Synergistic Red Fuse ...
First and most importantly thank you Frank for your detailed report on the sonic changes you experienced with the Synergistic Research Black fuses. I am so glad to see your energy level is back after your surgery. gbmcleod makes a very important point. These fuses and wall outlets do have a dramatic effect on a system's sound. My main three systems use a combination of different wall outlets (Red and Black) to achieve that most perfect sound. So experiment and have satisfaction in doing so. Gb is absolutely correct. Utilize the Synergistic Research (or other fuse makers ) return policy to your advantage. Only the end user can determine if the fuse makes their system sound better. My Mother (age 93) is looking forward to auditing the Blue fuse in her new Nelson Pass amplifier ! I am looking forward to a "well done- son " reply from my Mother when she hears the effects of the new fuse. David Pritchard |
Allan ... My "honest opinion" was expressed on the previous page in my review of the new SR BLUE fuses. Every word is true. Its another amazing advancement. Well worth replacing the Black fuses with the Blues. I was listening to a few Kingston Trio CD's tonight ... and those guys were in the room. Frank |
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In the meantime things are sounding incredible at my place. Someone mentioned the good results could be because of a reduction in high frequencies. Nope. The highs are more extended than ever .... as is the bass extension. Seamless. That would kind of be me. The highs can still be extended in frequency, yet still be reduced in low levels. To those talking about bypassing the fuses, or avoiding them...yes, there can be benefits in transparency and dynamics. Bypassing is obviously a risk. I only do so in a power conditioner that did not need a fuse. The one advantage to these audiophile fuses is that they use noise and vibration reducing materials, that you may not be able to (or some cases not want to) replicate when bypassing a fuse, or using a circuit breaker. |
I like my reds and one black. Really glad I got them. I have no big desire to change. Music is scintillating as of now. Not going to worry about a tiny bit better. If I get a different component I will put a blue in it. These fuses are such a good value for performance to me. However if someone had the right used one for sale I might get it and would have fun trying it out. |
@almarg & @auxinput, Yes, yes, yes, I understand the perils of doing such a thing but please, no 'Perils of Pauline'. 😄 I like both of you guys and just looking at what I said is pretty much summed up at the end. No fuse is better than a fuse. So, taking things a step or two further, a better made fuse is preferable to a bog standard one. Citing people who've done it with positive results is not an outright endorsement of doing it. Imagining a world where is can be done (and maybe shouldn't) doesn't necessarily mean I will do it. I could have said it better but I think I've posted here enough for one to see what I meant. If not: ignosce me, pardonne moi, vergib mir, perdoname All the best, Nonoise |
Rauliruegas 9-22-2017Raul & Nonoise, with due respect I'm surprised that the two of you would make such statements, as if what you have described has no downside in terms of safety. It should not be necessary for me to explain why the approach you have described amounts to a significant safety risk, not to mention a risk to your investment in the equipment, so I won't take the time to do so. Regards, -- Al |
Well, I can understand that no fuse is better than fuse. However, you are potentially setting yourself up for failure. I'm sure you know that removing the fuse and hard-wiring will VOID any sort of manufacture warranty that you have. The other thing you don't realize is that the fuse is meant to blow when the unit pulls more A/C current than is expected. This can happen when you have huge inrush of current to the transformer. However, it can also happen when there is a short somewhere in the circuit. If the short causes significantly more current to be pulled in than expected, it can actually fry multiple elements in your circuit. An example would be a preamp/DAC device that should not have a fuse higher than 1-2 amps. If you remove the fuse and something shorts, you can cause more problems than just the shorted area. Resistors blow, electrolytic caps blown, op amps, etc. etc. I have no doubt that it sounds better, but the risk is yours to take if you wish. Not saying that your equipment will be fried by an uncommon short or circuit failure. It's that 0.02% chance that something MIGHT happen. Up to you. |
@rauliruegas I think you just hit the proverbial nail on the head. If someone has, let's say, whole house surge protection (i.e. at the fuse box) then it would negate the need for fuses, period. The same would go for anyone with surge protection for their components. Others here have done that already and like you, sing the praises of going fuse free. An audio dealer who I live nearby told me a similar thing when I told him the benefits I got with aftermarket fuses: use a copper bar or just pullout the fuse holders and solder it up with wire and I'd be floored with what I hear. And, that I"d never go back. You wouldn't need a double blind, AB/X test. Just one system with fuses and another identical system without and then watch for the furrowed brows and angry retorts. All the best, Nonoise |
Dear @oregonpapa : As many of us years ago I learned and understand that the best capacitor or resistor is: no capacitor/no resistor at all, only the best type of these items where is need it. Two years ago and after I installed separate power line regulators/surge protectors/noise reduction items in my system came to my mind that maybe the best fuse is not-fuse at all. I have to say that I used almost every new kid in the block but the blues. So I took action and due that I had KCAG silver Kimber Kable I decided to eliminate every single input fuse and fuse's holders from my whole electronics including subwoofers and use the KK cable. All my electronics are SS. I decided to do it thinking that if the power line now is fully regulated and bullet proff with surge protrectors then the item input fuses are just out of the " equation ", we don't need it any more. Differences with out any single input fuses ( it does not matters which ones we have installed. ) is nigth and day. You just can live with out this kind of set up. It's a no return-road. Any one can do this and we can have a quality level improvement that no " Diamond SR " fuse can outperforms. Just try it and compare vs your blues. It could be a learning audio task. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Graphene is a two dimensional material one ( count em) molecule in thickness. If anyone is suspending Graphene in something it ain't really Graphene anymore, is it? For example, the super strength of Graphene is a characteristic of the sheet of Graphene not the individual molecules or groups of molecules of graphite or whatever. By the way, teeny tiny tweezers and scissors are needed to even handle and cut the stuff. ✂️ |
theaudiotweak, Hey Tom in response to your second to last post, very soon something is coming out for you to try on those nickle plated ends! I am pretty sure anyone who uses it is going to be really shocked at what it does. For the sake of pure transparency, I know this because it is going to come out of my workshop. Please be a little more patient I promise it will be worth the wait. I honestly thought it would be out by now, but everything has to be perfect or a no go. Product is set, just a few more loose ends to deal with. |
Wait a minute…can you replace your fuses with tennis racquets? On a positive note I do like Sherwin Williams paint though…good stuff. My contention has always been that in spite of "special" "directional" fuses supposedly helping technology march on toward audio nirvana, I'm again reminded that a fuse is there to melt if needed. That's it. Melt. Like Ted Denney's imaginary patent claims…blown like a bad circuit. |
It took you guys long enough to find the patent. 😁 I am slightly dubious about the Blue fuses. Usually these options that lower noise throw out the baby with the bath water. Yes, you get a lower noise floor, but it's usually achieved by removing the low level high frequencies. If you want that pinpoint imaging, and in-room sound, then that's fine. Given OP's description of the Blue fuse, that sounds like the case. I'm left unsure of whether to keep my order of the sale priced Black fuse, replace it with a Blue, or get both. It's too bad they won't replace the sale price Black with a Blue for the $20 extra. |
Al, With the proper spelling I found this..https://www.google.com/patents/US9732234.. Two days ago I was doing a search for graphene suspensions and I found mentions of patents that Sherwin Williams had for paints and industrial coating that contain graphene as surface protectant. The http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/100399-enabl-processes.html .. U.S. patent # 5,304,746 of Bud Purvine can also be applied to all flat surfaces including walls and ceilings...everyone seems to guess why this surface treatment works,,and it does and why the particular material was chosen as the paint. Not much to do with standing waves...In my opinion the pattern and the conductive surface speed of the cured paint are the key. Thanks Al..Tom |
mattspl "One thing I noticed though which differs from most users here is that I found the fuses to perform better with the writing against the current flow. I experienced that slight out of phase sensation with the fuses this way but then they transform bringing out a huge, wide and deep soundstage with imaging I’ve never heard so good in my system. Reversing the fuse direction, so the writing goes with the current flow causes the mids and highs to be recessed and detail and imaging lost." >>>>>Makes sense to me. The bottom line is the fuse - any fuse, even stock off the shelf fuses - should be tried both ways. You cannot necessarily rely on the manufacturer to keep track of directionality of the wire. Even HiFi Tuning says, try it both ways, even though there’s an Arrow (diode) symbol on the fuse. For a long time if memory serves SR used to claim that their patented million volt treatment made their fuses non directional. Not sure if they’ve backed off that claim but they probably should if they haven’t. 😀 |
Thank you, Tom (Theaudiotweak). For the record, though, his name is spelled "Denney," not "Denny." That misspelling has also been made by a number of others during the course of this thread. The only mention of SR or any of its products I found in my search of granted patents and patent applications was a very brief mention in the text of two patents involving dielectric bias techniques that had been jointly granted in 2006 and 2011 to Bill Low and Richard Vandersteen. But neither those patents nor anything else I found made reference to any patents granted to or applied for by SR or Mr. Denney. Regards, -- Al |
Almarg and Wolf I have some experience with patents and their searches. I did not find a thing on either the company or Mr. Denny, however I did look several years ago and found a patent application for Mr.Denny I cannot remember for what field the application was made. I did not see a patent granted..but there is a lot of info to comb out on the USPTO site. I use n52 cylinder magnets and not fuses. Someone asked about nickel over brass.. The magnets are nickel plated to reduce or eliminate corrosion of the compressed neo powder underneath which is highly absorbent to ambient moisture. Maybe someone on the thread has experience with applying a graphene suspension.. like a liquid to conductive metals. I would like to try such an application of graphene to the nickel plating of the cylinder magnets. In hopes the enhanced conductive surface and the magnet within would make for an even more powerful music presentation. Tom |
I’ve been trying out these Black fuses over the last couple of months after reading about them here. I’ve been using Hifi Tuning fuses for the last 10 years or so. The first Black fuse I tried was in the Ac inlet of my power regenerator. Huge improvement. I’ve since put them into my Dac and Speaker management unit. I’m now eager to try the Blue fuses. One thing I noticed though which differs from most users here is that I found the fuses to perform better with the writing against the current flow. I experienced that slight out of phase sensation with the fuses this way but then they transform bringing out a huge, wide and deep soundstage with imaging I’ve never heard so good in my system. Reversing the fuse direction, so the writing goes with the current flow causes the mids and highs to be recessed and detail and imaging lost. |
Almarg...thanks for the research. I will now direct all of my patent queries to you! Also note that Uncle Ted didn't notice your post or simply couldn't respond to the patent issue about which nobody seems to care (lying is seemingly OK these days), and I have to say I agree with this part of what he wrote: "the Black fuse which is every bit as good today as it was when it was when first launched two years ago." Indeed, it still does it's inexplicable (or at least unexplained…by anybody), unverifiable and utterly nonsensical thing of nothing except continuing to fleece of the faithful. You go Ted, and since you read this stuff, how about offering a response to the patent question? I'll stand corrected if you actually did patent the thing…I'll wait right here…. |
Yes, My Papa. Me, either. So much so that I ordered 3. I kept deleting the 4th one from the order. It was a 5A fuse that I was going to put into the PS Audio. I had to remind myself to test only the NAD, although I looked at the CJ preamp, longingly beaming telepathic thoughts at it: "Couldn’t you, wouldn’t you....like to be Blue along with me?????" But then I head the voice of God (Lew Conrad or Bill Johnson) from the past, saying we’ve never found another fuse that works as well as the ones we use in our components. Hearing the voice of God makes one crumble. Defeated, I did not order fuses for the ET3 preamp, although I cried bitter tears at God, saying "...but isn’t it even remotely possible...there could be even more Light??" God did not answer and I did not want to tempt his wrath, so virginal shall the ET3SE remain. But some day...I mean, after all, I put the EAT 88 tube in the CJ and it - and I - have not yet exploded from the wrath of GOD. And I looked for where the 3rd fuse is located in the CJ (God hid it), so I was defeated by the fact that it was not visible to my fading mortal eyes. Besides that, it is well after 3 a.m. and there I was on my knees in front of the CJ instead of reclining in my bed. And so didst I retire. I shall diminish and fade into dreams, filled with images of Blues skies, Blue birds, Blue Oceans, Blue Fish and Blue fuses... |
I agree with Oregonpapa: try the fuses and return them within 30 days if they don’t improve your system. I have no qualms whatsoever about doing this. Not that I was thrilled at the increase in price (is anyone????), but given that I can get my money back without question, I see this as a win-win situation. I’ve returned fuses to VH Audio and not heard a whimper out of the owner. At least Synergistic is smart enough to put their money where their mouth is, and say, if you don’t like it, return it. I WILL say that I did NOT like their Black outlet. Not.At. All. And I returned it. It started out sounding good, but then lapsed into a rather generic sound. Of course, it can be that the outlet surpassed my test system, which is inexpensive, but I’m under the belief that if it takes a 10k amp, 10k preamp, 5k CD player, 3k interconnects, 3k speaker cable, 4k equipment rack, and an army of other accoutrements to demonstrate the improvement, then I that’s pathetic. I mean, I don’t expect a Best Buy integrated to show off the fuses, but NAD, Arcam, and Hegels are plenty good enough to show off if the fuses work. So, as far as my preference with SR’s outlets, I preferred the 2nd generation Red, even though it had a "bite" in the lower treble. It also had a magnificence on voices that was hard to beat, as well superb rhythm and the ability to stop-on-a-dime - when the music stopped on a dime! However, I was not pleased when, a year ago, I asked a straightforward question of SR about the new Black outlet, and about whether the "bite" (of the Red one) had been resolved in the Black version, and received a marketing person’s emailed response that I had to "hear it to believe it." (I worked in PR for the mayor of San Francisco, and I know a non-answer when I hear one). Fine. I bought it and I heard it. On MY system, it stunk. Fortunately, the fuses never do, although I would say - and quite LOUDLY - that not every new fuse works best in each piece of equipment. For example, in my PS Audio Power Plant, The Red outperformed the Black (and another user on here came to the exact same conclusion, independent of me. In fact, I didn’t even know him until I happened across his thread and saw that he had written exactly what I had written in an entirely separate thread). So, I’m going to order a Blue or two (not for the Power Plant, though. I came across an Audio Horizon fuse I’d lost (things get lost around my place: it’s like the Bermuda Triangle) and put it in the Power Plant and expected exactly nothing. But I got a beautiful tone.Not euphonic, since Burt Bacharach’s solo ’70s albums still sound awful (Casino Royale was a ’60s album, for the sharp-eyed). It sounded that way last night, as a matter of fact! So, either the Reds and the Blacks are voiced for certain components remains to be seen. (They seem to like Audio Research’s electronics). And I wasn’t keen on SR’s upper level interconnects, either. One was lean, and the other was clearly "rich." Anyway. The Audio Horizon put the Red fuse to shame. Now, someone on another thread posited that it could be how slowly the circuit "discharges" or something technical - and he could easily be right. I don’t care. I tried it in 3 different systems and I could hear its sonic character. Which is fine: everything has at least a slight character. As long as I can identify it objectively, then I can subjectively decide if I want to keep it. But I want to be able to identify it objectively first. So, tomorrow - oh, it’s ALREADY tomorrow - I’ll get a Blue. Well, I’ll get two, because after all, I want to make sure one component is not hiding back the Blue’s effect. And I’ll report it. By the way, the "cheap" system is an NAD C325BEE ( I have friends with the 326 and 356, so I can try the fuses in their setup, too ). A CJ ET3SE and a Classic Sixty sitting around with my Hurricanes. Nordost Frey 2 and Nola Contenders (and, let me tell you: the Nolas are one of the ONLY speakers I’ve EVER had that tell you instantly if your azimuth is off, or VTA needs tweaking). And for a $3500 pair of speakers to do that...well, the only other ones I’ve had that do that are the little Sound Dynamics RTS-3s. My WATT/Puppies/Convergent/Goldmund Memesis 9/Versa Dynamics 2.3/Goldmund Accurate/Transparent Reference/MIT (whichever speaker cable I had in 2005) didn’t even do it that easily. So, either I was lousy with room setup (sure, sure) or it was something else, I’ll never know now. Oh, did I mention I’ve given RTS-3s to three friends??? For $150 used, THEY will also immediately show a dirty needle, as a friend of mine with the NAD 326 discovered two weeks ago, when I brought over the Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Platform for him to hear his (inexpensive) Denon turntable on. (It was eye-opening how "human" singers’ voices sounded. You could hear the nasality in Paul Simon’s voice on "I Am A Rock" as well as his bitterness (and bitterness is - in my opinion - hard to hear clearly on an audio system). So, the Blues will get around in the 30 days I have them. I hope I hate them, because I don’t want to spend the money. But if they work in these inexpensive systems, I’ll let you know. FAST. And then I’ll move them to the better system, whose provenance I ain’t sayin’. But maybe it takes a system like Frank’s to make ’em shine. And so, if it takes a $50k system to make ’em shine, then we should all know that, right? Let The Games Begin! It’ll either cost me nothin’ (by the time 30 days is up) or it’ll cost $750 for 5 of ’em. Hey, I’ll be sellin’ the old ones at really good prices. I believe we should ALL be able to enjoy music without it costing us an arm and a leg, so keep an eye out. I’ll put ’em on Audiogon for fun prices! |
Thanks for your review of the new SR Blues, Frank. Had just purchased some SR Blacks via the three-for-two sale. I put a 4A in each of my Strata III subs (stock = 3.15A), paired with Maggie 3.6Rs. These SR Blacks replaced the SR 20's. At first listen, I had to lower the 30hz roll offs to 26hz and turn the volumes down by a third. As they break in, the bass just bubbles forth in warm, extended waves of depth. I also helped the ARC 210's with SR Blacks by pushing the AC mains up a few amps from stock--also an amazing increase in soundstage, quieter background and better bottom end. It must seem crazy and reckless to some of you, but over many trials of fuse brands in the same system over many years, these SR's are the real deal in extending the quality of sound in older systems. I will eventually add the Blues to my Maggies at 8A and 16A values, another reckless value over stock, but this is where the most dramatic results have always occurred. Anyone with Maggies--you should jump on board with the SR Black/Blue. |
New Kid on The Block Synergistic Research Quantum BLUE fuses. Thanks to Alfred, owner of Highend Electronics, I had the good fortune to have the chance to try a set of the new BLUE fuses prior to their release date (lucky me). I’ve been auditioning them for a couple of weeks now. Here are my conclusions so far: First, lets cover the negatives: Okay, now that the negatives have been covered, lets talk about what these new fuse offerings from SR can do for our systems. First, instead of doing one component at a time like I did with the SR BLACK fuses, I put the five BLUE fuses in the system all at once. Two in the CD player and one each in the amp, preamp and phono stage. Right off the bat they sounded great. So good in fact that the brand new set, cold out of the boxes and not broken in, sounded better than the set of fully broken in SR BLACK fuses they replaced. A lot better. The Blue fuses allow for improvements that are much more significant than that of going from the SR RED fuses to the SR BLACKS. There is a break -in period with the new BLUE fuses, but quite unlike the break-in period of the BLACK fuses. The BLACKS seemed to take forever to completely break in with "jumps" of improvement in between ... and even a few backward moves. With the BLUES its a smooth transition. It seems the sound gets better each time I turn the system on even after extensive listening sessions over the period that the BLUES have been in the system. How good they are going to get when fully broken in is anyone’s guess. So far, fantastic. 1. Noise floor. I didn’t think it possible after living with the BLACK fuses all these months, but sure enough there’s even less grain and a more pure presentation. This allows for hearing so much more into the music and harvesting that minute detail that adds so much to the realism of a music play-back system. Can you hear in which direction a drummer’s brush work is moving across the snare drum; left to right or right to left? These BLUE fuses will allow you to do that providing you have a highly resolving system in the first place. 2. Better bass extension. I use the now discontinued Legacy Signature III speakers. The next speaker up the Legacy line is the larger Legacy "Focus" speakers. I love the Focus’ ... they play BIG. Well, the SR BLUE fuses have turned the Signature III’s into a pair of Focus.’ I have never gotten such low and undistorted bass in any system I’ve put together over the 40 some years in the hobby. With my raised wood floor this is a real blessing. From top to bottom the speakers are totally seamless now. Articulation of vocals. The new fuses have provided a more "see through" presentation allowing one to hear not only the voice of a singer but allows the listener to get a handle on the singer’s personality. Carole Kidd never sounded so good before. With each vocal recording I throw on, the performer is in the room. http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-BEST-OF-CAROL-KIDD-VOLUME-TWO-ISSUED-BY-LINN-RECORDS-1995-CD-EX-COND-/36... Sound stage. With the new BLUE fuses installed, the system reminds me of the huge sound I used to get when I had the Accoustat 4’s in the system. The Legacy Signature III’s sound enormous at this point .... without losing any inner detail or any of the natural and organic tones I was getting with the SR BLACKS. In fact, gaining improvements in both areas. At this point the system totally disappears. What’s left is a musical performance in Three-D relief behind the speakers and from considerably beyond the outside edges of the speakers. For the first time, with certain recordings, the performer, or soloist, seems to image a few feet in front of the speakers out into the room toward the listening position. As either Gordon Holt or HP used to say (I can’t remember which) "No cardboard cutouts here." Nope, just real performers dancing in the room. Improved Dynamics. Swap out your fuses for these new SR BLUE fuses and play Arthur Lyman’s "Taboo," both volume I and volume II. Prepare to be shocked. The drums and jungle noises are amazing. I’ve listened to these recordings a zillion times and really only heard them for the very first time after the SR BLUE fuses were installed in the system. Zowie ... fun stuff! http://www.ebay.com/itm/LYMAN-ARTHUR-Taboo-digitally-Remastered-CD-NEW-/391466764219?epid=133860615&... http://www.ebay.com/itm/ARTHUR-LYMAN-Taboo-2-New-Exotic-Sounds-Of-Arthur-Lyman-CD-/122356321130?epid... Getting the tones right This is the most important area that I want to get right in my system. I want a piano to sound like a piano, a cello to sound like a cello, a tenor sax to sound like a tenor sax and a soprano sax to sound like a soprano sax. Everything else in a home system comes in at second place to proper tonality of the instruments in my opinion. Its what we love about the Harbeth speakers, especially their new 40.2’s. Here’s another speaker that gets the tones right: http://vongaylordaudio.com/beta/speakers/ The tonality of instruments with the SR BLUE fuses is at least as good as it was with the SR BLACKS .... and that’s saying something. Instruments just sound right. So I now have a larger, more articulate and more 3-D presentation with the correct tonality still intact. Nice! Bottom Line My understanding is that the SR BLUE fuses will be selling for $149.95 each. Based upon what they’ve done for my system, I highly recommend them and wouldn’t want to live without them. I just don’t know how to get this kind of improvement for such a small investment. I don’t mean to sound like an audio snob here, but we are talking about high end audio where the price of entry could choke a horse. If you’ve just bought some SR Blacks and are still within the 30 day return policy, return them for credit toward the new Blue fuses. You’ll be glad you did. This is exactly what I did with my last two RED fuses that went into the CD Player. Alfred gave me credit for the RED fuses toward two new BLACK fuses. I came up with the remaining cash. I was well within the 30 day return offer though. Alfred and Betty are wonderful people to do business with ... and a credit to Synergistic Research as one of their dealers. A resounding Thank You to Ted Denny and to all of the folks at Synergistic Research for developing these new BLUE fuses. Its a winning product for sure! My system is sounding better than ever. Way better than I thought it ever would. A bargain at $149.95. Frank |
For those that are upset about the *new* Blue fuse, and feel cheated for buying the Black fuse.....look at the title of this thread: "Synergistic Red Fuse" Yes, there was a Red before the Black, and now a Blue after the Black. I'm sure in the next 10 years we will see a multitude of more colors from SR. So what? What manufacturer doesn't release new models? If this offends you, buy a pair of Klipschorns and relax knowing that nothing will ever change. ;) Personally, I'm good with the Black, I have no urge to "upgrade" to the Blue. Maybe one day if I blow a fuse...Hahahahaha |
