Fuses don't and will never have any meaningful effect on a well designed power supply when working to accomplish what fuses are actually designed for (protecting the component from catastrophic failure due to sudden power surges), have zero sonic effect on any signal if working as designed (with clean contact points and proper ratings), and to believe otherwise is silly. This is why very few high end component designers care about "premium" fuses in their products. It takes a lot of purposeful hyperbole to sell snake oil, and if that's entertainment for anybody, enjoy this space! |
I did a fairly extensive test of the efficacy of SR fuses a while back...recorded results to play for reference, tried reversing them, had one blow for no apparent reason, and otherwise tried hard to see if the things made any difference...they don’t, and another interesting thing about the endless nonsense regarding Magic (and expensive) Fuses is nobody has offered up any reasonable explanation why they would. |
Note that Kaitty doesn't use fuses, clearly hasn't done any meaningful comparisons between brands or "cheap common fuses vs. expensive ones," and simply adds condescending dismissive nonsense as that's his style...he actually sells (or tries to) useless things to the gullible, and seemingly is privy to sales numbers from Magic Fuse companies as befits his claims of being an Audio Insider. If "special" fuses displayed even a fraction of the astonishing benefits touted by the hyperbole slinging sales force who claim to just be trying to share their wonderful insight, then Nelson Pass, Dennis Had, Jason Stoddard, and countless other gear designers would be all over 'em...for the vast majority of these designers, they're not. Why is that? |
"Upgraded fuses" are still simply fuses...they're not supposed to do anything but fail if needed unlike tubes, isolation feet, and most other explainable items...manufacturers of high end products certainly do include the best tubes and other components that matter, and generally exclude those that don't. |
Those who cannot hear the increase in SQ that magic fuses allegedly provide are hearing exactly what they provide, and that's absolutely nothing. |
I had an SR fuse blow for no obvious reason other that it being seemingly rated improperly, that's happened to other SR fuse users (fusers?), and SR fuse promoters have recommended using higher rated fuses to avoid that...a real bad idea, but there ya go. |
Fuse directionality is a myth...prove that to yourself by reversing the fuse in any component and note that the sound doesn't change one iota, regardless of the hyperbole and silly claims otherwise. Also it bears mentioning (again) that the little wires and circuit board traces aren't installed with any thought of their directionality, thus rendering the tiny fuse wire's directionality utterly irrelevant. One may ask, "why do so many claim unmistakable sonic attributes due to Special Fuses?" Because they can, and subjective opinion, expectation bias, or mythology based belief is by it's nature difficult to dislodge from the faithful, or anybody motivated by commercial incentive over objective logic. |
Me simply disputing those who CLAIM to hear fuse directionality differences, and I'm clearly fine with that, small guy. |
Regarding "checking fuse direction yourself," I suggested that a couple of posts ago (Kaitty’s reading skills are clearly hindered by the constant skull pressure from his tinfoil hat) and highly recommend doing exactly that...I also agree that fuse direction differences aren’t small...they’re simply non existent. I never use speaker cables other than in the recommended direction as I think wire directionality in something that carries all of the signal is relevant (although nobody seems to be able to respond to the situation I mentioned regarding all those pesky wires in components assembled with no regard to their directionality...chaos, utter chaos, and yet somehow sound gets out! Astonishing!)...same goes for interconnects...fuses aren’t generally in the signal path AT ALL and work swimmingly in either direction, a wonderful thing...it’s like magic... |
"Of course the other conclusion one can draw is that because fuses are directional all cables, power cords, all internal wiring, all capacitors, transformers, etc. are also directional." Exactly, and that mishmash of internal wiring assembled with no regard to its direction is what renders the "magic fuse" benefit position utterly irrelevant.
|
Kaitty...you can dispute what I'm saying by pretending to not understand what I mean by "signal path," or you can put some magic pebbles in your foil hat to help you calm down...breathe deep... |
Oregonpapa...with your new hyperbole laden thread you're the one providing the "new horse," and if anyone could be accused of "beating it to death" (however unfortunate that anachronistic saying might be) with paragraph after paragraph of nonsense it would be you. Over the years you've claimed that various magic fuses will work in any system and the improvement would be obvious and unmistakeable, then claim its a lack of resolution that keeps the great unwashed from hearing the fantastic SQ improvement...or mediocre listening skills...swapping out a fuse that's contaminated with grunge could make a tiny difference assuming it was working at all, and that's about it...I'm pretty sure you know that, but I suppose the lure of whatever you get out of these snake oil campaigns is simply too hard to resist. |
An audio geek lawyer friend in The Great North told me Vermont’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection unit will likely be investigating "The Gate" soon (and other "Path" stuff)...that should be interesting...get ’em while you can! And hat’s off to Pragmasi for injecting some logic into this thread...well done! |
My attorney friend is in Vermont...he must have assumed little Tim was also...oh well... |
Audio manufacturers certainly have heard about "Boutique" fuses...just ask one of them (and stand back...some of these designers get pretty testy about this subject)...pragmasi is exactly right in his sober and reality based comments, and it's easy to see that the overwhelming majority of manufacturers clearly don't care about Magic Fuses, and clearly know full well that the fancy fuse market is rife with illogical hyperbole designed to appeal to those who desperately need to be regarded as Golden Eared. Marketing something that costs peanuts to make that sells for 150 bucks is a potential goldmine...if you can fool enough of the insecure faithful to buy in. |
Oregonpapa is right...he's also a shill for Perfect Path as well as SR. And by "shill" I point to endless hyperbole regarding these products, with far less of that shameless support aimed at Herbie's and ARC. Not even close...posting paragraph after paragraph claiming astonishing benefits from SR's "fuse of the week" that will, if you believe this hype, utterly transform your system...with the possible caveat that you're either too insensitive to notice these astonishing benefits, or the resolution of your sadly poor little system is lacking somehow. All nonsense with expectation bias driving new users to the fraudulently misrepresented Magic Fuses, and allowing old users to come in and claim to be on board with any new fuse simply because they're part of the club. Again, fuses won't and simply don't make any tonal differences appear from their otherwise simple place in the component, and that fact never changes. |
Well there ya go. Case closed. |
Here’s a question I ask from time to time as it never has been answered, yet I persevere: Are any audio components manufactured with attention paid to alleged proper "direction" of the wiring and circuit board traces? And if not, what possible difference would "fuse direction" make if the wiring following the fuse isn’t intentionally directional? It would seem that wire directionality chaos exists in many if not all components yet they somehow work just fine. I personally compared premium (all SR products) fuses to stock in an experiment a few years ago, and found them to be utterly worthless relative to the performance of stock (read inexpensive yet well made items like Littelfuse products) fuses. Hyperbole laden claims of the sonic superiority of Magic Fuses abound around here, but I seriously doubt all of ’em, as do the vast majority of reasonable audiophiles and gear manufacturers..."thems just the facts," regardless of what many claim to perceive. |
My question remains in spite of Millercarbonfootprint's brevity free dodge, and people SHOULD care as it renders fusers as irrelevant as they should be...and another silly attack on my listening skills. Lame. My point remains that magic fuses do nothing except excite a tiny faith based group of people claiming to see a face in their toast...there's really nothing there and they likely know it, but many need to feel they see things others don't to prop up shortcomings elsewhere...each magic fuse costs about the same as an hour with a therapist so there's that. |
So Kaitty, you don't get my position on internal wiring to the extent that you actually help make my case...internal wiring "direction" isn't regarded as even barely important in components as it's simply not. The tiny fuse wire isn't either, and your claim of knowing how many Magic Fuses have been sold has nothing to back it up except your alleged position as an "Audio Insider," who the Ted Dennys of the world open their sales books to. Baloney. I still maintain that the vast majority of sane audio geeks disregard the hyperbole of the Magic Fuse Cabal and enjoy snake oil free sound. The rest can hold up Oregonpapa and Millercarbonfootprint's sandals and cry, "Cast off the shoe and follow the gourd!" |
Kaitty simply has no actual idea how many Magic Fuses have been sold and bristles when called out on that because he knows he's clueless. Regarding my "question," nobody clearly addresses "internal wire direction chaos" as it simply renders Fusers nonsensical, and unable to respond with anything beyond personal attacks and weak excuses often from people who should know better, but need to feel somehow self important with claims of some strangely superior hearing skills. Carefully applied Snake Oil can grease your way into some self satisfying imagined legitimacy...hyperbole yer sneakers away! |
Again, fuses do not provide, and simply are not designed to provide any sonic effect (except that imagined by imaginations) other that shutting down the proceeds by melting. It's simply a tiny wire whose "directionality" is utterly rendered irrelevant by my previously described internal wire direction chaos in components. No matter what one does to a fuse...fill it with sand, polish it, coat it with silver, freeze it, bombard it with magic, try "1,000,000 volt multi-stage, high-frequency conditioning process," or a "2nd Stage Rev. 2.0 Molecular realignment process" and whatever pours forth from the ever fertile minds of the snakes who run these companies, a fuse will merely be a fuse. |
