Paean to a Fuse (and a tip of the hat to Chris Van Haus)


It's astonishing that most audio designers and manufacturers neglect an important element in the power supply: the fuse. The stock fuse, while meeting technical parameters, is almost invariably cheap junk. Thanks to the sage advice of Chris Van Haus of VH Audio, I replaced the stock fuses in both my dac and my amplifier with HifiTuning Supreme Cu.  Fisrt the dac. What a revelation. Then the amp. Another revelation. In both cases, I achieved an unmistakeable improvement in clarity, detail, tonal density, air... all the good stuff, with no loss of dynamics. I checked with the manufacturers before initiating this experiement and in both cases I was cautioned that audiophile fuses are not certified to protect their associated circuits in the same manner as a stock fuse. And both added that their product was voiced around the stock fuse and that I should be concerned about altering its sound character. This has not proven to be the case (which is not to say it won't in other instances). After questioning me about the kind of sound I was hoping to achieve, Chris made a recommendation that proved to be prescient, namely, the HifiTuning Supreme Cu. Just to have a comparison, I also ordered a different audiophile fuse of high repute, but I ended up returning it. Thank you, Chris Van Haus, experienced audiophile, straight talker, good guy. Dead on. 
pmboyd
pmboyd OP
I was cautioned that audiophile fuses are not certified to protect their associated circuits in the same manner as a stock fuse.

>>>>That’s a fals-fals-falsity. Some audiophile fuses are UL approved, some aren’t.
I am also using that fuse in my equipment (power amp / Power supply to dac & phono amp / Transport) with wonderful results from top to bottom. Also bought them from Chris, as I have many other items. Great guy & great service. 
the Hi-Fi Tuning "Cu" fuse is a gold-plated copper fuse.  It would impart a full/warm type of sound with rolled off highs.  Generally, this fuse is much better than most stock fuses, unless the amp/preamp is voiced so much on the warm side (like Marantz, McIntosh, etc.).  And yes, it's only made in the small 5x20 model.  If you want a similar type of sound but need a large 6.3x32mm fuse, try an Isoclean.  It's made in a very similar way (gold-plated copper elements), but it's likely the Hi-Fi Tuning has superior metals.