I order full set up on black fuses, in my set-up good difference. I sell on ebay Red fuse + Wa chips.
Synergistic Red Fuse ...
I installed a SR RED Quantum fuse in my ARC REF-3 preamp a few days ago, replacing an older high end fuse. Uhh ... for a hundred bucks, this little baby is well worth the cost. There was an immediate improvement upon installation, but now that its broken in (yes, no kidding), its quite remarkable. A tightening of the focus, a more solid image, and most important of all for my tastes, a deeper appreciation for the organic sound of the instruments. Damn! ... cellos sound great! Much improved attack on pianos. More humanistic on vocals. Bowed bass goes down forever. Next move? .... I'm doing the entire system with these fuses. One at a time though just to gauge the improvement in each piece of equipment. The REF-75se comes next. I'll report the results as the progression takes place. Stay tuned ...
Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
4,839 responses Add your response
jwm Yes at least in some cases. I have dnm reson, harmonic tech and mit ics and i always hear a clear difference between these. Note these three are each very different designs and the sound reflects that. Some ICs are more similar than different and I would not expect to hear as much if any difference in those cases. Regarding feet under components, yes, always when called for with a turntable in particular. Also isolating stands or platforms under speakers when resting on lively flooring like suspended plywood. I’d recommend that to anyone. No difference with same if solid concrete foundation. The difference between these tweaks and the fuses though is the fuses are essentially a black box with little info to work with regarding how they work or when they are most effective or not. So its a potshot/hit or miss. Almost every tweak enhancement has known dependencies that determine effectiveness. You are shooting totally blind until you try with fuses. That’s really the only objection I have and why I would not recommend them to others. There is nothing to base saying they will work or not on other than what I hear. Each case could be quite different and results vary as we are seeing here. Here’s a thread I started recently recapping relative effectiveness of tweaks for myself and others who post. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/most-effective-tweaks-2 There is no reason to expect everyone will agree on effectiveness of any specific tweak because results almost always depends on other external factors and people try different things depending on their needs and goals. |
Al wrote, "I’ll have to admit that when it comes to mediating disagreements with Geoff, staunch defender of the faith when it comes to unexplainable and seemingly implausible tweaks, that my reconciliatory abilities approach a nullity." I’ll let you off the hook. But not before I point out that aftermarket fuses are not unexplainable. Although I can certainly appreciate why Skeptics prefer to make it look that way, along with associating the poor little misunderstood Mr. Fuse with things that really are unexplainable and seemingly implausible. You know, things that go bump in the night. We’ve already listed many reasons why aftermarket fuses should sound better than ordinary stock fuses. Hel-looo! You can rest easy, no Laws of Physics have been broken, including quantum mechanics. geoff kait machina dramatica we do artificial atoms right |
^^^ Excellent question, sgordon1. According to Warren Gehl at ARC, the position of the fuse in rotation does indeed affect the sound. Now that you've reminded me of that little factoid, we all have more work to do. :-) wolf-garcia ... Did those shots come from the "grassy knoll?" Was Jack Ruby really a CIA agent?? Is this entire thread is an experiment in cult development??? |
21 pages…man...The reason "results are always good" is very likely due to the fact that with subjective listening to something that cost you 10 times what it replaced, you're going to really try to hear a difference. Tossing out the skeptics as "outliers" is dangerous to the credibility of the otherwise enthusiastic supporters of any mysterious tweak, and promotes an atmosphere that makes any logical questioning of these fuses (like my utterly ignored "fuse holder" question from about 600 posts ago) an exercise in futility. Maybe this entire thread is an experiment in cult development as all the signs are there: Embrace mystery and magic, don't tolerate questioning of the positive opinions by the uninitiated, ridicule dissent, and comments by those who refuse to join the flock must be discredited as heretical…maybe I'm too rebellious as I tend to stick with my instincts, and my instinct still tells me to avoid herd mentality in all things especially those with suspicious or personally illogical underpinnings. |
GEoff have you specifically used SR Red or Black fuse, the topic of this discussion? Are you saying all "audiophile" fuses perform the same? If so what differences did you hear? Talking about other products or fuses and using that as basis for the particular products in question is a strawman argument. If that’s the best you can do then so be it. Nothing wrong with that other than it means essentially nothing in the context of this discussion about SR fuses. |
Mapman wrote, "No place for skeptics in Machina Dynamica world." ---- Uh, that’s a strawman argument. I am the King of Skeptics. and I recognize a wanna be skeptic when I see one. ---- That’s another strawman argument. I’ve been using aftermarket fuses for twenty years. You aspire to be recognized as a skeptic is a better way to put it. "Are you using the fuse? Have you heard the results. OR are you just strawmanning? " ---- Strawman alert! I’ve been using audiophile fuses since you were wearing bell bottoms.. Mopman also wrote, ---- Well, I have a lot of Pseudo Skeptics on my tail, that’s for sure. :-) GK MD |
No place for skeptics in Machina Dynamica world. GEoff note: I am actually using the fuse. So am I still a "skeptic"? Are you using the fuse? Have you heard the results. OR are you just strawmanning? One thing for sure is you are a vendor selling products that have many skeptics. I understand your pain. :^) |
Skeptics generally take the opportunity once they have no luck with a particular tweak to take pot shots at everyone else who did have good results. It’s all part of the wonderful game we call audio. I suggest we throw away the outliers and keep the line moving along. The results of one test is simply a data point on the curve. If there is a data point way off the curve it’s an outlier and can be thrown away. The problem with the theory that results vary widely for fuses is that’s not actually true. Results are almost always good. It’s your result that’s the outlier. Thus, there’s really no call for all the angst regarding the high cost of tweaks, the wide variation in results, fuse bashing, yadda yadda yadda. |
Also worth noting that since nobody knows how this fuse works its magic or why it is quite possible that results vary widely case by case. Nobody knows otherwise. Perception is clearly always in the equation but all gear is different as are fuses being replaced. Its a pot shot, hit or miss, call it whatever as best I can tell. How can anybody state that the fuse will always work when nobody can explain why? There is no basis for that. Its a potshot at best. If it sounds like a winning proposition then go for it. Just put the dern thing in and enjoy it. If you enjoyed your gear pre-fuse you will after as well most likely. Maybe more just knowing that very nice fuse is in there. |
bondmanp: Congratulations on ordering a Synergistic Black fuse. If possible leave it on 24/7 for 3 to 4 days and then do some on and off cycles. Then over the next week let go of listening to this or that change and just enjoy the music. with a 30 day trial there is not a need to be in a big rush . gbmcleod: In the past I had a PS Audio Power Plant Premier. I find it fascinating that these PS Audio products that regenerate a " better quality power current" respond at all to changes in incoming power cords, what type of footers they are on, and even fuses. But they do!. There is a significant sonic difference in the changes in the RED versus Black fuse. I am glad you have added to our fuse knowledge data bank about the best sounding fuse in a PS Audio Power Regenerator. aolmrd1241: Actually the reported improvement rate using either the Synergistic Research RED or Black fuse is extremely high. In most situations people have found the RED fuse to be a significant improvement over a stock fuse and also an improvement over other aftermarket fuses such as Isoclean, Furutech, etc. I think it is interesting that the Black fuses in the nine (!) audio devices, I have installed them in have all had a major improvement in the sound. Each component was tried with stock fuse, then RED fuse, and then Black fuse. All fuses were broken in over 100hrs . All fuses were checked for best insertion direction. I was meticulous in this process. This approach required putting an extra 300 + hours on the KR PX-25 Tubes which cost about $800.00 The RED fuses is much better than a stock fuse and the Black fuse gives an even greater change. With the Synergistic Research 30 day return policy I think this is the most fun and rewarding upgrade an audiophile can do. No matter what the outcome you learn a lot about your system's sound. If you do not like the change you send the fuse back. David Pritchard |
Could the
varying opinions in concern of the SR fuse sound have anything to do with a
quality control issue? How and why these fuses can be so "hit or miss" would
lead me to believe so. Maybe an SR rep could chime in here,adding some technical
merit to the convo. At least it could clear up some thoughts on the matter of
why there is such a sound discrepancy,especially when the fuses are being
used in some same exact components. |
Well, plunge taken. I ordered a SR Black fuse for my preamp today from local retailer Bravo AV (Tom, the owner, is a great guy; I’ve known him a few years). I did call SR prior to placing the order for some reassurance (especially after my preamp manufacturer "de-recommended" aftermarket fuses) and to find out if the SR 5mm size would fit as a replacement for what I measured as 4mm in diameter and 2 cm in length. Of course, if it won’t fit, I can return it. Also found out from SR that their fuses are UL listed, which I find comforting. I will post my impressions once I have a chance to install, break in, and do some critical listening. Thanks to everyone here for their posts. They were helpful in enabling me to make this purchase. |
Mapman wrote, "Geoff. For someone always declaring straw man arguments of others you sure are a champ. What does a tice clock have to do with fuses? Answer: Nothing." Actually the list of reasons why audiophiles sometimes don’t get the results they expect is not a Strawman argument. A Strawman argument is by definition a misstatement of the other person’s position in an argument or debate. The difference is we are not actually having a debate on your test of the Red fuse. So I cannot be misstating your position. I’m simply offering possible reasons why you had an unsuccessful experience with the Red fuse. Maybe you can add to that list. These reasons are the same for ANY audiophile device, whether it be a fuse, a cable, but IMHO usually involves a controversial audiophile device, one that often creates some angst and trepidation in the audiophile, perhaps especially when it’s done in public. Maybe there is some psychological aspect to why audiophiles sometimes get negative results with certain audio devices, things like clocks, silver foils, Shakti Stones, Schumann Frequency Generators, crystals, tiny little bowl resonators, green pens, purple pens,....fuses. |
Well, I've just discovered that the PS Audio Power Plant 300 actually prefers the Red fuse over the Quantum Black. A friend of mine, who loves music (well, let me correct that: he loves Scheherazade, and ONLY Scheherazade), was over the past few days, so last night, I decided to play the vinyl version (I think it's a Classic Records release, but don't hold me on that). SO. We listened once and suddenly I wondered, because the sound was just slightly strange sounding, what it would sound like with the Red fuse. So, I popped out the Black and put in the Red, and put the needle on da record and wonder of wonders, it sounded better. So, I began changing the orientation of both the Red and Black and in the end, the Red sounded better than the Black. I have no idea why. Don't even suggest burn in: it's been two weeks, 24/7 in the Power Plant with a fan hooked up to it, too. Hey, no skin off my nose: I can put it in the NAD C356BEE integrated I'm giving to a friend and see how it sounds there! But it was a surprise and no head scratching was required. Dave said, it sounds better this way, and that was with the Red fuse in it. Go figure! |
audiolover ... Wow! Your description is dead on as to what my results have been. Isn't it interesting that "bassdude" and I have the same preamp (ARC REF-3), and yet we've gotten completely different results. The first fuse I tried was an SR Red in the preamp. I was blown away by the results. Then, two days later I had my friend Robert over for a listen, not telling him about the fuse. All he knew was that I had made "some kind of improvement to the system." I left it up to him to guess what the improvement was. He guessed new cables, tube rolling, magic dust. When I told him it was an after market fuse upgrade, he wouldn't believe me until I showed him the box the fuse came in. He's a definite believer in the SR Fuses now ... and he is pretty much anti-tweaks and a real critic. I thought geoffkait's Tice Clock story was interesting. I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money eliminating micro vibrations in my system. I'm thinking that that may have something to do with the outstanding results I'm getting from the fuses. The system was already (I thought) a very high resolution system. The upgrade to the SR Black fuses have brought me to the level you are experiencing. Perhaps you're right in your assessment of moving the fuses in and out to make a-b comparisons. I'm hoping that mapman will leave the fuse in place for at least 50 hours before he gives up on it. It wouldn't surprise me if his fuse needs to break in all over again as it sat on my shelf for several weeks before I sent it off to him. Al ... I have to say, you make this site very interesting indeed. Love reading your technical explanations. I don't understand it all ... but I do pick up some of it. I'm terrible at building stuff ... but I can sell the bejeezus out of it. *lol* Crazy stuff for sure ... |
Well, after 100 hours of having added the black fuses to my CD player and black UEF power cords to it and the preamp, I must say that the difference is absolutely staggering. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE EVERYTHING ALONE AND NOT FIDDLE WITH CABLES OR DO AB COMPARISONS WITH YOUR OLD CABLES AND FUSES WHILE BREAKING IN. LET EVERYTHING ACCLIMATE. IF YOU DONT DO THIS - YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE PRODUCTS CAN DO DOR YOUR SOUND. YOU WILL NEVER GET THESE THINGS OUT OF "FIRST GEAR". I istened to some cachao volume 1, a CD I have had for nearly 20 years. Tonight it was like listening to it for the first time. As if the disc had been remastered in SACD. I gotta say, it’s true, you only hear a glimpse of what’s to come until it settles for at least 100 hours. This is a whole new level of fidelity. Clarity is stunning- grain free, making the instruments sound eerily real. Timbre central! The CD went from a b+ to an A+. I really thought my system imaged well and had a great soundstage. Boy was I wrong. I can literally highlight any instrument I want to in the mix and study it. I hate to say it, but my systems "hi Rez" sound was a shaved off, approximate mush of the original waveform. It’s hard to believe that this is a red book cd. The difference in PRAT is huuuuge. It was mechanical and stiff sounding by comparison. There is a natural ebb and flow, allowing small timing and spatial cues to come through with aplomb-which is probably due to the noise floor dropping. Inflections are now clearly defined. It's just an incredible difference. Honestly, I know these differences can’t be measured. But I KNOW what I hear, and this system is easily light years ahead of where it was before the SR fuses and cables. These are prerequisite IMHO to hear your systems reality. In fact, these products are so good, they may recalibrate ones baseline for what hi fidelity is. Not having these is like driving a Ferrari with cheap auto parts store house brand tires on it. Yes it will roll down the road and and be able to hit 200 miles an hour, but it won’t do it with anywhere near as gracefully and confidently as with a set of high end tires. I look forward to even more out of these as they continue to break in. But at only 100 hours- they are making me question reality. |
There are many reasons why someone might not get the (excellent) results most other people report or might only get minimal results. This sort of thing actually happens with almost every audiophile device and even with cables. There is never a guarantee of 100% reproducibility in this hobby. I suspect with fuses especially, you know, what with the directionality issue and long burn in times, it’s mighty tempting to blame negative or null results on one or both of those particular things. But there are other reasons, too. George Tice, in his letter to Stereophile regarding a particularly angry response from a dissatisfied customer of his Tice Clock, proposed four reasons why audiophiles sometimes don’t get the results they expect from certain audiophile products (like the Tice Clock). And I quote, "There are four reasons why someone could not get the full potential from a TPT Clock. They are: 1) You did not follow the directions. 2) There are one or more choke points in your system (a choke point is a component which is significantly below the quality of the rest of the system). 3) Your audio system is not up to the standards by which anything can be accurately judged. (I noticed in your letter you never mentioned what components you use.) 4) Your hearing ability is not as refined as that of other music lovers and audiophiles." Read more at http://www.stereophile.com/content/tice-r-4-tpt-coherence-electrotec-ep-c-clocks-letters-about-tice-... Geoff Kait Machina Dynamica |
Al, thanks for an understandable comparison of how fuses interact differently according to their applications. I will stay close to the stock ratings in my mains fuses and will continue to push the ratings in my Maggies as I move from SR reds to blacks, a considerable investment for the four fuses in just the Maggies, but also yielding the most dramatic results in sound stage and clarity. |
mapman - your experience was similar to mine when trying the AH Black Platinum Fuse vs the fuse I have in my ARC Ref 3 Preamp. Only a very subtle difference... and... the fuse I have in my ARC Ref 3 Preamp sounds like it may even be better in some respects (clarity, detail resolution, dynamics for the most part, and maybe a bit brighter). While the AH fuse may have a bit richer sound. For the most part, the difference that I seem to detect (not sure because it's so subtle) seems like the difference in the sound of silver interconnects vs silver coated copper interconnects, or OFC copper interconnects. I do not call the fuse in my ARC Ref 3 Preamp the "stock fuse," because I don't know if it is the "stock fuse." The element in it does not look like most fuses (a straight wire, or coiled wire), it has a more complex element, which looks somewhat like a resistor in a glass tube. So, it may not be the "stock fuse" - it does sound superb, whatever it is. Whatever... I had expected a much more discernable difference in the sound for a $100+ tweek. |
I certainly look forward to almarg's impression of the Synergistic Research Black fuses. I found it to be a fascinating science experiment that then yielded major sonic improvements. This weekend I had the unusual opportunity to hear the Julliard String Quartet play the same program at two different venues. The second venue was the newly acoustically treated performance hall at the University of Texas at El Paso. This hall reminded me of the sound changes going from a system with stock fuses to a system with Black fuses. David Pritchard |
Can you explain just what is used in fuses to create the different amperage ratings that then influence failure at the indicated rating? From pictures, I have always thought that the filament sizes/widths are increased to achieve the higher ratings in otherwise same-type fuses, and this would to my thinking also indicate a reduction in resistance or, as you stated, more of a straight wire approach.That sounds exactly right to me, JA. And that is borne out by examination of the detailed technical datasheets that are provided by the leading manufacturers of non-audiophile fuses. Within a given series of fuses, that are similar in most respects other than their current ratings and "melting points," resistances become progressively lower as current ratings increase. I’ll add that I would expect in general that the characteristics and behavior of fuses in speaker applications figure, IMO, to be much more critical than in the case of many and probably most electronic component applications. First, it doesn’t seem highly unreasonable to expect the small fraction of an ohm resistance of these fuses to constitute an audibly significant fraction of the impedance of many speakers. And of course fuses in passive speakers (and some fuses in active speakers) directly conduct the audio signal, or at least some of its frequency components, as opposed to a mains fuse or a DC rail fuse in a component. Also, since the resistance of a fuse varies somewhat as a function of the amount of current it is conducting, the fluctuations of that resistance as a function of the dynamics of the music will be greater in a speaker application than in the case of most electronic component applications. With the fluctuations in themselves perhaps having audible consequences. Finally, in the case of mains fuses in electronic components, if the AC line voltage at a particular location happens to be significantly greater than whatever voltage the component was designed to sound best at (presumably 120 volts in most cases, for equipment sold in the USA), it seems conceivable that more fuse resistance could actually sound better than less, since it would result in slightly less voltage being applied to the component. But that possibility would not be applicable in the case of a fuse in the audio signal path of a speaker. ... are you thinking of accepting the SR fuse challenge in one of your own components?As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I suspect I’ll give one of the SR black fuses a try at some point, probably initially in my CDP. But right now and in the coming weeks I’m focusing on other priorities in my system, including a repair the CDP is undergoing, a repair I’ll be attempting to do myself on my vintage tuner, and break-in of my AT-ART9 cartridge and subsequent finalization of the related tonearm adjustments. Best regards, -- Al P.S: Thanks very much to Charles for the kind words he posted yesterday. |
One rather mundane thing I just thought off with the red fuse. Every fuse I have ever used is glass. When the fuse is suspected of blowing, you easily examine the filament inside through the glass for a gap to confirm the fuse is gone and replace. Can't see inside the red fuse. If no sound in device, you either have to take a meter to the fuse and measure resistance or just have a known good backup available to swap in and try. But you can't tell if the red fuse is good or not by just examining it. I know that's not very exciting compared to sound of fuses but still worth noting. Always a good idea to keep a spare good fuse or two around. You might suffer with a normal fuse for a short time for that then order and replace that with a new red or black fuse eventually. |
Al, I have a question, if I may---you recently suggested a fuse experiment whereby a garden-variety fuse could be temporarily replaced with the same fuse, but with a much higher amperage value so as to reduce resistance as the variable in sound quality. Can you explain just what is used in fuses to create the different amperage ratings that then influence failure at the indicated rating? From pictures, I have always thought that the filament sizes/widths are increased to achieve the higher ratings in otherwise same-type fuses, and this would to my thinking also indicate a reduction in resistance or, as you stated, more of a straight wire approach. I ask because I have pushed all of the amperage ratings in my boutique fuses, especially in my Maggie 3.6Rs, in an attempt to move toward a straight wire without having to tear the fuse bank out as some Maggie users do, i.e. the stock ratings for the Maggie tweeter and midrange are 2.5A and 5A, whereas I am using 8A and 16A fuses. This nullifies any protective function of the fuses, but I have not had any problems so far because I am careful with volumes and believe I have a stable power supply. Am I reducing resistance in the final signal path by inserting higher ratings/larger filaments? Thanks for your evaluation, and are you thinking of accepting the SR fuse challenge in one of your own components? |
One thing I wonder is how many people actually take the time to a/b the sound with 2 fuses repeatedly. That is what I tasked myself to do. Gotta admit I feel pretty silly now having spent time doing it and not hearing much of consequence. If I had bought the fuse instead of just testing a loaner for free, I would probably pop it in and just leave it there no matter what since I made the investment and the thing seems to sound fine. Once I did that, as time passed, it would become even harder to clearly associate any changes I hear to just the fuse. Heck I change nothing for months sometimes and things never sound exactly the same to me. Is it me? the system? The fuse? The humidity and barometric pressure? Who knows. As long as it sounds good in general day in and day out, and it makes me want to listen more, I am happy and will not sweat those details. |
Quick update on my previous post. At the suggestion of a few here I called SR and they were - as predicted - helpful and willing to work with the distributor on my behalf. Replacement fuses have been sent. SR lived up to their reputation. Thanks to SR for helping to make this right. Their unhesitatingly friendly, supportive attitude and customer-focused service were on point. And I get that given the nature of the product/situation, although I believe it was the right thing to do, their response wasn’t something to take for granted. Have the last few fuses needed for my system on order, and will post thoughts once fully installed. Given my experience with other SR products and previous experience upgrading fuses in another Ayre amp, I expect good things. |
joncourage ... No harm, no foul. :-) Let's just agree to attempt to get the most out of our audio systems by helping each other, along with the other members here, to get closer to that which we love ... music reproduced in our home that is as close to the live performance as we can ... depending upon the depths of our pockets of course, and our willingness to remain open minded to various tweaks, lotions, Voodoo and other weird stuff. Looking forward to your assessments of the topic at hand ... the SR fuses. Take care ... |
The good thing about this thread is that all responses have been welcome. This includes those who have had neutral or a negative outcome with the SR fuses. Overall this group has been very small yet their voices are heard just as they should be. Everyone who has used these fuses and posted their impressions has called it as they heard it. What more can we ask for? I have no explanation as to why a few listeners had less success and improved sound quality than the vast majority of posters here. I do obviously accept their contrary results, that's how it goes with "any" audio product. . All we can offer is our honest listening experiences with these SR fuses. I have gotten significant sonic and musical improvement with these wonderful Black fuses and am very grateful for them. Charles, |
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joncourage ... I'm happy that you've gotten your problem resolved. With that said, I'd like to address your last post. 1. " The odds that a $10,000 amp is flaky (one of your statements) are pretty low but it’s a base I covered." If you reread my post, I did not refer to your amp as being "flaky." I used the term "noncompliant." 2. I didn't "lecture" you about anything. My response wasn't directed to you at all. It was in response to another poster who accused me of being associated with SR. 3. Reread the post you alluded to. You will find that I never called you a troll. 4. Its true that I didn't think this was the proper place/thread to file a complaint about a supplier. I felt the proper action was to complain to SR directly. I did that for you via SR's Facebook page. The result was an offer from SR to make your fuse dilemma right for you. I reported that back here so that you could take the proper action. Evidently it worked out for you. Perhaps doing you a favor somehow offended you?? 5. Please point out where I have "condemned" and/or "undermined your integrity." 6. I am 77 years old. I started selling when I was 8 years old. But then I don't doubt for one second that I am "no more experienced in the business world than you" *lol* Look, my intent in this post isn't to start a pissing contest with you. This is all about fun for me. I love the audio hobby. I love the end result, and that is to get us closer to the live event. But with that said, you have completely blown what I said way out of proportion and taken offense where none was intended. What do I do now ... just say "I'm sorry" for going to bat for you with SR? You tell me. In the meantime .... happy listening. |
I’m thinking towards the weekend when I typically have more time to listen I will pop it back in and give it a more extended listen, probably using my much larger OHMs where I spend most of my preferred listening time, then maybe compare again. I guess its the mystery of a lot of high end audio that helps keep things interesting. How often does everyone ever arrive at a consensus with anything when it comes to this stuff. |
^^^ Very interesting mapman. We both use ARC gear and yet we've gotten two different results. Could it be that the fuse I sent you was out of the system for weeks before I sent it ... and perhaps it needs to "settle in" further?? The difference for me was huge right from the first fuse that went into the REF-3. So much so that it prompted me to start this entire thread. I ended up re-fusing the entire system with the SR Red fuses and the result was a very significant overall improvement in every way. Then, as I convert each piece of equipment over to the SR Black fuses, each fuse blew away the previous Red fuse. Go figure. Why not leave the fuse in place for awhile. Maybe it needs to be re-broken in??? |
OP, Also I will comment that I think I heard similar aspects to the sound that you originally identified when you started the thread in that I was trying to listen for taht and other things as well. At times I thought it might be somewhat associated uniquely with the red fuse, other times not. At the end of my session I was not sure I could identify a consistent advantage for either fuse.. So the contest was a wash for me in the end. When done, I left my original fuse in in that it came with the unit and I could not identify a reason to change. The ARC sp16 has easy rear panel access for changing fuses, which helped greatly. I probably changed fuses up to a dozen times for comparison while listening. Other units may involve more work, removing covers, panels etc. If that were the case, and I had actually purchased the red fuse rather than using a free loaner to eval, I think I would have been more inclined to just leave the red fuse in and move on. One thing interesting to me at this point is I can’t say conclusively that both fuses sounded the same. I definitely think I heard different things at different times, not unlike what Cymbop indicated, sometimes with the same fuse, but the differences were subtle and could easily have just been due to what I was specifically listening for at any particular time. So I definitely did not hear anything that indicated to me that the two fuses always sounded exactly the same. The differences were just very subtle and hard to attribute alone to just one fuse or the other. Just enough to cast some doubt. I started a thread recently asking people to rate the magnitude of various tweaks they’ve tried. For me the magnitude of this one was very low compared to some others I have used for similar cost where the differences were apparent immediately and consistently from there.. |
