If neither the skeptics nor the believers are willing or able to confirm with a easy blind test, then, does the subject discussed really matter at all?
Just a thought. But it seems so many topics in this hobby fall into this kind of elusive category. |
The subject matters to the "skeptics" only to the extent that it's another opportunity to suggest that blind tests would *prove* the damned thing doesn't work. "Skeptics" automatically assume the damned thing doesn't work. How scientific is that? |
Geoffkait: "The subject matters to the "skeptics" only to the extent that it's another opportunity to suggest that blind tests would *prove* the damned thing doesn't work."
Actually, in my case I'm looking for proof that it does work. There's nothing that I have seen to suggest to me that changing the direction of a fuse will change the sound. Based on that I think it makes perfect sense for me to automatically assume that "the damned thing doesn't work" as you put it.
My integrated has a fuse holder at the back, so I can access the fuse without opening the case. Tonight I'll swap the fuse around and see if I hear a difference.
Are you guys talking about the AC mains fuse? |
Sid, my feeling is that a blind test would be unlikely to accomplish anything.
Most blind tests that have been reported in the past, involving things that would seem more likely to make a perceivable difference than fuse orientation (such as cables and even amplifiers), have resulted in a finding that no differences were perceivable.
Assuming that would be the outcome, the believers would allege that the skeptics did not hear a difference because of negative placebo effect (i.e., they did not expect to hear a difference so they did not). They would also claim, perhaps with some legitimacy, that they themselves did not hear a difference due to lack of familiarity with the sound of the system, or due to listener fatigue that might develop during the course of the tests, or due to other aspects of the test conditions.
Also, I would not characterize conducting such a test as "easy." Eliminating the possibility of differences being caused by extraneous variables, such as the ones I mentioned in my earlier post, would require very careful control of a lot of things. And at least several test subjects would have to be involved, to eliminate the possibility that the test result might be the result of guesswork (while not requiring any individual listener to go through an unreasonable number of trials, that might lead to listener fatigue). The inclusion of several test subjects again raising the issue of lack of adequate familiarity with the sound of the system.
Sebrof, yes we are talking about the ac mains fuse on the component. My suggestion would be that if you think you hear a difference, go back and forth a couple of times to confirm (allowing a few minutes for warmup between each reversal).
Best regards,
-- Al |
I find it's harder to be skeptical if there is a rational hypothesis provided that's at least loosely grounded in the physics, acoustics, or material sciences.
How a fuse that's conducting AC, especially one that's not in the signal path, can have a real affect the sonics escapes me. |
Should be able to measure SOMETHING about the fuse's conductive differences, right? Those of you with means, and one of these exotic fuses in mention, O-scope the fuse's A.C.(60Hz) input and output (with your component powered up), then flip the fuse and measure again!
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Bdgregory, I too find I am skeptical without some explanation for why a tweak might work, but I am also convinced by a demonstration. I have heard nothing that would explain why fuse direction would matter, nor why there might be differences between fuses except for the materials in fuses, etc. My experiences with tweaks run the gamut from worthless, such as copper tubing over the pc entering the IEC, to minimum value, such as the Brilliant Pebbles, to a great improvement, such as isolating the pcs from the floor and walls, and variable tweaks, such as quartz disks made by Acoustic Revive and others. In some placements, they do nothing, in other they do wonders, and yet in others they are terrible. |
Tgb, with 100s of customers reporting, results with pebbles vary, with best results circa 50-200%.
For those bringing down the curve, most likely operator error. |
My problem if you will is that I see two questions on all these products. 1) does it work? 2) does the vendor explanation make any sense?
for 1) I most often need to listen myself. FOr #2 I find if the explanation is BS I automatically form a negative opinion of the entire shebang. Not fair or even smart but personally I tend to lump everything from a source as BS once they hit me once with it.
Not saying I'm an expert on lots of this stuff but on some thing I dont really need to be. Example? Well to read many releases there is more cutting edge quantum physics going on in the audio world than in the physics world. Really gotta doubt that. ANother is the argument that vaccinations are bad for kids. I'm no immunologist but when the argument is so laded with errors and "read on the internet" stuff as opposed to years of boring science you gotta call BS. |
For those bringing down the curve, most likely operator error.
Geoffkait Brilliantly funny! |
I realize there are a lot of skeptics out there but I just tried a couple of furutech fuses in my amps and changing direction on the fuses is like listening to two totally different systems. One direction has a clearer more focused sound but seems to lack musicality being less involving and has a flatter soundstage. The other direction is less focused but has more depth and body to images and sounds more organic and musical to me. Has anyone else found similar results in their systems with the furutech fuses? Depending on ones system and preferences I could see one preferring either direction to the other. |
Dmailer, I found this always to be the case, regardless of fuses or components. The proof is in what you hear, of course, but with the IsoClean fuses it is always with the prescribed and shown fuse direction.
It is just amazing to me that some will not even try it. |
Sounds like the same results I get when I spin my chair around 180 degrees. |
Just do it over and over for 30 times and you will fall out of your chair at the improvement. |
