if it is built identical on both ends?

Always buy the most expensive fuse that SR dishes up every couple of years as although they do nothing (except some previous versions I tested extensively did blow as they were rated improperly), the higher price does increase your expectation bias and thus the imagined improvement. Especially when fuse direction is tested...you know you can hear the difference because you know you’re Special, and although fancy fuses have been rejected by the vast majority of audiophiles and manufacturers (and really, what the hell does Nelson Pass know anyway?) you feel better...and people respect you (maybe)...you’re smart and a little more sensitive...you do get a 30 day trial period to return them, possibly casting doubt on your Specialness, and hey...you don’t want that.

I’m a bit curious as it sounds like these fuses are meant to be used in tandem with the less expensive but more "musical" Purple and Orange fuses. I can understand this, in a few components I found Purple to be absolutely tubby and midrange saturated. On the other hand, I have tried QSA fuses that were very high resolution and dynamics, but totally lacking in fullness, texture, and bass. I imagine these might be similar, pushing the envelope technically, but relying on other fuses to make the sound musical/listenable, and easy to overdo with more than one.

I’m less inclined to think of these as a cash grab than being stuck at a fork where they aren’t able to put all the attributes they want in a single fuse, but they can make an overpoweringly technical fuse specifically for upstream components.

As much as people complain, I’ve used 3k power cords that have an equivalent or lesser effect than an SR fuse. Unfortunately, I think QSA did realize this and cranked up their prices to closer match other power products.

@Carlsbad

That makes sense to me if you can afford to replace the amp. Do you re-solder the AC input receptacle to bypass the whole fuse receptacle? 

I feel like I'm about to turn to the dark side of the force. 

Halz

+1 arafiq and mulveling