@jadedavid : this is not an issue. Plenty of IEC adapters (meaning not cables) available for cheap on Amazon on the outlet / wall side that make this point moot IMO
Swiss Digital FUSE BOX Question Thread
Good Day
Over the last several weeks I have been receiving questions daily about the Swiss Digital Fuse Box
I have asked permission to post this thread.
Questions, needs, comments etc. – feel free to post here
I’m hopeful that by starting this thread those interested can get their questions answered.
Thanks – Mark
@jadedavid Thanks
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I have looked at these with great interest. However, a bit put off by needing the additional AC cable from the SDFB to the IEC. It's great to know that it is possible to hard wire it in. I understand the "safety" position as a manufacturer. There are those of us that can and others that can't (or shouldn't). It would be nice to have an option of purchasing SDFB's with hard wire pigtails or terminal pads for direct installation. One option might be to provide the SDFB's with a hard wired captive pigtail thus eliminating one AC junction. Another option would be to build the SDFB onto the back of an IEC. (Similar to what CorCom does). I understand that this would require some technical expertise to install, just like a fully hard wired version. But would eliminate multiple contact points of a "conventional" SDFB substitution. Some suppliers have a "DIY" section with products available for those that can.
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Can you take the fuse box... out of its box... so you can wire it in directly into an amplifier chassis? Wired directly to the IEC inlet! Or is it potted? I have an amp with 1x fuse on the inlet and 4x fuses on the amp boards. I have in the past run magnetically directional sluggos on the amp board and it made a large difference in sound. Going back to normal fuses was a noticeable downgrade. But if I could hardwire in a device like this I would remove not just the fuse but the fuse holder and jump it with good hookup wire (like VH Audio UPOCC). This will sound better than any sluggo. |
@thyname |
@harpo75 : I would start with swapping the fuse in one of the equipment. The easiest one to do. Perhaps the Schiit Yggy. Then, you can scale from there, depending whether it makes a positive difference for you. |
I have two large dual chassis mono-block amps that need 8 amp slow blows, so two there. A Schiit Yggy - 1/2 amp fuse. Preamp has two 2 amp slow blows (has different transformers which are individually fused, filaments turn on first (lots and lots of cap filtering so high turn on surge) but would only need one fuse box and wire passed both fuses. Also have an old very, very modded Theta tube preamp that I just use for the phono stage - 1 amp slow blow. This was the original Theta company with Mike Moffat and John Beatty. I’ve completely rebuilt it wit teflon tube sockets, completely new upgraded power supply and separate PS chassis, new high end caps like V-Cap Teflon’s and StealthCap’s, OCC wire, etc. Sound fantastic now. Also rebuilt a friends like this for him. It’s a wonderful preamp to start with but once updated and modded it’s amazing! |
How many devices you have that you are able to swap the fuses on? The reason I am asking is I can only do this in two of my devices. And I have more than two devices. And the two devices I can do this on, getting the Swiss Boxes, makes a big difference. For a few hundred dollars. However, I do realize that if your system is already $free ala Mahjister style, paying money for such Swiss stuff does not make any sense |
I’m just saying, for people that are going to take out the protection why don’t you get rid of the actual connection too. Every connection you can get rid of will improve the sound quality. I really like the idea of removing the connection all together and using something like the Swiss Digital Fuse Box. Just wish there was something more affordable to provide protection. No way I could afford one for each device on my retired budget. |
@harpo75 |
This is just a question, not a criticism. I’ve been wondering why everyone is working so hard on finding the right metal, polishing, etc. and not just bypassing the entire junk fuse holder and slug and just wiring passed the whole thing with good high end wire? Sometimes the AC wire comes in to a fuse holder which the wire could easily be unsoldered and moved over to the other end to bypass the holder. If the fuse holder is PC board mounted then just solder some good wire underneath from one solder joint to the other to bypass it. Then either no protection (I don’t recommend but whatever) or use the Swiss Digital Fuse Box. I would imagine this would sound a lot a lot better than a slug. Has anybody been experimenting with this? |
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@simguy
Yes, I know of several users that are polishing their Sluggos and reporting great results. I don’t feel it’s right to name them – so if they want to speak out they can. |
@simguy Do you polish your wires? Anybody got a physics based reason why smoother slugs would be better? like I said, I putt a matte finish on mine. Jerry |
@edisoncarter The slugs they gave me are still in the bag. Im afraid I chuckle at people who polish in a drill as I have a lathe and have polished 3" stainless steel shafts to mirror finish (lots of work even at 1500 rpm). but I don't find that a mirror finish is necessarily good. I make my own slugs from 5 9's occ copper. I put a new matte finish with scotchbrite. I think that makes the best electrical connection...that said the other half of the connection is a mass produced fuse holder. Jerry |
Thanks Jerry, and you are hereby rewarded for bucking the accepted wisdom (gaslighting) on electricity with this: Take the slug they give you, stick it in a drill and go through a series of fine sanding and polishing until an almost mirror shine is reached. Flip it over and do the other end, until the whole thing is shiny smooth. Remove all polishing residue with alcohol, and then replace.
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Agreed! I admit, I was very suspicious and outright scared to try this, but at the end, I am glad I did.
For people wondering: if their fuses are user replaceable, meaning don’t need to send back to the manufacturer to replace a blown fuse, this is as easy as replacing a blown fuse. You need three things to order the proper one:
1) Size: Small or Large 2) Amperage 3) Slow Blow or Fast Blow |
I have tested the SDFB and while I didn’t find it quit as good as my preferred plan of running with no protection (jump the fuse), it sounded almost as good in my system. I have found that most don’t have an interest in running without protection like I do; they gaslight me and call me an idiot (realize that these are accountants and lawyers talking down to a physicist about technical issues so you can imagine how much stock I put in their comments). But it is real that people don’t want to do what I do, and I respect that. For them I recommend the SDFB. It is much superior to just upgrading your fuse. Not only does it sound better, but it provides better protection than a fuse. I’ve seen fuses NOT BLOW and equipment fail on many occasions. My 40+ years of experience in the electrical industry tells me that the magnetic protection system used in SDFB is much more reliable than a fuse. Jerry |