Something For The Fuse Guys ...


There are fuses, and then, there are fuses. 

I'm evaluating some prototype fuses that I received in the mail three days ago. 

Over the past few years, I've used fuses from five different manufacturers. The last three were the Red, Black and Blue fuses from Synergistic Research. Each one incrementally improved the sound of my system. My favorite so far was the SR Blue. 

The prototype fuses being evaluated presently raises the SQ beyond all of the others mentioned above. The major improvement to my ears is better tonal accuracy. Instruments and voices are more life-like. The noise is reduced allowing for a more solid 3-D presentation with the musicians more solidly presented on the sound stage. Overall, more information is fleshed out of CDs and LPs. 

The manufacturer, the price and the name of the prototype fuses will come later. I don't have the information thus far. My understanding is, if all works out, the release date is to be mid-October. 

Stay tuned ... 

Frank
oregonpapa

Showing 3 responses by barts

I'm just slightly confused!  Can someone explain to me which order one would change (upgrade) fuses for max benefit?  A/C input surge fuse,
DC power supply fuses, speaker fuses?  Of course testing after each
change.  

I can't imagine the AC power line fuse would make any difference. But, it does make a little bit of sense that a speaker line fuse could make some difference.

My ARC D-110B has speaker fuses, when ARC upgraded that design
with MUCH better components they also eliminated the speaker fuses.
The fuse holders (at least the frames) are still in place they are just wired straight through. Given the cost of the amp I don't think they were cheaping out on a fuse.  
@geoffkait 

>>>>>Why would a speaker line fuse make more sense than an AC power line fuse? They’re both AC circuits.

The simple answer is that the AC input is whatever is coming into your system, no matter how conditioned or not. The output to the speakers is
and audio signal, much more open to getting screwed up by anything in the path.  I'm not a fuser.
@geoffkait 
" The fuse in the speakers is in line with the incoming signal (current) from the speaker cables which is alternating current just like the current coming off the power cord in the amplifier or CD player where the fuse usually is located. The only difference is that the current is a lot higher coming into the amp........................Follow?"

Well, no I don't follow.  The input AC is of one frequency which will be rectified to DC to perform its task of being changed again by tubes or transistors to an AC waveform. Just as I believe that signal cables have a much greater impact on sound than do AC power cords. The fuse argument is the same as the cable argument.  I won't deny that some fuses may make a difference particularly if they're in the signal path.

With over 17,000 posts I suspect that you've read >200,000 posts.  You're way ahead of my paltry 7 posts.