fuses - the $39 ones or the 85 cent ones

Pubul57

Of course, I have no idea of fuses making a difference in sound is or isn't grounded in sound engineering.

There is no free ride, a fuse represents a bottle neck in the otherwise fairly substantial network of electron flow that's necessary for the circuit to work.

Replacing the fuse with a solid piece of copper would be best, but I doubt your insurance provider would pay when you burned down the house.

Bottom line, if you can improve the "weakest link" by even a tiny amount, it can make a nice difference. The stock fuses work fine, provide equal protection as the expensive ones and are easy obtainable as well as being cheap.

Whatever the construction of ANY fuse, it contributes ever so slightly to the end sound. In some components and some systems the change will be small or inaudible. In other systems it can be enough that the end result is a very nice upgrade.

No, it's not like swapping speakers or even speaker cables. Even small improvements are hard won when a system has evolved over a long period of time, to the point that tiny tweaks become important to end result.

I'm making these statements based on experiences with Isoclean fuses, which I like very much. From what I've read, the Hi Fi Tuning Fuses should contribute equally to end results.

Jdec, I read your comments too. If this thread is still alive and kicking, I'll post results after I try them.

I guess that is one reason Ken Stevens designs the CAT amps with no fuses for the tubes. I can't argue with his results sonically, but if a tube blows it helps to know how to replace some resistors.

Ken Stevens is a quality and resolution freak, and his CAT gear proves he knows what he's doing.

I've owned amps that had only resistors and breakers (no fuses) but no way to compare to identical design with and without.

I've done my share of flipping over big amps and soldering resistors after a tube went bad, probably a better design than fuses but with my VTL's, there is no choice but replace fuses and I love the way they work with my speakers :^).

That may be worth a try....Bridge a fuse with a nice piece of 12ga or 10ga copper......
In the old days, many a house fire was started by a lunatic who stuck a coin in the fuse box. The REAL problem was somewhere else.

One last note....In Real Scientific Studies, the DBT kind that nobody here seems to subscribe to, a small %age of those receiving the Placebo (Sugar pill) ALSO get relief.
I would respectfully suggest that the next time you go to swap in a 39$ fuse, (I still can't get over that price...I work for a living, after all) get a friend to (OR NOT) actually put in the fuse. Be honest now! How many were fooled into thinking it sounded better?

No matter what, have fun. This is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby, for Pete's sake!

>>Magfan, obviously you heard differences yourself with ICs and Cables because you wanted to. At least by your logic.<<

Well that's not true Captain Kirk.

Audible differences in cables are attributable primarily to conductor composition, conductor purity, conductor geometry, and dielectric i.e. tangible explanations.

Unlike items such as clocks and rocks.