I recently replaced all 5 fuses in my Esoteric X-01 LE with the IsoClean fuses and must say this is the biggest improvement I have heard with the IsoCleans. I have them throughout my system and always found they were an improvement, but the Esoteric was shocking.
Initially, I could not figure out what the direction of the fuses should be and guessed wrong. When I got the direction right (from the transformers toward the circuit) was when I really heard an improvement. I also cleaned with AudioTop Desktop.
I have heard that a review comparing IsoClean with the German silver fuses found the IsoCleans superior. |
sirspeedy, I have heard that there is a home theater review comparing the HiFiTuning fuses with the IsoClean fuses that finds the IsoClean clearly better. I am sorry that I cannot recall where I read this, however. |
I found the review again. http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_2/aurum-acoustics-integris-cdp-cd-player-4-2006-part-4.html |
Bob, I am only identifying the hot wire to the transformers.
All that I can say is that I have repeatedly heard the impact of the proper direction for fuses. IsoClean marks theirs, and I have always found they are right. Only you can be the judge, of course. Try switching the direction of the fuse in your line stage and see what you hear.
As far as I know only IsoClean claims fuse directionality, but many have found it on other fuses. |
Are the HiFi fuses not directional? I would be interested in the German silver fuses, but was shocked to learn they are merely silver plated. Why doesn't someone make solid silver fuses where the ac would pass through quality wire, or does it make no difference at 60 Hz 120 volts? |
Aggielaw, in all my experience with such fuse holders the arrow should go from left to right when you are looking at the fuseholder.
I teach at Texas A&M and hear Aggie this and Aggie that all day. Where did you get this moniker? |
Bob, if you check a fuse holder with no fuse in and with the ac disconnected, a meter will show continuity between the hot blade of the ac and one side of the fuse holder. Only with the switch and amp on will you have continuity between the other side of the fuse and the ac blade.
This is one of those many instances where I think science tells us little but where there is a substantial sonic benefit. IsoClean strongly believes in keeping track of direction. I doubt also whether the HiFi fuses are not directional. I have always heard a difference in tube direction since Lloyd Walker argued that I should try it. With IsoClean the proper direction is night and day.
Howard, do give me a call when you are in town.
I am a political science professor and was on the faculty senate at the time that STCL and TAMU tried to bridge the gap between a private law college and a state university. STCL wanted an influx of pre-law students primarily from my department, and TAMU wanted a law school. Ultimately, I don't think it matters much that this failed. We have 1300 majors and about 25-30 go on to law school. It was no big deal for us. |
Stehno, damn you! I had just dismissed the Hifi fuses given the comments in the review I posted. These sound like exactly what I have sought. Do you know what they cost? |
I just talked with a friend who received a pair to compare with the IsoCleans in his amps. After breaking in the Furutechs for several day, he went back to the IsoCleans and greatly preferred them.
I was going to try a pair anyway, but at $60@ I will pass. |
Metro04, I had a lengthy discussion with the IsoClean people at the last CES. Other than telling me that the conductor was not silver or gold, they would only say that many engineering concerns went into their design. When I mentioned my interest in the silver conductor fuses from Germany, they merely said they would not rival the IsoClean.
I don't think we know much about any fuses' constructions. We know the Furutechs are rhodium plated and have a silver conductor. I know the IsoCleans are gold plated. That is all I have learned about these fuses. But I do know the IsoCleans work if they are put in the right direction! |
Metro04, I know a fuse is a simple design, but I also know bypassing them greatly improves the sound. The issue is how to not bypass them and get great sound. I don't think that is easy to do. I would suspect that materials would be the crucial problem and I would presume that contacts are another. Why no one solders in the simple fuse surprises me. I can also understand why after investing R&D money they might not want to reveal it. |
Metro04, I do know of several manufacturers who rightfully I think choose to not pursue patents as they are too easily bypasses by slight changes.
I can understand skepticism but I don't understand not trying something so cheap. I grant that trying things often does not prove satisfying as I experienced with the ERS paper and Bibbie filters. But I am not about to buy all four of the audio quality fuses to see which is best.
By the way, I value your reasoned skepticism as opposed to the "I don't understand this, therefore it is a scam" skepticism. I think people run a continuum from not trying anything to trying even the wildest tweaks. I suspect that I am more toward the latter. |
Metro04, snake oil is pejorative. You don't know that it is unworthy. You won't try it unless you understand it. Fine. |
Aggielaw, is that Boulder Audio or Bolder Audio? Do they make the fuses? What does universally well-regarded mean? Thanks. |
The current will not know how many times per second it reverses.
I find it surprising that some find the Hi-Fi Tuning fuses superior to the IsoCleans. In my system used in the proper direction, the IsoCleans are clearly superior in giving great soundstage and extraordinary bass. |
inpep, of course what has to be done within a component is to convert the ac into dc which the component then reconverts into ac in the form of the music. There may be some components that use the 60 Hz frequency, such a cheap turntables. In such circumstances 50 Hz would matter.
The reason why fuse direction matters is obscure. Some claim that it is determined by the direction the various wires getting from the wall to the internal ac must pass. Omega Mikro goes to great extremes with both red and blue ac cables to assure this. There are probably other explanations as well. But in reality it is what you hear that matters. Try reversing one fuse and see if you don't hear a difference and have a preference. If you don't, so be it.
I guess I could also suggest that you try 50 Hz and 60 Hz and see if it makes a difference, but that would be awkward to do. Most manufactures, maybe all manufactures, list their equipment as working on both 50 Hz and 60 Hz ac, but I doubt if they have ever tried it both ways, because they believe, or want to believe, it makes no difference. |
