I have had "designer" fuses in my equipment for many years, starting with HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses in my Primaluna tube monos. I ultimately ditched the HiFi Tuning for the SR Reds in my amps and never looked back. Reds also went into my Bel Canto DAC/Pre and my Bryston BDP-2. The results were stunning, especially in the BDP-2 which, in my system, had a kind of range-y bass (ethereal--and not in a good way). In January I was able to upgrade the Reds in the Bryston to Blacks within the 30 day trial period--just lucky since I didn't know the Blacks were coming out. Today I received a Black to swap tor the Red in The Bel Canto. This is already making great sound, though my own experience tells me that they will come in and out of focus and tonal balance for at least 150 hours.
Everything the Reds do the Blacks simply do better. As enumerated by many others on this thread, the Blacks produce an even lower noise floor, better delineated images within the soundstage, better 3-D dimensionality, better defined and more extended bass and, something not often mentioned but very apparent to me, is that instrumental textures are so much better resolved. Particularly bowed-bass and other strings, reeds, horns, male and female vocals, even Hammond B-3.
I have really enjoyed following this thread...
