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Synergistic Red Fuse ...

I installed a SR RED Quantum fuse in my ARC REF-3 preamp a few days ago, replacing an older high end fuse. Uhh ... for a hundred bucks, this little baby is well worth the cost. There was an immediate improvement upon installation, but now that its broken in (yes, no kidding), its quite remarkable. A tightening of the focus, a more solid image, and most important of all for my tastes, a deeper appreciation for the organic sound of the instruments. Damn! ... cellos sound great! Much improved attack on pianos. More humanistic on vocals. Bowed bass goes down forever. Next move? .... I'm doing the entire system with these fuses. One at a time though just to gauge the improvement in each piece of equipment. The REF-75se comes next. I'll report the results as the progression takes place. Stay tuned ...

Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
128x128oregonpapa
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Lak,
I'm inclined to believe that a better fuse would  make a noticeable improvement. Paul  McGowan of PS Audio encourages owners of his transport to upgrade the fuse. I say go for it. ☺
Charles, 
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,464 posts
 
Yes, it would help LAK. I know as I bypassed the fuse in a CEC transport and it improved the sound nicely.  A better fuse will also help as it approaches bypassing a fuse altogether, just not quite as good. 
mribob
229 posts
 
I too have drank the Kool-aide, and installed a SR Black fuse into my Playback Design PDS-5, and two into my Veloce battery powered line stage. I have around 36 hours on them, and I can verify everything that Charles and Frank have claimed...my digital computer music now sounds more analog like; I'm hearing better details, subtle cues I never appreciated before, a fuller sonic density, and an overall much more pleasing sound quality. I have not yet tried switching directions, I am hoping I got it right the first time, but will perform that experiment after they are more fully broken in. Just another satisfied customer, grateful to follow on the backs of these pioneers who have alerted me to a relatively inexpensive tweak, that has exceeded my expectations in better sonic results..
Bob
aolmrd1241
1,035 posts
 
Bob,how can a fuse in your battery powered preamp have any effect on sound quality if the pre is off the ac grid? Are the fuses connected in the dc circuit somehow? 
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
Bob ..

Glad you took the leap into the "Black" world of fuses. You're going to have to put another 30  hours on them before they really start coming alive, at which point the improvement they afford is mind boggling. Considering the price, and the fact that there's a 30 day return policy, it just seems to be a no brainer to me. 

As I mentioned somewhere else on this site, I've been in commissioned sales for over 50 years. There's a sales technic 
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