Synergistic Red Fuse ...

Charles, I don’t know why many builders don’t use film caps in the power supply? Why they don’t use better internal wiring? Why they use such long signal paths? Why they don’t use breakers? Why many builders think one part sounds the same as another as long as both are in spec and think boutique capacitors/resistors and the like are snake oil? Why do we still use conventional binding posts instead of clamps that clamp the output wires to the speaker cable? Many more audio questions I wonder about in terms of tube gear design.

I think some builders do what they know over and over and really don’t innovate in ways that challenge their comfort zone and conventional wisdom. I am confident this is at play. Some builders do push their comfort zone and are open minded and intentionally curious. Intentional curiosity and openness to outside ideas is indeed in short supply based on my business experience. 

My ears know breakers sound better than fuses all else being equal. I am speaking about AC mains voltage here. 

Yes, I'm sure there's a quality hierarchy among circuit breakers as exist with fuses, resistors, capacitors, tubes, cables etc. Nelson Pass could offer a compelling reason for circuit breakers. On the other hand some of the finest sounding components use fuses. Obviously many factors determine the end result of a component's sonic performance.
Charles

Bill,
How much did you spend for a high quality circuit breaker in your various modification projects? What case did Paul Weitzel make in favor of circuit breakers ?
Charles

As a technology and innovation professional (not in audio industry though) I’d venture to guess that the good makers evaluate many design options all the time and choose the ones that are reliable and work well and are in line with the "brand". I’d expect some R&D budget is there to help raise the bar over time as well else one gets left behind eventually.

IF some things are not seen as often as one might expect there is a good reason.

Anyone with enough knowledge and skill can join the game anytime and try out their own believed innovations. If they are truly better, then that’s the ticket to success, like with Nelson Pass and many others.

Or maybe all these smart folks making this stuff are all just trolls who don’t believe that these particular things make for better sounding gear or do so for good value. That’s an easy explanation. :^)

Or perhaps some manufacturers fail to try things outside of their realm of understanding or fear that buyers will not accept those things either based on the same reason.

Should a manufacturer choose to use SR Black fuses in their products, I can only imagine the outcry of the trolls. Why would they invite this? I would not if I were them.

Dave