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The new Synergistic Research BLUE fuses ....

New SR BLUE fuse thread ...

I’ve replaced all 5 of the SR BLACK fuses in my system with the new SR BLUE fuses. Cold, out of the box, the BLUE fuses stomped the fully broken-in SR BLACKS in a big way. As good as the SR BLACK fuses were/are, especially in comparison with the SR RED fuses, SR has found another break-through in fuses.

1. Musicality ... The system is totally seamless at this point. Its as if there is no system in the room, only a wall to wall, front to back and floor to ceiling music presentation with true to life tonality from the various instruments.

2. Extension ... I’ve seemed to gain about an octave in low bass response. This has the effect of putting more meat on the bones of the instruments. Highs are very extended, breathing new life into my magic percussion recordings. Vibes, chimes, bells, and triangles positioned in the rear of the orchestra all have improved. I’ve experienced no roll-off of the highs what so ever with the new BLUE fuses. Just a more relaxed natural presentation.

3. Dynamics ... This is a huge improvement over the BLACK fuses. Piano and vibes fans ... this is fantastic.

I have a Japanese audiophile CD of Flamenco music ... the foot stomps on the stage, the hand clapping and the castanets are present like never before. Want to hear natural sounding castanets? Get the BLUE fuses.

4. Mid range ... Ha! Put on your favorite Ben Webster album ... and a pair of adult diapers. Play Chris Connor singing "All About Ronnie," its to die for.

Quick .... someone here HAS to buy this double album. Its a bargain at this price. Audiophile sound, excellent performance by the one and only Chris Connor. Yes, its mono ... but so what? Its so good you won’t miss the stereo effects. If you’re the lucky person who scores this album, please post your results here.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRASONIC-CLEAN-The-Finest-Of-CHRIS-CONNOR-Bethlehem-Jazz-1975-NM-UNPLAYED-...

Overall impressions:

Where the RED fuses took about 20 hours to sound their best, and the BLACK fuses took upwards of 200 hours of total break-in, the BLUE fuses sounded really good right out of the box ... and that’s without doing anything about proper directional positioning. Not that the BLUE fuses don’t need breaking in, they do. The improvement continues through week three. Its a gradual break-in thing where each listening session is better than the last.

Everything I described above continues to break new ground in my system as the fuses continue breaking in. Quite honestly, I find it difficult to tear myself away from the system in order to get things done. Its truly been transformed into a magical music machine. With the expenditure of $150.00 and a 30 day return policy there’s really nothing to lose. In my system, its like upgrading to a better pre amp, amp, CD player or phono stage. Highly recommended.

Kudos to Ted Denney and the entire staff at SR. Amazing stuff, guys. :-)

Frank

PS: If you try the SR BLUE fuses, please post your results here. Seems the naysayers, the Debbie Downers and Negative Nellie’s have hijacked the original RED fuse thread. A pox on their houses and their Pioneer receivers.

Frank



128x128oregonpapa
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,796 posts
 
Certainly I've seen electrical engineers - the ones who don't have an investment in selling audiophile fuses - saying it's nonsense. 
Have you seen the video or read the posting of PS Audio's Paul McGowan stating that fuses do make a difference though he can't explain why? 

Further, my skepticism is based both on my own experience
Are you implying you've tried aftermarket fuses? Or are you able to divine that they don't work? It's difficult to figure where the mysticism lies.

All tweaks can't be conflated. If you've been following this thread, someone made an audio waveform copy of the same system with two different power conditioners and there was more info on one than the other. That slight trace of sound was distinguishable enough to recognize the music being played and it added to it, for the better.

Rather than sit on one's high horse and decry things, get on with it, try a fuse, or test one, or carry on yelling from the rooftops, which seems to be de rigueur for naysayers.

The view must be breathtaking though the air is thin. 

All the best,
Nonoise


gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
geoffkait - I realize this remark will be met with some skepticism, but there has never been an audiophile tweak that has been proven to be a hoax or a fraud. Sorry for bursting any bubbles.

My proposed test isn't meant to nor will it prove anything. But it can be useful to demonstrate if what someone claims to hear they actually can hear, or are merely in a state of delusion.

In other words, you are correct. It won't prove a fuse is or isn't a hoax or a fraud. But it will provide opportunity to offer into evidence whether or not the impossible, is possible. Sorry for bursting any bubbles. 

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,796 posts
 
That was the most self contradictory thing I've read in a long, long time.
prof
3,468 posts
 
@uberwaltz,


And before you ask, yes I AM a working EE but do NOT believe that science has the answer for everything or can explain all.


I’m glad to hear you are an EE, but you should know that is no protection from fooling yourself.

The whole insight of the scientific enterprise is how easy we are to fool, no matter how earnest. Remember the always relevant Richard Feynman quote: "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool."

This is why a good scientist employs the type of double-checking protocols like blind/double-blind testing, scrutiny by others trying to prove you wrong, replicatability /predictability of experiments, reduction of variables, etc. A scientist is just as easy to fool through bias and loose protocols as anyone else.

This is why simply being an EE is no firewall against your own susceptibility to bias effects.

@nonoise

Have you seen the video or read the posting of PS Audio’s Paul McGowan stating that fuses do make a difference though he can’t explain why?


Yes I have seen it. (Recently, in fact). And it is an example of exactly what I said to uberwaltz. McGowan’s experience making audio equipment in no way insulates him from the very same bias issues that affect any other human. Insofar as he "tests" for sonic differences with lax protocol, of the anecdotal kind he describe in "hearing" the sonic difference between fuses, he is a susceptible to flawed inferences like any other person. Thus his saying "I heard a difference" is no different than any other audiophile saying the same, given the same unreliable method was used to make this inference.

All tweaks can’t be conflated. If you’ve been following this thread, someone made an audio waveform copy of the same system with two different power conditioners and there was more info on one than the other. That slight trace of sound was distinguishable enough to recognize the music being played and it added to it, for the better.


Fascinating. I did not see that in this very long thread. Would you have a link?

Note that this type of evidence is conspicuously missing for the vast majority of audiophile tweaks I’m talking about, including most AC cable claims.

So I would like to see the evidence you mention. And of course, even if there is a variation, the question remains open as to whether it amounted to an audible difference, and if the test for this was sighted...well...that just keeps it in the realm of problematic that I’m talking about.






jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman
689 posts
 
Getting back to superior materials in high-end components, a case in point is what can be heard through different levels of stethoscopes.  An entry-level scope can be had on Amazon for $15-$30 and is fine for some, with testimonials of, "Works for me", "Good for the money", "Better than I thought", etc.  They are made of a stamped, lightweight bell, a plastic diaphragm, a single-lumen tube connected to thin-metal binaural earpieces capped with hard-plastic ear cups.  In contrast, a 3M Littmann Master Cardiology scope has a cast, stainless-steel bell that is quite heavy. The tough diaphragm has a silicone surround that allows for membrane discursion.  The thick tube contains two inner lumens for superior transmission of sound, ending in soft ear cups that seal out external noise.  Much more detail in lung, heart, bowel and vessel sounds can be heard. Although there now are electronically-assisted scopes, the traditional stethoscope is a purely acoustical, diagnostic tool, used from body to ear and varies dramatically in acoustic sensitivity depending on quality of materials.          
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