I’ve replaced all 5 of the SR BLACK fuses in my system with the new SR BLUE fuses. Cold, out of the box, the BLUE fuses stomped the fully broken-in SR BLACKS in a big way. As good as the SR BLACK fuses were/are, especially in comparison with the SR RED fuses, SR has found another break-through in fuses.
1. Musicality ... The system is totally seamless at this point. Its as if there is no system in the room, only a wall to wall, front to back and floor to ceiling music presentation with true to life tonality from the various instruments.
2. Extension ... I’ve seemed to gain about an octave in low bass response. This has the effect of putting more meat on the bones of the instruments. Highs are very extended, breathing new life into my magic percussion recordings. Vibes, chimes, bells, and triangles positioned in the rear of the orchestra all have improved. I’ve experienced no roll-off of the highs what so ever with the new BLUE fuses. Just a more relaxed natural presentation.
3. Dynamics ... This is a huge improvement over the BLACK fuses. Piano and vibes fans ... this is fantastic.
I have a Japanese audiophile CD of Flamenco music ... the foot stomps on the stage, the hand clapping and the castanets are present like never before. Want to hear natural sounding castanets? Get the BLUE fuses.
4. Mid range ... Ha! Put on your favorite Ben Webster album ... and a pair of adult diapers. Play Chris Connor singing "All About Ronnie," its to die for.
Quick .... someone here HAS to buy this double album. Its a bargain at this price. Audiophile sound, excellent performance by the one and only Chris Connor. Yes, its mono ... but so what? Its so good you won’t miss the stereo effects. If you’re the lucky person who scores this album, please post your results here.
Where the RED fuses took about 20 hours to sound their best, and the BLACK fuses took upwards of 200 hours of total break-in, the BLUE fuses sounded really good right out of the box ... and that’s without doing anything about proper directional positioning. Not that the BLUE fuses don’t need breaking in, they do. The improvement continues through week three. Its a gradual break-in thing where each listening session is better than the last.
Everything I described above continues to break new ground in my system as the fuses continue breaking in. Quite honestly, I find it difficult to tear myself away from the system in order to get things done. Its truly been transformed into a magical music machine. With the expenditure of $150.00 and a 30 day return policy there’s really nothing to lose. In my system, its like upgrading to a better pre amp, amp, CD player or phono stage. Highly recommended.
Kudos to Ted Denney and the entire staff at SR. Amazing stuff, guys. :-)
Frank
PS: If you try the SR BLUE fuses, please post your results here. Seems the naysayers, the Debbie Downers and Negative Nellie’s have hijacked the original RED fuse thread. A pox on their houses and their Pioneer receivers.
Hey Frank, Even though I'm content to stay with my PADIS fuses, the one thing I'd like to second is the added realism that results when better fuses are used. Your description of the flamingo performance gaining additional doses of realism is pretty much how I'd describe what I'm hearing with my fuses.
This added realism is not to be discounted as only a minor improvement. No cable swap or component upgrade takes this route to sonic bliss. Those improvements happen after the fuse does it work whereas the fuse does it right from the beginning and the improvements are simply magnified right on down the line with each component passing on it's rewards to the next in the chain.
That tired old adage of throwing open the window on a performance certainly applies here. The gains wrought by a fuse go to great lengths to make music more intoxicating, as it were. Like I've stated on other threads, audiophiles move too quickly on to other gear when all they may need is to simply try out that damn fuse.
That added realism you mentioned can become uncanny with the proper attention to detail in our systems.
On the flamenco music ... I’m very familiar with the sound of castanets as my ex was a flamenco dancer as a teenager and she can play the castanets. They are made of a very dense mahogany wood and have their own unique sound. They are dead on correct with the BLUE fuses.
Frank, I just checked out Chris Connor and she reminded me so much of Peggy Lee and then I read that Chris always cited Peggy as being such an inspiration to her. Wonderful voice.
What I've noticed a lot is the surreal quality there now is to percussion, be it with stick, brush, hand and the drum, box, or instrument used to receive the blow or strike. I swear it seems like I can tell if an opening is facing or turned away from the mike and subtle movements of the instrument or positioning and changes with hand placements. It seems to be consistent with the room echo and decay manner that accompany it. Talk about "seeing into" a performance.
^^^ I’m getting the same as you with percussion. I had my friend Robert over two nights ago for a listening session. He brought over a classical performance featuring kettle drums. His comment was ... "boy, its nice to hear kettle drums sound like live kettle drums for a change." All drums, from bongos to the big bass drums seem to have that accurate skin tone about them. While listening to a jazz trio for instance where brushes are used on the snare drum, you can actually hear in what direction the drummer is moving the brushes. Rim shots and other big whacks are totally present.
"Seeing into" a performance is exactly it. There are a lot of things that allow a system to perform like this. The SR BLUE fuses contribute a great step toward it.
Wish you were local Nonoise ... I’d like to have you over for a listening session. :-)
^^^ Its not so much the system ... its all of the things that have been done to maximize the system. Lots of time has been spent on getting the room right and eliminating mico-vibrations, micro arcing and tons of good tweaks that really work. When that low level smear caused by the audio demons is eliminated, one can really appreciate what some of these tweaks do. The new SR BLUE fuse is a case in point.
This blue fuse is a RIDICULOUS improvement over the already great black one in my amp! I'll try to get myself together and find the words to describe what I'm hearing.
I found it interesting that in one of the reviews for the Bussman ceramic fuses, the user stated it works better than the one it replaced but how could he get excited about it since it's just a fuse?
There's some cognitive dissonance going on when something better is used and performance is improved and the user just flat out dismisses it because it's not what he "knows" to be so.
A couple days ago I told a friend that what my system has excelled at lately is projecting a life, energy and feel that is very similar to what I experience with live music. Switching out the black fuse in my amp for a blue one today, it has taken a big leap further in that direction.
Unless the sound takes an unexpected turn for the worse over the next week or two, I'll be getting two more blues for my CD Transport and DAC.
For those of you who feel "ripped off" keep in mind these two things: first, the BLACK fuses have been on the market for around two years. Second, we live in a country that enjoys a free market economy where competition is fierce. It behooves the producers to continue with R&D, improving their products. This is how a producer stays ahead of their competition. It’s no different for SR and Ted Denney. The positive side is the consumer continues to benefit with the improved products. If you truly feel ripped off, get your head wrapped around the concept that you are involved in a hobby that is continually in the upgrade mode. If you can’t deal with it, either don’t buy the upgrades or find a new hobby.
For the rest of us, we'll gladly pay the price to get closer to the Holy Grail. .. i.e., reproducing live music in our homes.
For those of you who feel "ripped off" keep in mind these two things: first, the BLACK fuses have been on the market for around two years. Second, we live in a country that enjoys a free market economy where competition is fierce. It behooves the producers to continue with R&D, improving their products. This is how a producer stays ahead of their competition. It’s no different for SR and Ted Denney. The positive side is the consumer continues to benefit with the improved products. If you truly feel ripped off, get your head wrapped around the concept that you are involved in a hobby that is continually in the upgrade mode. If you can’t deal with it, either don’t buy the upgrades or find a new hobby.
While I mostly agree, I feel sorry for those that jumped at the last sale, if they’re out of the 30 day return window and they want to upgrade. It’s slightly disingenuous to host a sale to reduce stock - then release a new product, and discount the Large Black - without mentioning the new product.
@jay23, I kind of agree with your feelings about the last sale that SR had but if one followed the threads here, it was highly probable that SR was coming out with a new fuse, hence the discount. And, that is how SR has done it for the last few versions: discount and then, new product. Some who jumped on it needed the discount and most likely knew it beforehand. With the SR Black fuses, they'll still enjoy the benefits.
While I mostly agree, I feel sorry for those that jumped at the last
sale, if they’re out of the 30 day return window and they want to
upgrade. It’s slightly disingenuous to host a sale to reduce stock -
then release a new product, and discount the Large Black - without
mentioning the new product.
That's true with everything, TVs, computers, cars ... so you want companies release one product cycle and cease?? You can buy end of year 2017 model at discount ...
Sorry man, I can’t feel sorry for them other than their bad timing. That’s kind of the point of my last post.
We all know that we’re involved in a VERY expensive hobby where upgrades are the name of the game so to speak. These fuses, in the whole scheme of things, aren’t the worst of it.
When I bought my CD7 CD player from ARC ($10,000 retail cost) it was only a few months after I got it that ARC announced the Special Edition upgrade. So, I shipped it back and got the upgrade. Same thing with my ARC Ref-75. Bought it new and a short time later they came out with the SE version using KT 150 tubes. I sold my Ref-75 here on A’gon and bought the SE version. It’s just part of life if one wants to keep up with current technology in the hobby. So no, I don’t feel sorry for the holders of the Black fuses. I’d say either keep them as spares or sell them on Ebay or A’gon and jump on the Blue fuses. From the results I’m getting from the Blue fuses it’s worth taking it in the shorts a bit.
@jay23, I kind of agree with your feelings about the last sale that SR had but if one followed the threads here, it was highly probable that SR was coming out with a new fuse, hence the discount. And, that is how SR has done it for the last few versions: discount and then, new product. Some who jumped on it needed the discount and most likely knew it beforehand. With the SR Black fuses, they’ll still enjoy the benefits.
All the best, Nonoise
AFIK, there were no rumblings about a new fuse in August. They have held prior sales on the Black fuses, so there was no certainty of a new version immediately releasing.
joecasey:
That’s true with everything, TVs, computers, cars ... so you want companies release one product cycle and cease?? You can buy end of year 2017 model at discount...
I never made such a statement, and that’s not the case. All of the items you listed have a known product cycle, and information on the new products are released or leaked. These products are offered at a discount, and customers can make an INFORMED decision as to whether to save money, or wait to buy the latest and greatest.
Like I said, it was "slightly disingenuous" of Synergistic Research, as they could have easily stated a new version was upcoming, or leaked such information, so their customers could make an informed decision. Given they do not offer a reasonable upgrade (unlike oregonpapa’s examples) for an almost new product, it serves no one’s interests to piss off their own customers.
As an example, Apple learned their lesson early, and the iPhone 8 and X were both announced at the same time. Did that hurt 8 sales? Probably. But it will also likely result in more X sales, and happier customers that won’t be pissed that the X is released so soon after the 8? Yes. Pissed off customers are more likely to switch to other companies’ products.
If you were the manufacturer of a popular product with a solid international dealership network would you release information in advance to the end consumer about a new and better replacement product and stick your faithful dealers with a crap load of old product?
What’s better ... pissing off a few customers that should be expecting upgrades anyway or an entire dealership network? Its called being between a rock and a hard place.
Brace yourselves guys ... the new Purple fuse will be out in a couple of years. :-)
If you were the manufacturer of a popular product with a solid international dealership network would you release information in advance to the end consumer about a new and better replacement product and stick your faithful dealers with a crap load of old product?
What’s better ... pissing off a few customers that should be expecting upgrades anyway or an entire dealership network? Its called being between a rock and a hard place.
Brace yourselves guys ... the new Purple fuse will be out in a couple of years. :-)
Frank
Guess what? Manufacturers do it all the time. And the dealers hold a sale, and possibly make a smaller profit margin. The dealers should know in advance of the newer product, and can adjust accordingly. Plus, unlike many other examples, the Black fuses are not being phased out, so there is no "old" product.
From my discussion with a Synergistic Research dealer, my understanding was they held a limited stock of the most popular values. Also, when SR holds sales, a further discount is passed on to the dealers. In addition, with this example, there was only a $10 margin difference on the Large Black fuses.
I don't see any issue or tough choice. Do you have any proof of otherwise? And would you be as happy if they theoretically released the "Purple" next month, once your return period ended?
I don't intend to be a "Debbie Downer", or the like, but I do feel the need to report what I've heard.
About six months ago, I purchased an Audio Research Reference 6, and I've found it to communicate an unsurpassed level of presence and three-dimensionality while remaining tonally neutral. Class A all the way -- with only some reservations in the high frequencies: a slight lack of richness and sparkle, most easily heard with piano.
I've found several tweaks, when used together, enhance the high frequencies of the Reference 6: first, a Synergistic Research Black Quantum fuse; and second, a Sain Line Systems Pure Current power cord. Those two tweaks on the power-supply side get you 80% there. As a final note, I swapped in a set of matched, cryogenically treated, low-noise 6H30 tubes from Upscale Audio and an NOS Winged "C" 6550C power tube. Now, class A ++, with no reservations.
Just this past weekend I swapped in a new Synergistic Blue fuse. What I've heard is a mixed bag in my system. Yes, there seems to be a bit more body in the bass and midrange, a little more rosin on the bow, so to speak. I've also heard a lessening of high frequency energy, a softening in the highs. This action contradicts my use of the Synergistic Black fuse in the Ref 6.
I will continue to play with the Blue fuse, but I think, in my system, I prefer the Black fuse.
If SR released the Purple fuse next month I'd hold off on buying them ... while shaking my head at the same time. Two years from now I'd be expecting it.
Personally I don't want SR or any other manufacturer to stand still, rest on their laurels and get stale. Even though I'd be perfectly happy with the system as it sits, I look forward to my next tweak. How about you?
By the way, right now I'm listening to Willie Nelson's "Phases and Stages." Willie's in the room. :=)
I never made such a statement, and that’s not the case. All of the items you listed have a known product cycle, and information on the new products are released or leaked.
What would you prefer, KNOWN product cycle with or without advancements or only new release from advancements?
jay23:
These products are offered at a discount, and customers can make an INFORMED decision as to whether to save money, or wait to buy the latest and greatest.
Your clue a new release is coming when SR Blacks were selling at a discount.
I bought a Black in Aug before the discount and not bitter. Goes with the territory and bigger fish to catch. I have 3 Blues and no intention replacing remaining Blacks until they blow. Just because Blue is released, doesn't make Black broken.
If I order the SR Blues for my Maggie’s, it will be their sixth fuse upgrade-- all this for a fuse bank that many owners just remove and bypass. I am also defeating my fuse protection by pushing the fuse values to 3-4 times their ratings and spending a lot to do it. This would be foolish if the results weren’t so spectacular, and they are. Blues are on the way......I’m still reeling from the new Blacks in my REL Strata III’s. Floor toms now have a warm, extended resonance that wasn’t always present. Had to back down the roll-offs from 30K to 26K. Now they are more integrated with the mains for a relaxed foundation. There seem to be no limit to the improvements. Thanks for the nice, new thread, Frank---hope it lasts..........
I want to be conservative,I have a very good quality external linear power supply To my Lumin digital player,and preamp .I installed 2 of these blue fuses .these fuses have roughly 100 hours on them and maybe a 3% improvement across the board Not draw dropping by any means . My new Top line -1-A Electrostats from Martin Logan let you hear any change good or bad . Will i try the amplifierwhich takes 5 fuses ,perhaps down the line .upgrading interconnects were a much more dramatic improvement, which I borrowed the cardas Clear Reflections.a great cable .for what the fuses would have cost me for the amp I can buy a pr of these cables. A very well balanced cable. My system is pretty well tweaked before the fuse upgrade,other systems more stock may see A bigger % improvement. Just make sure you get a 30 day trial ,and just try 2-3 Fuses at most ,before deciding on more. I tell it as I find it to be in My system.
Oregonpapa, I couldn't resist jumping on your suggestion of the Chris Connor double album. I'm looking for some quality recordings of new (to me) artists on vinyl and it seemed like no risk proposition. Many thanks for the suggestion.
I did reverse the direction, tommylion. And the sound, to my ears, was nearly the same. Quite possibly slightly better focus one way vs. the other but close. The Blue fuse doesn't seem nearly as directional as the Black.
If SR released the Purple fuse next month I'd hold off on buying them ... while shaking my head at the same time. Two years from now I'd be expecting it.
Personally I don't want SR or any other manufacturer to stand still, rest on their laurels and get stale. Even though I'd be perfectly happy with the system as it sits, I look forward to my next tweak. How about you?
I agree. I am just saying Synergistic could have easily handled this better, and I have empathy for those that recently bought Black fuses in the sale, that want to upgrade and are beyond the return period. I would be upset, and can understand how some people would be pissed.
By the way, right now I'm listening to Willie Nelson's "Phases and Stages." Willie's in the room. :=)
Ah very good guys. I was hoping this new thread would be more positive and more on point. And ... it is. :-)
imgoodwithtools ...
There is no way that you're a Debbie Downer. Not even close. You're one of the good guys. Your reports are always on exactly what you hear in your system. Honesty is always appreciated.
kykat ...
I've had that Chris Connor double album for many years. Its one of my favorite albums in the collection. Like I said, its mono ... but you won't mind a bit. In fact, you're gonna love it. I hope its as mint as the seller says it is.
Jay23 ..
That Willie Nelson CD was really great, however after he left there was a lingering strange aroma wafting through the room. I can't quite put my finger on it. :-)
As I’ve expressed on another thread, I purchased several of the Blue fuses. And, as I usually do, I place them into the modestly priced NAD C325BEE, as - for an inexpensive (dirt cheap is a better descriptor) integrated - it shows improvements easily. I placed one fuse in the "front" position. While I did not hear the improvement instantly (due to removing my CJ equipment, which meant moving around the Nordost interconnects and Shunyata speaker cable, which always means: a two hour wait for the cables to "settle" again), I DID hear the improvements rather easily after that. It was not an immediate case of "wow-it-blew-my-mind-man," but it demonstrated great promise within a few hours of steady listening. The Ring Cycle really RANG out, Motown actually sounded good (not merely "passable) and The Fifth Dimensions Greatest Hits was intelligible, lyric-wise. (Not that it’s bad, otherwise, but I usually have to listen to hear the words clearly on quite a few cuts.). I gave it two days with that one fuse, and after being duly impressed with CD after CD, I then decided to put in the other two fuses (the NAD takes 5 fuses, which, amusingly, means that the fuses cost more than the integrated did when brand new). So, technically, the NAD is now at the $900 integrated level when adding in the cost of the SR Blues. And there are two more fuses if I want a fully-loaded NAD. Do I? I don’t know. $450 is a lot for fuses, and there are miles more of fuses in my system if I want to hear if further purchases yield far greater improvements. But ’In for a penny, In for a pound’ keeps running thru my mind...
So. The other two fuses. Well, this time, it took longer to enjoy the very same music, as the sound went "backwards" from how good it sounded before (the fuses in the "newer" position, lessened the transparency, musicality and the articulate diction so apparent previously, for around 48 hours), but now that No. 2 and No. 3 have passed the 50 hour mark, I’m impressed with what the NAD can sound like with the fuses, although, so far, the only songs I’ve heard are the Fifth Dimension’s "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," and "The Girls Song," and Maria Callas. I will say that the Townshend Isolation Pods underneath the NAD eliminate any vibration shimmying the amp made for a profound difference in the sonics as well, but they’ve been under the NAD for weeks, so I was somewhat used to the improvement overall. Vibration masks improvements, in my experience, which can account for differing opinions in equipment reviews, even when then reviewers have "really good" racks. The bigger the room, the less vibration seems to mask differences in the entire sonic picture, in my experience. (I heard a so-so setup system in the house of the Meow-Meow cat commercial composer back in 2003, but I’d brought along my Nordost Quattro Fils interconnects, Arcam CD player and Shunyata Python, and found myself saying, "so THIS is what the Arcam REALLY sounds like? SHIT, Man!" His room was 10 x 30 x 50. You could be forgiven for thinking he had higher priced Avalons and some exotic electronics instead of the crappy receiver he had. It was THAT good. I was floored, disgusted and thrilled that he could get better sound out of those three pieces of equipment that I had even come close to. Room is not EVERYTHING, but it sure counts, as Robert E. Greene of TAS has said many, many times.)
Although I like the 5th Dimension’s music catalog, I’m usually able to read a magazine while sitting in front of the system when I listen to their CD. This is part of my acid test when I get better cabling, footers or anything I’m thinking of buying: can the music make me sit up and listen, or do I have to strain like mad to get involved with the music (not the sound: just the music itself) because it lacks nuance? Well, judging from 10 minutes of listening just to the 5th’s CD, I couldn’t even focus on the magazine (and anything that can draw me away from The Absolute Sound, circa 1976, when the reviews were stellar, is a positive outcome). Words that start (or end) in "t," "d" and "p" - especially a word like "picked" which, on the NAD, can sound like you had a mouth full of mushy food and therefore couldn’t form the entire word without spitting it all over the table (or your friends), were extremely clear. And continuous even (McCoo takes a breath, and you hear it, which isn’t the norm on this CD). This effect makes a singer sound more "real" than "recorded." And the musicality factor was noticeably better. (By this I mean instead of pastel tones, you get primary colors, without euphony.) This is far better performance than the Furutechs (which can make the NAD sound "hard," bleached out and a bit sterile) or even the Blacks, which, despite the fact that I bought 5 or more of them, never quite won me over in the NAD. They seemed slightly dull, tonally speaking. I LIKED them, (somewhat) but in more modest equipment, they never shined. (Things shine more in my Hurricanes and in CJ - as well as the ARC - (when I had it) equipment. But not the Blacks, not in this system, at least. I don’t think one need have the higher priced spreads to get good sound: I enjoy music more now than when I had such luminaries as the Goldmund Memesis 9 and the Jadis equipment of the early 90s, along with a Versa Dynamics 2.3 turntable with all the other (equally) expensive stuff I had (several generations of WATT/Puppies, even more Goldmund equipment). I listen more to the music now and experience it more soulfully then back then. It helps not to be dazzled by gazing upon the "Luminaries" as I used to call my Versa/ Goldmund/ WATT/Jadis/VAC/ Convergent equipment. I’m sure that these days, were I to re-purchase them, I would enjoy them much more, but I’m wandering here...
I’d suggest buying the Blues and give them their 30 days trial run. You won’t be very "blue" for long, even though the price does make you pause. I was prepared to not like them (I mean, who wants to shell out $300 - $1,000 for fuses?!? I sure don’t). But, being fair, they sound good on my Arcam CD players (the FMJ 23 and DVD 27 something or other). And that’s just sitting on the rug with some Stillpoint Mini Ultras underneath them and some type of chopping board material under that. (I’m afraid to put them on the Finite rack: I might so wild and replace everything in the CJ, Hurricanes, and the Arcam and I really cannot afford that type of output just so I can cry thru Fifth Dimension songs, never mind the entire Khachaturian Ballet. I know that Imgoodwithtools and a few others have had a different experience, and I think it’s important that ALL experiences be honored. That’s what the forum is for: for all of us to express our viewpoints. Otherwise, we’d sound like a certain audio magazine, where rarely a discouraging word is uttered any more (such a contrast from its first 20 years). My experience mirrors Oregonpapa’s so I have to encourage people. And SR has had - in my experience - a couple of ’only-in-certain-positions-on-certain-pieces-of-equipment’ prior generations. The Black line, for example, was different for me than for some other posters. I had to really LISTEN -make that STRAIN - to feel good about the purchase. And they were far cheaper! I did not have to strain this time. You’ll have 30 days to love - or be indifferent to - them.
@gbmcleod The trials and tribulations, the slings and arrows, the ups and downs. What you've described is textbook sleuthing in the audio maze that can be both frustrating and rewarding, with the latter the ends that justify the means. No one said it would be easy but once you've gotten there, it's worth that extra effort. 👍
Wow! Thanks for the detailed report/review. Excellent stuff for sure.
Just as a point of interest, I saw
the 5th Dimension years ago in Las Vegas. They were amazing. I'll never forget how great they sounded in a live performance.
I would like to try at least one of the new Blue fuses somewhere. Is there any consensus as to where the best location to start with is? Digital or Analog?
@ozzy My experience tells me that the source showed the biggest benefits. The amp was improved as well but if wouldn't be fair to say it came in second. 😀 Sum of all the parts, and all.
Dear @audioman58 @imgoodwithtools @oregonpapa and friends: Here are two gentlemans with good audio system and heavy tweaked that do not shares the " euphoria " by orengonpapa and several other audiophiles posting here and in the other fuse thread where between others
veerapaneni who owns really good system too just does not shares that " euphoria ". Me neither and as I said in the other thread I tested almost all the SR fuses but the blues and several other from many manufacturers.
These 3 examples and other similar could means that as better and lower distortions has the room/audio systems as really lower are the differences when changing a fuse and maybe when these gentlemans are hearing " something " that something in reality is not an improvement but only a different kind of sound.
Lesser fine tunned audio system always will shows " improvements " but in these lesser systems almost any change can makes a listeable difference for " the better ".
The " collective euphoria " spreaded here and the other thread on fuses have to be analized understanding the role of a fuse that is no more that a wire soldered/attached at both ends with the fuse taps where pass trhough the electrical power line. That fuse has a " holder " that's is a pease of diferent kind of metal that sometimes comes soldered to a circuit board sometimes in other way and in this fuse holder the fuse seats and makes contact not tigth contact but a " so so " contact at both fuse sides. Obviously that the fuse holder has something to say about degradation on the electrical quality current pasing through.
wolf_garcia posted several things against the " collective euphoria " and many of you don't like him but no one of you gave a precise answer with facts on why the fuse makes that " euphorical " improvements other than your each one " euphoria ".
As those gentlemans that do not shares the euphoria my room/audio system is heavy tweacked too before and after I tested several and different fuses including the SR that at the end shows me that the " best fuse is not fuse at all ": this is a true and real difference for the better not " euphoria ".
No, I'm not against this or the other fuse thread but at some time could be time to put our feets in the floor and maybe what we need to do is to start an overall fine tunning ( theweack. ) of our system with out those fancy fuses and after that test the system again with the SR ones. For this each one of you needs to have a proved and repeatable evaluation process where you have a self deep training. With out this whole evaluation process we can't attest with true what's really happening other than the spreaded " euphoria ".
We are not a " child " but experienced audiophiles stiked to a " new toy " but : are there true facts to justify it or is only a new toy and that's all?
Just think that if what you think is a fenomenal improvement that is made by around 2.0cm. of wire what could make better anykind of cables in your system where we are talking of meters not 2.0cms.
Anyway, this kind of threads helps all of us to THINK and understand the real audio system potential and where belongs it.
Can any one of you ask your self why amps, preamps, speaker, cdp high price$$$ manufacturers just don't use the fancy fuses?. When some one buy a 60K monobloks he does not find out the fancy fuses down there. You can be sure that if the fancy fuses makes that " euphorical " differences for the better all those $$$$ manufacturers will or were using it and they know a lot about quality listening and performance levels.
In the other thread I posted what the Music Reference designer and manufacturer D. Berning found out when using fancy fuses in his amps/preamps that in a word makes the: damage.
I just replaced the SR Black fuse with a Blue in my Ayre preamp’s external power supply and agree with your description of the differences in sound character between the two. Another level of transparency and perhaps a bit more tonally balanced in the mids. Biggest difference to me is the bass, especially acoustic bass. Always felt the Black to be a tad loose in the bass and the Blue trues that up while adding much more air. Bass seems to have audibly better lower extension with the Blue.
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