2. tech-talk
  3. 1365449923

Hi-Fi Fuses - SNAKE OIL? - or something in it?

There's a lot of chatter about the benefits of those high prices gold plated fuses with silver conductor etc. etc. all over the web and the consensus ranges from FANTASTIC!!! to much more subtle observations.

It makes sense to me, epseically in light of spending lots of $$$ on good power cables, that having a skinny piece of aluminum conductor in a glass tube (i.e. a cheap fuse), in the power loop would be detrimental to the performance of the components.

I decided to revamp my DIY power supply I'd built for the Cambridge Audio 640p phono stage and DACmagic in order to test this out - and since it's a DIY project there is no UL Certification to void.

First, I bypassed the fuse link completely to confirm there would be an improvement and give me the best benchmark to compare against - YEP - BIG DIFFERENCE - much more this, that and the other :-)

So then I started looking for hi-fi fuses - WOW!!! - talk about pricey.

Two fuses for the power supply was going to cost $120+ AND I thought I'd probably have to buy a better quality fuse block to make the most of those fuses.

Then a moment of enlightenment - most power supplies and conditioners are protected by pushbutton breakers and not fuses.

I found breakers of the required current rating and installed them into the power supply. I imediately noticed that there was no deteriation in fidelity when compared to the same unit with the fuse link bypassed - GREAT!.

On reflection, the fuses I had in place were rated at 3 amps - so they use a pretty thin fuse wire in them. If I had used a fuse of a higher rating, i.e. it uses a thicker conductor, then I believe that there would be less of a difference between the fused and bypassed implementations

SO - do the expensive fuses work?

Well the empirical evidence out there would suggest they do
- I do know the cheap fuses are not good!

I know bypassing them does improve the sound - a lot in my case
- BUT THAT'S NOT SAFE FOR ONGOING USE

I know breakers work as good as bypassing the fuse
- BUT MESSING WITH A POWER SUPPLY VOIDS UL CERTIFICATION - NOT GOOD!
- FYI a couple of licensed technicians I know WILL NOT change the design of a power supply at all.

I believe the amount of benefit is related to the fuse rating
- but don't go replacing 3 amp fuses with a 20 amp fuse - that's not safe either.

Whilst looking for fuses I discovered AMR Gold fuses priced at $20/fuse.

Now that's definately more affordable than most others at 3-4 times their price.

One supplier I know of in the US is Avatar Aacoustics

If you have had experience with quality fuses please share - especially if they are "modestly priced" i.e. $20-$30 per fuse. And please provide a source :-)

Also, can anypne confirm that Slow blow fuses are better than regular?

And Remember - IF YOU AIN'T LICENCED - GET A TECHNICIAN!

Many Thanks
williewonka
lacee
811 posts
 
I have replaced the stock IEC on my acoustat servo amps with Rhodium Furtechs so that it's furtech from the dedicated line thru to the amps.Opened her up and soldered new wire to the IEC, also added Furutech rhodiun RCA,and 3 per speaker Furtech speaker connectors, not a stranger to simple mods.

I would certainly like to improve the fuse sockets, which have been sanded and cleaned and given a coating of ESST(on all connections)not sure if Furtech makes them, but if they do I will add them to the mix.

But I ask the question-why wait for upgraded fuse holders, when a simple $20.00 investment in an AMR fuse will get you most of the way there even with that stock fuse holder?

For me, I'll enjoy the improved sound the fuse gives me over the stock one now,, knowing that I would only enjoy it more with an improved upgraded fuse holder.

Why deprive yourself?
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,921 posts
 
What is it again about the sound that the Furutech fuses improve? WOuld turning up the volume some otherwise achieve similar results?
krell_man
827 posts
 

Lacee,

Let's look at your simple question through the eyes of someone who's cup isn't so full that there's no more room for any open-minded thoughts

I won't spend $20.00 to improve my system by simply replacing a fuse. No, never, because if I can't spend three days opening up and installing a better fuse socket to take full advantage of the $20.00 fuse, it's not worth doing!

Man, I'm glad that you and I are closed-minded, short-sighted and unintentionally depriving ourselves of the full enjoyment that we should be waiting for.

Mapman,

The answer is 'No'. It's not like turning up the volume, it's like just cleaning up the AC a little more and lowering the noise floor from less AC junk.

Chuck
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Radio shack bulk tape erasers should be easy and inexpensive to find on eBay for twenty bucks or so, at least the last time I looked. There is a bit of a trick to using bulk tape erasers on CDs and thst is not to hold it too close and only swirl it a couple times, oh, and before releasing the ON button hold the tape eraser well away from the CD.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Mapman wrote,

"What is it again about the sound that the Furutech fuses improve? WOuld turning up the volume some otherwise achieve similar results?"

I'm getting the distinct feeling a laughing goat award might be forthcoming.
More to discover