Actually, it appears the far infrared thing might be conflated with the “standard work”they do for Brimar fuses after all. The Brimar fuses are not only gold but 72 hrs deep cryo’d ❄️ ❄️ and 48 hours “quantum heat treated.” Which, you have to admit, sounds a lot like uh, infrared heat treatment. 🔥
The new Synergistic Research BLUE fuses ....
New SR BLUE fuse thread ...
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.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRASONIC-CLEAN-The-Finest-Of-CHRIS-CONNOR-Bethlehem-Jazz-1975-NM-UNPLAYED-...
Overall impressions:
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.
Frank
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.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRASONIC-CLEAN-The-Finest-Of-CHRIS-CONNOR-Bethlehem-Jazz-1975-NM-UNPLAYED-...
Overall impressions:
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.
Frank
2,978 responses
Thank you Geoff for the public service announcement on the number of fuses available. I have to say the Brimar fuses are new to me and I was interested to see they utilize "48 hours of Telos Quantum Cooking." Are they smoking them over low heat? Are they smoking something? I suspect the Brimar people have paid Telos to cook their fuses since it seems Telos is a company from Taiwan that makes a bunch of quantum stuff, including their own fuses (thanks for the tip Geoff). They make so much quantum stuff they have their own "Telos Quantum Technique" as well as a "Telos Quantum X2 Technique." They make a cool Quantum Magnetic Tuning Device which sort of looks like a bulls-eye on a circuit board. It is said to "improve any existing audio system" which opens the product up to a vast ocean of potential purchasers. Another super-cool thing they make is a sheet of really small round stickers with adhesive backing that you can apply to just about anything in your audio system, if you want to "experience the advantage of the Quantum X2 technology." In addition to the cool red color and snazzy ATOM Symbol U+269B (modified with a "t" in the middle for Telos), the description uses a lot of tweaky scientific words and phrases like "far-infrared" and more. Far-infrared is also a heating technology that is used in expensive infrared saunas using low watt density ceramic emitters which emit relatively low temperature long wave infrared radiation. If you don't want a ceramic heater, you can purchase the stickers for only $100 for a sheet of 20 stickers, which seems like a bargain. |
They all do except for the brand new improved Audio Magic Beeswax fuse that’s made to order. All audiophile fuses, with the exception noted, have *always* had a money back guarantee. Hel-loo! If memory serves at least one manufacturer has a 60 day guarantee. Whee! I’m assuming David P. didn’t get my memos. pop quiz: How many high end fuse manufacturers are there? multiple choice a. 4 b. 7 c. 9 d. More than 9 |
I wonderful video by Paul McGowan - owner of PS Audio. He understands and can hear the difference fuses make in the products he manufactures. Thank you LAK for the link to the video. I recently changed my Mother's DAC to a PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC and Perfect Wave Transport. After a 168 hour break in, each stock ceramic fuse (which itself is an upgrade over a common 10 cent fuse ), was replaced with a Synergistic Research Blue fuse. As Paul McGowan experienced with a German made audiophile fuse in his system, in Mother's system with the Synergistic Research Blue fuses there was an immediate and significant sonic improvement. A less digital, more relaxed, richer harmonic texture was audible. Then over the following week the sound continued to improve. So if you want to give yourself a wonderful Christmas present - order some Synergistic Blue fuses . If you have a music lover in your life go a bit further, order the Blue fuses and personally install them for your loved one. I have already received my Christmas present . Seeing the joy on my Mother's face as she listened to Chet Atkins with the new fuses in place was truly special. Having her then say " Thank You " and giving me a kiss on the cheek was priceless and will be forever cherished. So take the time to risk the cost of return postage (about $2.80 ) and give yourself an easily returnable Christmas present. Best wishes for a meaningful Christmas. David Pritchard |
@nonoise "just try it." Thank you. And, indeed, sir, indeed. The ROI on this sort of "tweak" is not only rewarding on an aesthetic and emotional level, but reminds me of how much fun this hobby can be- especially when monetary outlay is minimal. Some may call it "bang for the buck." In good time, I suppose, inevitably I will try the SR black or blue. FWIW, A supremely talented audio engineer I know speaks highly of the beeswax fuses but also cautions that a shorted tube will make quick work of one’s $225.00 investment. :) |
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Ok, I've spent a lot of time over the past couple of days fiddling with fuses in the signal path in my tube amps. The SR20 fuses not only sound a lot better than the inexpensive Schurters, but there is also a dramatic improvement in soundstage when the direction of the fuses are one way and not the other. I am no longer a skeptic thanks to all of you who have gone this way before and have passed on your positive experiences to guys like me. :) . Happy holidays! |
@uberwaltz Exactly! "As you have discovered by your own ears". That is the whole point of being an audiophile. Paul McGowan's video referenced above, further reinforces that it is in the listening. Fuses make a difference and even he, a designer of audiophile equipment for decades, can't explain why. He let his ears do the talking!👂 |
Worthwhile to watch the 6:45-minute video: http://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/audiophile-fuses/ |
I respectfully wish to report the following: This afternoon I replaced the inexpensive ceramic fuse in the signal path of each of my mono tube amps, with SR20 1A’s. After about an hour of play, I changed the directionality of those fuses and listened for about 15 minutes- "hmmm," I thought, "something isn’t quite right." I then changed the direction of the fuses again, and the soundstage immediately was wider and deeper, with better separation between instruments. Source was Spotify premium, music by Fernando Sor (chamber pieces with guitar.) I am now a believer that with the SR20 fuses, at least, in my gear, directionality matters. Eventually I’ll compare them to the original fuses, as well as a pair of Schurter ceramic fuses that came in today’s mail after burning in the Schurters, and determining best direction for the four less expensive fuses More to follow.... |
Eggs ackly! Graphene is not too difficult to make, everybody and his brother is making the stuff. And anti vibration and counter RF measures are a snap. And the violet pen trick for the end caps anyone can do. I’d protect the little bugger from magnetic fields, too. Better safe than sorry. I’d replace the stupid fuse holder with a silver one from Acme and send em both off to the cryo lab. I’d probably start off with one of those purdy gold and silver fuses from HiFi Tuning, you betcha! |
A real DIYer could figure out how to inject beeswax into a fuse. His hard could it be? 🐝Excellent point Geoff. I have actually thought of this. Drill a small hole, use a small needle, heat up the beeswax, solder the hole closed, etc. etc...... I once made those carbon fiber CD mats using a hole punch and sheet carbon fiber. Exactly like what they were selling for over $100 each. There is no magic to this stuff.....possible exception of the Teleportation Tweak, Super Intelligent Chip, etc..... |
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danvignau said..."You do know that no audio signal goes through the fuses.... RIGHT?"
No audio signal goes through power cords and power conditioners either...but they sure do make a difference in any high quality sound system... |
danvignau GMAFB! Do you also use a green Magic Marker on the fuse blade edges? Huh? Fuses have blades? Besides purple is the correct color for fuse caps, not green. 😈 Which begs the question, of folks complain so much about the high price of aftermarket fuses how come nobody ever tries to make his own super fuses? We already know the basics of what’s involved. How hard could it be? A real DIYer could figure out how to inject beeswax into a fuse. His hard could it be? 🐝 |
charles1dad Yes, but if one decides to keep a particular product they have determined that the price is acceptable given the level of performance it rendered. So no need to return a product as they are satisfied on a cost/performance ratio. If it fails their perceived value or return on cost quotient, well no problem and they return the "underperforming " product. No money loss. What? Whoa! That’s what I just got through saying, charlesdad. Hel-loo! That’s why almost everyone offers a money back guarantee. What’s up with all the damage control, guys? You guys are winning. |
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Yes, but if one decides to keep a particular product they have determined that the price is acceptable given the level of performance it rendered. So no need to return a product as they are satisfied on a cost/performance ratio. If it fails their perceived value or return on cost quotient, well no problem and they return the "underperforming " product. No money loss. Charles |
Huh? That’s what everyone says about all audio tweaks - they’re too expensive! But the money back guarantee is not protection against the high price. That’s not what it’s for at all. It’s to assure the nervous or suspicious customer that the thing WORKS as advertised or as expected. But he still has to pay for it. He can’t avoid the high price if he wants to keep it. |
I believe the reason for the frequent reminder of the money back guarantee is in response to those who frequently harp on the cost of upgrade fuses compared to standard fuses. The often stated point is the 100 to 1 ratio (or higher) price difference and how it represents extreme profit and/or waste of money. People are reminded that if the fuses do nothing or little in your audio system, no big deal or monetary loss. Simply return the fuses and you’ll get a refund. Takes the risk out of potentially wasting money if you decide to give the fuses a listen. I’ve returned products when I was dissatisfied with them. On my initial encounter with the SR Quantum fuses a few years ago I was prepared to return them if they turned out to be unsatisfactory. They weren't. Charles |
OK, have it your way. Almost everything. Another rare exception is the new super duper Beeswax fuse from Audio Magic which are only made to order. No waffling. But even the Teleportation Tweak has a 30 day guarantee. More to the point, David Pritchard was trying to make it sound as if SR stuff was the ONLY thing with a 30 day money back guarantee. Which he does frequently. Who knows why? 😛 |
My Marantz Sa11S2 SACD player has 6 fuses. I replaced one fuse at a time and also listened with each fuse in both directions. The next fuse was added only after the player had been on continuous play for one week. Each fuse added improved the over all sound. Even the fuse for the laser circuit. I do think that replacing the fuses in an audio system and upgrading the A/C wall outlets should be the first upgrades one undertakes to improving a system's sound. And they are one of the few upgrades that come with a 30 day trial and money back if not happy with the sonic change. I can now pop the lid of Marantz players and PS Audio DAC's faster than a NASCAR pit crew can change a tire. David Pritchard |
@mitch2 you catch on quick. Why would I use fuses or cables if I can avoid them? They are obviously weak links in the audio chain. Not to mention increasingly expensive weak links. Not to mention the super long burn in times associated with those things. Same goes for AC power, AC ground, big toxic transformers, big capacitors, power cords and room anomalies. If you enjoy those various distortions and the pain of those long burn in times more power to you. |
If I understand correctly from the cable cooker "Learn More" site: "Playing an interconnect cable in an audio system for one week (168 hours) of continuous use would expose it to the following use value:
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@geoffkait I put together a device similar to the linked video below to my burn in for the SR blacks for about a four days. Given what I heard, it seems to have taken the fuse about ~85% of the way there with another jump in performance after it settled in for another 12-15 hours. Hope that helps.gltyrian, it is not going to "help" geoff for the simple reason he listens to his music through a battery-powered walkman and doesn't use fuses or cables. He just likes to keep the embers burning in the cable and fuse threads around here. BTW, here is what the manufacturer of the Cable Cooker has to say about conditioning fuses. The speaker cable/power cable circuit delivers 1.88A steady-state, so be sure the power line fuses are well above that capacity. The interconnect circuit delivers 120mA of current, so that's a much easier level. Either method (or circuit) will provide some conditioning for the fuses.I am still curious whether anyone here has actually tried conditioning fuses with this device and, if so, what outcome you perceived. |
Totally amazing (and highly satisfying) realizing that your gear is so much better than when you first unboxed it. So I guess wherever there's a fuse it can be upgraded. Great to know. Though the thought of replacing 6 power amp inner fuses (3 along each side wall) is daunting. I'll start with the 2 on the back plate (1 inside & 1 outside). |
