Mapman & Wolfie ...
I'll chime in here, but first, why all of the negative input? If the SR products don't work for you, for whatever reason (assuming that you've actually tried them), let it go already. For the rest of us, we have created what amounts to magic music machines.
On the stock fuses: All of my ARC equipment came with the stock fuses supplied by the factory. Over time, I changed them out for the HiFi Tuning fuses. That was an improvement and worth the cost of entry.
Then I replaced the HiFi Tuning fuse in the REF-75se ... and that's what originally started this thread from day one. Little by little, all of the HiFi Tuning fuses were changed out with the SR RED fuses. Every fuse change offered a substantial improvement. Again, worth the cost of entry.
A couple of months after completing the system with the RED fuses, SR came out with the BLACK fuses. I tried one. Wow! Night and day over the RED fuses.
Now, with the exception of one fuse in the analog section of my CD player, the entire system sports SR Black fuses. For the difference in cost between the RED and BLACK's. Its well worth the change. I'd do it again in a heart beat.
There is no way I would want to go back to stock fuses, or any of the other fuses mentioned above. Its just no contest.
With every SR product I've tried, from fuses, to HFT's and on to their power cords, its been not just a substantial improvement, but a system changing event. My system today, compared to a year ago is WAY beyond where I ever thought it would go. And believe me, it was no slouch a year ago either.
And by the way, I'm using new top of the line bi-wired speaker cables and a couple of IC's from Von Gaylord Audio that are finally broken in. They are fantastic. The designer, Ray Leung, is a genius. Look for a new thread in the Cable Forum soon to come.
OP