I've had the Audio Magic fuses in my Magnepan 3.7's for about a week now. They gave me an immediate and obvious reduction in grain. Very nice! Next up, fuses for my Cary amps and ModWright Sony. |
Zman:
We all love music, and sometimes, it takes someone holding out their hand and saying, take my hand, I won't let you down.
I believed in the HiFi fuses enough that I wanted someone else to experience them without having to lose something.
Conversely, I should point out what you told me when you wrote me, because it turned out you were correct in your statement:
the fuses' arrow doesn't necessarily mean the direction to turn it. I pointed it backwards (as in, it would shoot OUT of the back of amp and into the wall BEHIND the speakers, instead of the way I orignally had it pointed, which was, towards the listening chair) and MAN, did the sound change.
I had written Ken at HiFi Tuning, and he said, nope, don't worry about which way it goes: you'll hear the difference immediately - and I DID. But you got me started. So, to anyone buying it: try the fuse with the arrow pointed towards in both directions and you'll hear which way is best. And you'll hear it so immediately, you'll think you've taken peyote (mushrooms) or some other psychedelic. I was surprised I heard it (and I was skeptical I WOULD hear it, as Ken said I would, but heck, I'm a mad scientist: I try EVERYTHING!). And I heard it. I kept looking around the room, saying, "Okay, who's the wise guy that changed the sound like that? Is there an invisible witch in the room?!?"
Geez.
I'm glad for the corroboration. Who'd have thunk it?!?!? First it was line conditioners (the Tice started the revolution), then power cords, then...fuses??????? What's the world coming to???
And Vhiner, you're probably right, buy one thing about the Hurricanes: if you make a change in your system, they'll let you know about it. I know some people want uber-resolution above all, but I want musical resolution: more microdynamics, more musical resolution, more MUSIC(!) he said, as he swooned away into Dance Macabre... |
Nobody sways or converts?
That's not correct.
Anyone who switched out a cheap stock fuse for an upgraded one will never switch back to the way it was.So they've been converted.
There's no going back for us,whereas some folks aren't wiling to go forward.
No matter if the upgraded fuse was only ten cents, I am certain the naysayers wouldn't buy one.
Simple things like replacing a fuse,don't require that you need and electrical engineering degree.
Perhaps that's part of it.
It's too simple! |
Wow, after 4 pages of all this about fuses, I am really beginning to wonder...it is so simple guys. If it makes a difference, then it does, if it doesn't or you don't care to investigate, then leave it alone. Why all the fuss and bother?
The reason that we will never be 100% accurate with weather prediction is that we can never measure all the variables that make it up, ahead of the event. Even if we have a 10 mile on a side cube, with sensors at 1 ft intervals, we would still not have enough data to be able to predict what will happen becasue all the points in between the 1 ft interces would not be measured.
Music is an art form in the ear of the beholder. Even if at worst there is a placebo effect, it can still be worth the trouble to use high end fuses so as to achieve a positive result.
Time we get off our high horses and start enjoying this hobby, aoh yeah, and the music (remember that word?) again eh? |
Gbmcleod -
I somehow just happened upon your post of 12-30-11. Your experience is almost word for word what mine has been going from the stock fuse to a HiFi Tuning Supreme fuse with my Simaudio 600i amp., solid state no less. The change was immediately noted for the better. After the first few hours or so it was obvious that the UF had expanded, and with more detail. Overall, there was a greater sense of ease to the music. It was smoother (less grain), yet more detailed.
I have used Furutech fuses in the past. With the digital players (some midfi, some pretty resolving) I have had, I found them to always improve the UF, provide better detail and smooth the music out. I just replaced the 2 fuses in the Sony 5400es I have with 2 Furutechs and the changes were as mentioned above. I have not tried other brands. |
In spite of the four pages of controversy, a consensus does emerge over time. Because of posts from folks like Glenn and Lacee, people are having more fun and enjoying more music. Pretty cool when a measly $50 fuse can make so many people happy. |
The "Stock Fuse" is the.. Weakest Link |
I recently tried an Acme fuse in my Pass Labs XA30.5 amp and heard in immediate improvement. I wouldn't say it was a significant improvement, but not a subtle one either. At first I heard more high end extension. The next day I heard an extension in the bass and on the third day the fuse settled in. Now I hear more clarity over the whole sound spectrum.
For $17.50 shipped, it is a no brainer. I ordered another Acme fuse for my Placette active preamp. Should arrive soon. |
And....hereeeee's ...Glennie!
Wow, I'm really becoming addicted to the HiFi fuses.
Just for the fun of it (and because I KNOW what the do to the sound), I changed the fuse in the PS Audio Power Plant 300 about 10 minutes ago. I shall attempt to remain sanguine about the improvement.
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! ...well, I sure failed that!!
Really, guys and ladies (and others, as Anna Russell would say): you really have to buck up here and change yer damn fuses and quit griping that "a fuse can't POSSIBLY make a difference. It does.
What surprised me is what DID change and what DIDN'T change.
The "air" in the rear layers of the orchestra -- or maybe I should just say the "ambience" in the rear layers became significantly more noticeable. Perhaps the better fuse is allowing the Power Plant to be even clearer than it was (I'll leave it to the technical-minded to explain that). And the brass are surging forth both more powerfully, and more distinctly separated from each other (whereas before, they were a bit congealed). What did NOT improve is the string section, which actually is making me check my tubes in the First Sound preamp. Fortunately, I have spare Amperex 6922s, so I can tell tomorrow morning. I'm leaving the Power Plant running all night to break in. (I think it took around 5 hours for the fuses to really cook in "well," whatever that means. To me, it means the difference between the moment I turned the amps on (the first place I put them and listened) and the identifiable changes 8 hours later (which means when I arise tomorrow, er...today, at 8 a.m., I should hear a difference.
Back to the strings: this is a Deutsche Grammophon issue of Jean Sibelius' Finlandia [413 755-2]. I thought the strings were nice, but with the new fuses, it's clear they're not the best rendering of strings I've heard. They're not bad, just...edge in spots. Fascinatingly enough, the brass improved quite a bit, which usually means better mid bass renderings (and the brass do sound more golden-ish and simultaneously less "biting" (read: harsh) in their upper midrange frequencies). And the oboe now has more body to it, and I didn't even give the 'Canes time to warm up, because it was so late when I began listening, almost midnight.
Nonetheless, the fuses are now in the Power Plant and the Hurricanes and there's no disputing the quality of the improvement in sound. I can understand some folks saying $37 for fuses is absurd, but it makes a greater improvement than a high-quality outlet, or cleaning the CD.
Hey, it's on you if you'd rather gripe than check it out. But MAN, does it ever sound better. And I would imagine those of you with very high-quality systems (such as the guy who changed the fuse in high Magnepan 1.7s on another thread and went apes***) will hear it instantly. You'll be lucky, if you hit "play" on your cd player while walking to the listening chair, to actually REACH the listening chair without turning around slowly in disbelief. |
I went ahead and purchased the Supreme fuse for my CDP. I had a gold HiFi fuse in it and the new fuse was much better.
More open and airy in the soundstage. The highs are more extended and very smooth. The speed and attack increased also. The bass has a slight bit more energy but not as much bloat as before.
All in all I'm very pleased. |
Has anyone else tried the new Audio Magic Nano Fuses?
I have the classic Hifi Tuning fuses in my Magnepan 1.7's. These make a huge difference vs. stock. Much better details, more attack, tames top end harshness and opens up the soundstange. I would say this is a must for the 1.7's! I have recently put in a new Supreme fuse into my NAD M3's pre-amp section. Wow, huge difference. The soundstage extends much deeper in the room and instruments are now seperated and easy to listen to. The effect was mostly on the top end and overall the amp simply sounds much more powerful. I tried putting silverstars in the amp section of the NAD, but the top-end overwhelmed the mid-range. I would like to attempt to replace the classic fuses I have in the Magnepan's with the new audio magic fuses or furutech. Does anyone know which fuse has the smoothest top end, with a balanced mid-range? |
I have a theory on fuse directionality...I installed the HiFi Supreme fuses in my pre and then source. Because of all the direction controversy I was compelled to test this myself on the pre(CJ CT-5) where its installation made a pronounced difference. Upon switching directions shortly after initial install (A>B>A), I wasn't convinced of a difference - but after about a week I noticed a slight edginess in the treble - and recalled that others have noted this with 'wrong' direction installs. Reversing the direction this time did make the difference.
So my opinion is that the fuse has no intrinsic preferred direction, but that the high voltage 'tunneling' effect is what causes the difference in sound. Tunneling effect is reasonably well accepted for interconnects/speaker cables, and the voltages here are certainly higher so effects may be even more pronounced? If others have noted audible differences, or determined they were installed in the wrong direction, only after some hours of initial use - this would support the tunneling theory. Any better ideas?
Sorry if someone else posed a similar thought - there are too many 'fuse' posts to read thru.
AJ |
Noticed I used 'voltages' flagrantly. Although this is AC, the load, or draw, is presumably directional - So I should have said load. |
I've tried it and it made a difference. It made my system more open, faster, articulate, tighter bass and more fluid treble. Listening to familiar music netted new details unheard before. I've tried it first on preamp and heard the change immediately. After that I changed the ones in the amplifiers. The difference became more obvious. Same presentation but more obvious to hear. I don't have golden ears but in my opinion a revealing system.
Changing fuse direction also changed the sound. This time it lost the openness and became darker. Bass became rounder, less detail overall but still better than stock (Bussman ceramic). I guess it depends on what the listener likes. |
I just popped in two 5A slo blo HiFi Supremes in my old Acoustat tube servo amps.
The two 1/2 amp fast blos are on back order,but even with the job half done,the sound has improved.
Hard to describe to those who haven't experienced it,and when you try the best you can say is that things just improve in all areas.
Next up is my cd player,but it is costly,Nano fuse is tempting, but I've had such good sound with the Supremes I hate to use anything but them,if only for consistency.
When done that's 9 new fuses so that's about a $1000.00 investment in fuses.
I can hear the riddicule,but it doesn't faze me.
I've experience with other tweeks costing as much or more that haven't been as positive as the fuse upgrades.
And when it comes to swapping tubes or interconnects looking for the big improvement, most times they fail to live up to expectations,so you keep investing in those same tweeks, over and over.
To me a one time investment of $90.00 on a fuse doesn't seem foolish.
But for it not to appear foolish, you have to try it for yourself. |
Lacee,
I know what you mean about more expensive upgrades not equaling the Supreme fuses....bought a $500 power cord once that didn't come close. |
How would that power cord sound now that you've got the fuse?
This is the point that a lot of folks miss, and some of my friends fall into the category of folks who expect one upgrade to transform the entire system.
Nite and day transformations seldom occur as you move up the food chain in this hobby.
Things get to a certain level and the differences a single tweek like one power cord can make are not always game changing, so folks give up and cry snake oil.
I've found that you have to treat every component as eligeable for tweaking.
That means do all the fuses, do all the same upgraded power cords, IC, etc., and if you can run dedicated lines and use upscale power conditioning go for it.
I am especially pleased with the results when you isolate the cd player on it's own line.
There is less one dimensional, flat sound,you start to notice more distinctions around the instruments, more space if you will.
Tweaking the power cords and fuses then makes these upgrades more noticeable.
You get out of this hobby what you put into it.
If you really want to hear the music,all of the music, you need to make your components work the way they were designed to,at their optimum capacity.
You can't be complacent or lazy,just spinning some discs is fine,if all you want is a few minutes of musical entertainment.
When you sweat the details you reap the benefits and a few minutes turns into hours of musical bliss.
The better the system ,the less you feel like finding something to do as you listen.
The music takes over and demands your full attention, and that's not a hard thing for it to do when it's tweeked.
That's when the system as a whole sounds like you just replaced all the electronics with more expensive ones, when in fact all you've changed are some power products. |
Lacee,
Good decisions *do* tend to have a cummulative effect. Like you, I tend to stick with what works and repeat it...until something better comes along. The nano fuses scare me a bit, what with the liquid and all....but I'm eager to hear from someone who's taken the time to compare them to the Supremes....that and a little time to find out what happens if they ever blow. ;-) |
I can tell you from painful expereience that the HiFi Supreme fuses will blow if you place a .5 amp fuse in a 5 amp slot.
No fireworks, and no ill affects to the gear it was protecting.
Words to the wise,never do a fuse swap in less than adequate lighting late at nite and without checking the tiny print on the end caps. |
