Synergistic Red Fuse ...

Tonight's experience with Jeff's system again drove home this point, these fuses are absolutely directional. When Jeff reverse fuse direction the improvement was immediate and undeniable. 
Charles, 

I have a buddy whose like "Skeptic  Doug." I call him "Cynic Robert."

I wanted him to hear the improvement from the first Red fuse I installed in the line stage. Here's how I broke the news to him:

Me: "Hey Robert ...I added something to the system. Its terrific. Come on over for a listen." 

Robt:  "What did you do?" 

Me:  "Its so good, I want you to guess when you get here."

So for about the first hour into the session Robert is still guessing things like "tube rolling?" "New power cords?:" "You sprinkled magic dust all over your system?"

Then, I took the box the fuse came in and handed it to him. He was amazed at what that little critter did. 

After 50 years in commissioned sales I learned a long time ago ... if YOU say it, they don't believe you ... but if you can get THEM to say it, its the truth because in their mind, THEY don't lie, 

Robert's last words that night?:  "I'm buying these fuses!"

During the first listening session, Robert and I kept saying: "How can the system get better than this?" Well, after fitting the system with the RED fuses, the BLACK fuses were introduced.

That's how "it gets better than this!"

"During the first listening session, Robert and I kept saying: "How can the system get better than this?" Well, after fitting the system with the RED fuses, the BLACK fuses were introduced."

The Last Tweak Syndrome. It's difficult to imagine it can get better and the LAST tweak was the biggest.

Frank,
I'll give your friend Robert the same credit as I gave Jeff, at lease they listened and judged by what they heard. If you listen and aren't impressed, that's fine, you simply call it as you hear it, no problem. 

To conclude that a fuse cannot possibly contribute in the way they  do (without actually  listening) is à clear example of close mindedness and adherence to preconceived dogma. The beauty of audio is the opportunity to used your ears /brain and decide based on an actual encounter.
Charles,  

What I find interesting is why all the fuses in gear? Paul of TRL, RIP, never used fuses in his amps and preamps. No fuse sounds better than any high end fuse. He taught me to build amps and preamps with high quality circuit breaker switches as the on/off switch. No fuse! That is one reason his gear sounds do good. 

I noticed some designers have followed his lead, but not many. Big sound improvement opportunity for builders! 

Now dacs use several fuses beyond  the mains and present a different opportunity beyond the mains fuse. I have bypassed fuses (dacs & CD players) in the past and never had an issue. Fact is I have never had any fuse in digital gear blow. Never. Never heard of anyone blowing fuses in digital front ends beyond  the mains.  That being said, I don't want to mod my Luxman dac and will try some of these Black fuses soon.  

 I was wondering if anyone is trying "fuse rolling" in speakers. How about the Magnapan guys? They take fuses, right? Might be a significant improvement to be had there. 

FUSE assistance needed please:
I’m currently using my Music Culture MC 501A CDP as my transport and it pairs up with my Yamamoto YDA-01 Dac that has a SR Red fuse in it.
Before I drop some big dollars on the SR Black fuses etc., is a SR Red or Black fuse going to make any improvements in the Music Culture CDP that I’m using as a transport only?
Thank you for your thoughts.

I'm thinking that if there's a signal going through the Music Culture CDP that it would make an improvement. 

Lak,
I'm inclined to believe that a better fuse would  make a noticeable improvement. Paul  McGowan of PS Audio encourages owners of his transport to upgrade the fuse. I say go for it. ☺
Charles, 

Yes, it would help LAK. I know as I bypassed the fuse in a CEC transport and it improved the sound nicely.  A better fuse will also help as it approaches bypassing a fuse altogether, just not quite as good. 

I too have drank the Kool-aide, and installed a SR Black fuse into my Playback Design PDS-5, and two into my Veloce battery powered line stage. I have around 36 hours on them, and I can verify everything that Charles and Frank have claimed...my digital computer music now sounds more analog like; I'm hearing better details, subtle cues I never appreciated before, a fuller sonic density, and an overall much more pleasing sound quality. I have not yet tried switching directions, I am hoping I got it right the first time, but will perform that experiment after they are more fully broken in. Just another satisfied customer, grateful to follow on the backs of these pioneers who have alerted me to a relatively inexpensive tweak, that has exceeded my expectations in better sonic results..
Bob

Bob,how can a fuse in your battery powered preamp have any effect on sound quality if the pre is off the ac grid? Are the fuses connected in the dc circuit somehow? 

Bob ..

Glad you took the leap into the "Black" world of fuses. You're going to have to put another 30  hours on them before they really start coming alive, at which point the improvement they afford is mind boggling. Considering the price, and the fact that there's a 30 day return policy, it just seems to be a no brainer to me. 

As I mentioned somewhere else on this site, I've been in commissioned sales for over 50 years. There's a sales technic 

^^^^ There's a sales technique known as "The Puppy Dog Close." It goes like this ... Pet store owner: "Oh so you're undecided on whether you want to own this puppy? Well then ... why don't you take the puppy home for 30 days just to see if he/she would meet the needs of your family and fit in?."

Of course by the time the 30 days are up, you're so much in love with your new puppy that you wouldn't even think about returning it."  The SR 30 day trial on all of their products? A great puppy dog close. The products are so good, I don't imagine they get many returns on anything they build.  

Next up for me after three more BLACK fuses are installed into the system, is one of SR's wall sockets. Based upon what Charles says about what an upgrade this wall socket is, I just can't pass up that kind of improvement for a modest outlay of $95.00. 

Happy listening ... 

Aolmrd,,
there are 2 rail fuse holders in the main unit, not associated with the AC power charger unit, so yes, they are used in the DC circuits, and are 4amp solo blow . Started with PD Dac first, but now even better with battery powered line stage installed. Vytas, their designer thought it might help, so I did, and it does.

Frank,after  they are broken in would appreciate your help/ears to help me judge best orientation of fuse direction in my rig. Perhaps in two weeks more? Thanks..

I swapped the two Reds for Blacks in the Vac Avatar Integrated, and added two Blacks in a Benchmark DAC. Since I had already sent back the Reds, and added two more fuses, any A/B claims I make are not really Apple/Apple.   Frank, Charles, and others have done an excellent job of conveying their experience, and I’m not sure I can add much.

Day 1: After four hour burn.
The very first impression was that the sound was fatter and more centered than the Reds. That is, on the Reds, I heard more content in the mid to lower treble range compared to stock, but occasionally some of the clarity had a hint that some lower frequencies had been pared back so that there was less congestion and competition for the mid to lower treble. With the Blacks, there’s a sense that everything is there in fuller proportions. I had commented that the Reds made sources seem more naked, and the Blacks seem to restore some clothing. I wondered if I’d miss that quality of the Reds.

I agree with p59teitel that the bass is very tuneful on the Blacks, and seems more open and relaxed, as if you get a fuller palette of distinct notes in that range, and one extra note at the bottom. There is also a “black’ness” when bass notes are not present in the recording.

But there were some oddities. I had commented that the Reds seemed to move the percussive range of the Enya sound forward, which moved the voice back. To burn in the Blacks, I was using a shuffled playlist of six CD’s, and I swear that when an Enya track came on, it seemed much louder than the other tracks. Really odd, and I have no explanation, except her voice had moved forward and then some. Yeah, I know, “Enya?”

When I first played Graceland, I though it sounded a little odd, as if Ladysmith Black Mambazo had lost of little of their grunt and resonance.

And true to OregonPapa’s prediction, I listened for about ninety minutes, then watched the news.

Day 2:
After a night of burn, Graceland sounded much better, and the first clue of the Black’s strength appeared: On “Boy in a Bubble,” I didn’t just hear the beat and tap my foot; I inhabited the drummer’s body and played those drums with sway and delight. There’s also a subtle sense that the others playing instruments are individuals standing as discrete contributors, concentrating on getting it right.

Ripple (American Beauty, Dead) never sounded so intimate or as nuanced.

The Kiko album (Los Lobos) is a thing to behold with new separation, power, and great rhythmic structure. The band is heard as both cohesive unit and individual virtuosity.

I like the album “Diamond Mountain Sessions” by Sharon Shannon, which is Irish acoustic, spanning guest artists. The track “Galway Girl” has Steve Earle in the room in full twang. Sometimes, Sharon’s instruments melodically squeak, and it’s obvious that the Blacks are revealing more of the higher registers and rapidly sliding notes, riding on top a solid, fuller foundation by the band.

At this point, I’d say there was more “Wow” coming from stock fuses to Reds, and the Blacks add a sense of completeness and increased energy flow.

Day 3 – Just buy the Blacks.
On my modest system, everything is better. I would have described my speakers as slightly mellow, but now I hear chimes and bells shimmering in authenticity. The highs are extended. The bass is extended. The sound stage went from five feet tall to six, and there seems about a foot of added depth on good recordings.  Instrument separation changes your experience of well-known tracks. On jazz piano, you hear the piano, and not just piano notes.

I’ll end by sharing that I played side 2 of Abbey Road louder than I ever had to let the Black changes wash over me. “Here Comes the Sun” had been a tidy, polite piece, but now it has power, depth and separation that transforms it. Throughout the entire side, McCartney’s bass and Ringo’s drums are separate instruments, clearly rendered, that you can’t help but follow and appreciate the musicianship.

I half expect the members of this thread to be contacted by scientists, psychiatrists, or perhaps the old UFO Hunters team. What shouldn’t make any/much difference is praised by all observers as real and amazing. Tip o’ hat to OregonPapa – the prophet.

Well, despite my utter disbelief in this company's "quantum chips", I'm ready to bite the bullet on their fuses... too much universal praise in here for it to be wrong.  Anyone who upgraded to Blacks want to get rid of some Reds?  I need four slow-blow 5x20mms; two 1.6As and two 1As.

If anyone wants to do that, just PM me: https://www.audiogon.com/users/cal3713/feedbacks

Thanks,
Chris   

SR makes quantum chips? For real?

electroslaker ...

What a wonderful review. You have pretty much said it best so far. I don't know if you have any small group classical music. If you do, and you have a really good recording where a cello is involved, you want to be sure to give it a listen. What you heard with the sound of the piano, not the notes, but the actual organic sound of the piano like the wood, the creaks and the pianist working the pedals, really comes through on cello. The cello parallels the human voice more than most instruments, being in the lower mid-range and all, the cello on my recordings is just somehow "right;" more emotional, visceral and organic. Simply beautiful. 

Uhh ... is there some type of game on today. I think I heard something about a football game. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to miss it. The cellos are calling ... the cellos are calling .... SAVE ME!!!!

Fran6,
Yeah,Panthers vs the Broncos, has the  potential to be a compelling game  with two top level defensive units. We've soon see. 

Electroslaker, 
Very nice detailed post. You take a back seat to no one. 
That's far more detail than I have ever provided. I tend to summarize and write the gist of what I hear. I'm glad that the fuses worked out so well in your system. 
Charles, 

lak:
I have changed out the rail fuse on the Marantz SACD player that only sends power to the unit's transport and laser. No other changes. Big improvement in sound! This fuse location is important.

Oregonpapa:

The wall outlet upgrade is going to make a significant difference in sound. If you have more than one outlet on your audio circuit,  each one upgraded will make a difference. They need 7 to 14 days to break in. At first you will hear a "louder" more forward sound. It may sound "out of Focus" several hours later. 24 hours latter somewhat better, and then when you are tired of wondering if they are that helpful they suddenly open up like the fuses do.

Cellos also sound Great with the Black fuses in my system.

I hope you will listen to Zuill Bailey's newest release of cello and guitar music."Arpeggione" by Zuill Bailey and David Leisner. Azica label. It will be released on Amazon at the end of the month. Zuill's 1693 cello has the best tone out there. You will hear the rosin flying off the strings!

David Pritchard

David,

Looking forward to purchasing the CD you mentioned; cello and acoustic guitar are my favorite...

wig:

I think it is a great CD and very well recorded.
Juillard String Quartet come to Las Cruces, New Mexico March11, and El Paso,Texas  March12. If you can go I have tickets.

cal3713
Synergistic Research passes a burst of High Voltage thru many of their products which they call Quantum Tunneling.
WA Quantum Chips are made by a European company. They do affect the sound when placed on electrical components.

David & Wig ...

If you guys like jazz AND cello, check out the Chico Hamilton Quintet from the late 50's and early 60's. Fred Katz on jazz cello. The best. This group was considered to be quite advent guard back in the day. Oh yeah ... that was during the Beatnik days. We were cool. Yep.   

This is the one you'd be looking for. 

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chico-Hamilton-Quintet-EX-LP-Stereo-1225-/291580021140?hash=item43e3860994:g...

Be careful if you order it. It came in both stereo and mono. The stereo is MUCH better. 

Oregonpapa, Charles1dad, Grannying, Davidpritchard,Marqmike;
Thanks for the advice, I'll replace that fuse too.

oregonpapa:
Thank you for the suggestion on Chico Hamilton.

Do the Black fuses also make a difference in speakers? Well they certainly do in subwoofers!  I changed out the Isoclean 6 amp fuse to the Synergistic Research Black, and at this location the Black fuse also makes an important improvement to the system's sound. The Isoclean fuse had a much lesser effect.

David Pritchard

Thanks for the correction David. As you point out, it appears I'm lumping anyone using the term quantum into a single sales category.  That makes me feel better about the fuses. 

Ok so  there is a featured listing on Agon for Synergistic Quantum Black Fuse that indicates use of Graphene in the fuse, which would be a fairly significant thing I would guess  regardless of how it may or may not sound.

Yet on vendors site they mention use of a "special alloy" but not Graphene specifically it seems.

So is it or is it not using Graphene?   Anyone know for sure?

The add also states:

"The Synergistic Research BLACK Quantum Fuse is by far Synergistic's highest performance fuse to date. Introducing Synergistic Research BLACK featuring a patent pending UEF coating and Graphene with 8 million times the conductive density of copper. "

8 million times?   As Maxwell Smart used to say I find that hard to believe!   Maybe I'm wrong.   If true, I would really like to hear the difference (without without having to drop $100 up front though if avoidable).

Any clarifications appreciated.   These kinds of wild claims from high end companies really set off my BS meter.

Glad they sound and work well according to the users in any case.

 

I’m going to go out on a limb a little bit here and just a wild guess, but is Graphene by any chance, uh, black?
:-)

idle question: anyone know where I can pick up some Graphene hookup wire?

sidebar: Mapman, I can’t see you buying an aftermarket fuse. Sorry. No way, no how. Not a red one, white, black one. It’s not in your nature. Too much angst.

;-)

I will buy anything possibly if the value proposition is there.

$100 fuse? Maybe. It all depends on the detailed facts which with high end tweaks are often murky at best. Individuals proclaiming better sound are always useful data points. A somewhat large consensus over time is even better.

In general I shy away from things shrouded in secrecy and murky facts because the value proposition is not clear.

I have no problem conceiving that a fuse could be a performance bottleneck in some cases so I think it is a topic worth understanding better. Certainly a fuse that is blown does not sound at all and fuses are not strict binary devices so all intermediate states of sound quality from properly functioning fuse to blown fuse are surely possible. So I have no doubt each fuse can sound different and often might even.

Also I am guessing if graphene is used, its the conductive filament on the inside out of view.

If one of these suckers ever blows and becomes useless and gets replaced like can happen to any fuse worth their salt, maybe someone will open it up and check out the magic sauce inside and report? That would be interesting.

If in fact its 8000000 times as conductive as alternatives, graphene or otherwise, I might be convinced to bite the bullet and try. That would be a good indicator that this is truly an innovative product that might push some boundaries. Like magnetic wires but only $100, a bargain by audiophile standards for a tweak that works.

if not its just false advertising by the high end audio guys distributing Synergistic and others. Not good....

BTW I see at least one other product listed on Synergistic site indicating use of graphene, so apparently its something SR deals with. I just did not see anything indicating graphene used specifically in the SR fuses. It would impress the heck out of me personally if true, FBOFW.

Mapman, I feel your angst. The Polaroid Land camera produced the same sensation in that remote island in the middle of nowhere when it was demonstrated to the natives.

If it had not been for personal accounts, the marketing of Synergistic Research would have pushed me away from trying their fuses.

Mapman 02-08-2016 1:48pm
These kinds of wild claims from high end companies really set off my BS meter.

Glad they sound and work well according to the users in any case.

+1 on both counts.

I for one would be much more inclined to try a tweak that is seemingly inexplicable, or one whose degree of efficacy seems inexplicable, if the manufacturer simply stated that they do not really know how it works, but that they have empirically found that it does. Rather than providing explanations that strike me as some combination of marketing-ese and techno-babble (to coin a couple of expressions).

BTW, for anyone who may be interested Wikipedia has what appears to be a good writeup on quantum tunneling. Also BTW, I see no mention in the writeup of ultra-high voltages, such as two million volts.

That said, I do respect and value the fairly overwhelming acclamations of these fuses that have been offered in this thread, especially taking into account the credibility many of the posters have clearly earned here over the years. And I wouldn't rule out the possibility that I may just try one. Although not before I get through the breakin and fine-tuning of tonearm adjustments for my recently acquired AT-ART9 phono cartridge, which I decided to go for based largely on acclamations provided by some of these same posters :-)

Regards,
-- Al
 

Mapman ...

You've been active in this thread almost from the beginning ... and you're still in doubt?? Even with a 30 day return policy?

You remind me of my brother Bob. He came for a two week visit from his home in Tennessee a couple of months ago. When he got here, he set his wallet down on my kitchen counter. Two moths flew out. :-)

What could be a better deal than a 30 day guarantee other than SR paying you to try the fuses? 

electroslaker ... 

I hear what you're saying. That's why I decided to open this thread. I took a $100 flier on my first SR RED fuse, fully expecting to be burned once again by the usual hype foisted upon us by charlatans preying on us hapless audio addicts. Most of us remember the Tice Clock and the green CD paint, right?  I was so amazed by that first SR RED fuse in the system that I just had to share the information with the folks here on A'Gon. At this point, it looks like everyone trying them hears what I, Charles, Richard, Wig, etc., are hearing ... with one exception ... and he didn't let the fuse break in long enough. 

What do you think? Is mapman a lost cause?  Maybe we should take up a collection. :-)

PS: Just kidding mapman. :-)

Al,

A sensible position to take, as usual.

Its a reasonable argument I think that a fuse that conducts better and is less susceptible to vibrations and resonances performs better and might even sound better in some cases as a result.

No two anything are ever created exactly equal.  Its more a matter of how different and how significant case by case.

As long as the fuse blows properly when it should, all one is out is $100 which is peanuts for a tweak in these parts.

BTW by far my best $100 tweak to date is use of isolating speaker stands and platforms in that price range in two of my 5 listening rooms where called for.   This has probably saved me thousands of dollars mucking around with more expensive gear to no end comparable.    Even my grandmother could hear similar differences in both cases.   Who knows what might happen with a really good or innovative  funky fuse.

Almag ...

The AT ART-9 is a wonderful cartridge in spite of the low cost (in high end terms). Very good choice. Its my last cartridge. I see no reason to spend anymore on a cartridge, and I've had the $3000 + ones in the system over the years.

 To me, this is what A'gon is all about. We would never have known about the ART-9 without Pani directing us to it and sharing the information with us. 

As far as the two SR Black fuses in the CD player ... at this point, I believe they are fully broken in. I have a CD player that retailed for $10,000. It was sent back to ARC for the power supply upgrade when it was made available. A fine player, indeed. I used it mainly for convenience ... like when I read, or just didn't want to continually get up to change or clean a vinyl record. With the SR fuse upgrades, I can honestly say that I had NO IDEA just  how good Red Book CD's could sound. The turntable always won out for critical listening. Now, the CD player is not only on a par with my vinyl rig ... but in many ways it surpasses it. 

Take care ...

"You’ve been active in this thread almost from the beginning ... and you’re still in doubt?? Even with a 30 day return policy?"

A 30 day return policy would sem to take the risk out of it.

Thing is I spent a lot of time and effort to get just the sound that I have currently, so I am not interested in rocking the cart. When times comes to replace a fuse, I would consider these. Have not done the research yet to determine the best option and cost. I would want to be confident whatever product I buy will not damage my gear. I can assure all I will not knowingly  buy an inferior quality fuse.

What device has been found the better fuse makes the biggest difference?

Would need to see what fuses are in my current gear that could be replaced as well. I have amps, a pre-amp, an integrated amp and a DAC that might be candidates.

Mapman:
I am glad you mentioned the fact that your Grandmother could hear and appreciate the improved sound using isolating speaker stands.

My Mother is 92 and legally blind from macular degeneration. Like your Grandmother she appreciates what she hears, and probably could care less what isolating material  a speaker stand uses or what materials or treatments are done to a fuse to improve the music. Many days are difficult for my Mother. When she feels  the stress of advanced age she turns on her music system. She has the Synergistic Research Black fuses installed in her DAC, Amp, and Sub Woofers. They were installed one at a time and each time she heard an improvement. She gladly paid the cost of the fuses. She said "Well your spending your inheritance".

I answered , " No my inheritance is the joy I hear in your voice and the smile I see on your face  when you listen to your music:.

Nobody can take that away from me.

David Pritchard

I look at audiogon as a community of like minded people sharing a comment passion. As a result a level of trust and respect is developed and information and experiences are shared. For example it was Grannyring who 4 years ago  enthusiastically recommended to me to try the Duelund CAST capacitors in my speaker's crossover. Due to my high regard for his judgement and taste I heeded his advice.  This was one of the best decisions I've made for my audio system. This is one example out of many that I could cite. 

Over the years on this forum I've given and have received worthwhile advice and impressions on numerous products. When I stop to ponder on it I appreciate exactly how long that list has become. There have been many rewarding experiences for me on Audiogon.  Oregonpapa started this thread and it caught my interest.  I am ever grateful he took the time to  share his very positive outcome with the SR Red fuses.  I payed little attention to the marketing advertising, rather I put weight based on the reliable members direct listening impressions and their commentary. 

I'm sure he had no idea or intention to generate the response that followed, but good news about good sounding and affordable  products do have a way of spreading. This benefits many of us music lovers and strengthens bonds of trust. These premium fuses discussed here are superb and inexpensive for what they render. The icing on the cake is you have 30 days to judge their worth in your own system. What could be better than that opportunity?  The multitude of testimonials of seasoned and reputable members here is inspiring in my opinion. 
Charles, 

mapman ...

I had completely changed all of my HFi tuning fuses for the SR RED fuses. The first ones went into the ARC REF-3 line stage. Big bang there.  It seemed to be the most effective place at the time. BUT, when I replaced the RED fuses in the CD player with the Black fuses, I'd say that the source is the biggest improvement.  That was a HUGE bang for the buck. After the 70 hour break in time, the Black fuses, much to my amazement, are just stomping all over the RED fuses. Now, keep in mind that I still have the RED fuses in the line stage, the phono stage and the amp. I'll be swapping those out for the BLACK fuses soon ... one at a time.

I played records last night instead of CD's ... and I have to say, those RED fuses in the phono stage still sound (or don't sound as the case may be), amazing too. So freakin' musical.  

Stay tuned.

OP

David ...

What a wonderful testament to your mother. God bless her ... and you too for being the son you are.  The world is full of people who took their parents for granted and are ruing the day. One thing for sure, David, discipline weighs ounces ... regret weighs tons.  

Charles ...

Yes, you are exactly right. This thread was started with no expectation of where it would lead. I visited the Synergistic Research Facebook site last night. They have a link to this thread. As a result, this thread is being shared with our international audio friends as well. 

Quite honestly, I hope the SR guys sell a million of these fuses. They deserve it. Hey, three thumbs up for capitalism!

Take care ...

Mapman,
I'm inclined to suggest source or the preamp based on my listening.  Knghifi on the other hand found his power  amplifiers the most receptive.  So as is often the case in audio ,it just depends. 

Recently replaced my former ModWright SWL 9.0 SE with the LS 36.5. The difference between the two units is night and day. The LS 36.5 is far better. Per Dans suggestion added a WyWyres Silver Juice II PC and a set of Daedalus DiDs. Both remarkable products and even pushes the LS 36.5 into another league.

Replaced all stock tubes with a NOS Mullard GZ34 and Cryoset Certified EH 6H30Pi. I did the tube replacement at different times and both upgrades made a noticeable improvement. After the tube change added Herbie Tube Dampers on all tubes. Again, improvements.

Lastly I just installed the controversial Synergistic Research Black Fuse. Everyone says give them time to burn in and you need to flip them to make sure they're in the right direction. Well I don't know about how much time is needed before they start sounding their best or if I just got lucky on the direction I put them in but "I'm Sold."

Definitely praise to all the tweaks I've done on my LS 36.5. Anyone who has a ModWright LS 36.5 owes it to themselves to try any or all of the tweaks I've done on this pre. It's a great Preamp and hats off to Dan. Job well done.

Yes, I'll be ordering more of the fuses for my other equipment and a couple more sets of the Daedalus DID's.

Charles1dad, eventually we replace every fuse so does it really matters where one starts? :-) Bottom line is, Just Do It!

Knghifi,
I agree with that, I was just responding to Mapnan's specific inquiry.  But yes,for the  low cost of entry, just buy the fuse and listen.😊
Charles, 

Charles1dad, 
I've been rolling after market fuses for YEARS, when HiFi-Tuning Gold was only game in town.   So I'm going to replace all 5 SR REDs with BLACKs at the same time.   Only amateurs replace one at a time.  LOL!

^^^  Hey ,,, I represent that!!  *lol*

I have to agree that the SR Blacks are a significant improvement over the Reds in my Bryston BDP-2. They do require quite a bit of break-in for the sound to fully stabilize, but you will mostly have fun along the way. You seriously need to give them 150 - 200 hours to really get a handle on them sonically. To me, the Black fuses create a stunningly dramatic drop in the noise floor allowing for new levels of transparency and dimensionality. Textural expression of voices and instruments is strikingly apparent and real. Bass is amazing. Decay goes on forever. And on and on. Now I’m thinking of replacing the Reds in my DAC/Pre and my tube monos...