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What's going on with Synergistic Research fuses?

I live in California and a couple of weeks ago we had strange lightning storms that started the many fires burning in the State.  It also fried the fuse in my Pass XA30.5.  I got the amp second hand and it came with a SR Blue fuse.  I called Pass and they recommended a very cheap fuse which I ordered and installed.  Because I was curious, I took the SR sticker off the old burnt out fuse and found that it was a very cheap SIBA brand fuse underneath.  It is clear that SR is either not making the ceramic casing for this fuse or using the SIBA fuse and then doing stuff to it.  At the very worst, it's just slapping a sticker on it and charging a ton more

The thing is, I'm pretty sure I could hear a difference for the worse when I installed the cheap glass fuse post lightning storm.  Could it be that SR is modifying an existing fuse to make it sound better?  Maybe some more technically minded folks here on the forum could help me understand

thanks!
adam8179

Showing 8 responses by adam8179

adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
tvad

LOL, very true
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
maybe it means that when the fuse blows, another fuse across the universe blows at the exact same moment in time
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
Just to be clear, my post was not intended as a takedown of Synergistic Research.  In fact, I noticed the blue fuse actually did sound quite a bit better than the other fuse I installed.  I guess I'm just interested in what they are doing to that cheap SIBA fuse to make it sound so good?  Maybe it's a trade secret but I thought maybe somebody might have insight into "how the sausage is made"
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
dpac996

I contacted Pass and they assured me that at their old factory near the Desolation Wilderness, they would often get hit by lightning.  They lost office equipment but the guy I talked to said they never fried a power amp.  I do have an Isotek power conditioner but unfortunately I had the Pass amp plugged directly into the wall as some folks said this was the best practice.  I now have the power amp plugged into the Isotek for the  protection and I think it actually sounds better.   The amp was on standby when the lightning hit.  There was no bad smell or any other indication of electronics getting fried.  All this being said, it still sounds great.  These are minor differences
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
tvad

lightning storms are a once in a decade event where I live.  I feel comfortable with the protection afforded by my power conditioner.  This lightning storm was really something very strange.   Hopefully it will not become the "new normal"
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
yeah with the yearly fires and yearly brownouts I might need to look into some more extensive protection for my gear.   

Wondering if anyone has any info on what can be done to fuses to make them sound better than others?  I am not technically inclined but I'm just curious? This is from the Synergistic Research website describing the orange fuse:

"At its core are new UEF Technologies and a completely new multi-stage high voltage treatment process for the lowest noise floor of any fuse we have ever manufactured"

can somebody translate this for me?  Again, not trying to promote or debunk aftermarket fuses, just trying to understand
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
thanks @atmasphere! 
adam8179 OP
68 posts
 
Thanks for everybody's input on this topic!  I always learn a lot from there forums (fora?).  

Another complication:  After installing the new fuse, I was hearing a very slight almost inaudible mechanical hum coming from the amp.  (not coming from the speakers).  I re-installed the fuse and it has gone away.  My auditory memory is not sufficient to say that this accounts for the degraded sound I was hearing from having the SR fuse in there.  From what I'm hearing from a lot of you guys, it seems how the fuse is sitting in the amp can have an effect and by re-installing (I also rotated it) I was getting better contacts?  I guess the only way to be sure is to buy a new SR fuse and do an A/B.  I guess I'd be willing to do a $160 experiment.  With the amount of money I've poured into this hobby already that's chump change.  Whether or not I'm a chump remains to be seen :)
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