Upgrading Fuses

I've dad very positive results replacing the stock fuses in my ARC D-300 amp and Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 pre-amp with the ceramic body, gold-plated capped versions from HiFi Tuning--a German manufacturer. I can't explain the science, but since the fuse is the first thing your current passes through as it enters your equipment, upgrading does seem to improve the sound. It's not a revolutionary, knock-your-ears off improvement, obviously, but well worth the $30 or so each fuse costs--or so it seems to my ears. Call me nuts, but I even think the sound improves with time... Maybe fuses need to burn in just as cables do. One word of caution, however: Some manufacturers (ARC being one of them) advise against it because of questions about whether these imported fuses are up to UL-approved specs. When I queried an engineer at ARC about it, he conceded that they probably would improve the sound of my amp, but said the warranty would be voided if the fuse failed to protect the equipment. I know of no one who has had that problem and all the dealers I've dealt with highly recommend them. Still, it's use at your own risk (at least with ARC). Hope this helps.

The least expensive fuse upgrade is flipping all existing fuses in the system around - one fuse at a time - and listening to how the direction of each fuse affects the sound. Even for fuses that have been in the system a very long time. There's a 50 percent chance that a given fuse was originally inserted in the "right" direction.

I've had the Audio Magic fuses in my Magnepan 3.7's for about a week now. They gave me an immediate and obvious reduction in grain. Very nice! Next up, fuses for my Cary amps and ModWright Sony.

Zman:
We all love music, and sometimes, it takes someone holding out their hand and saying, take my hand, I won't let you down.
I believed in the HiFi fuses enough that I wanted someone else to experience them without having to lose something.
Conversely, I should point out what you told me when you wrote me, because it turned out you were correct in your statement:
the fuses' arrow doesn't necessarily mean the direction to turn it. I pointed it backwards (as in, it would shoot OUT of the back of amp and into the wall BEHIND the speakers, instead of the way I orignally had it pointed, which was, towards the listening chair) and MAN, did the sound change.
I had written Ken at HiFi Tuning, and he said, nope, don't worry about which way it goes: you'll hear the difference immediately - and I DID. But you got me started. So, to anyone buying it: try the fuse with the arrow pointed towards in both directions and you'll hear which way is best. And you'll hear it so immediately, you'll think you've taken peyote (mushrooms) or some other psychedelic. I was surprised I heard it (and I was skeptical I WOULD hear it, as Ken said I would, but heck, I'm a mad scientist: I try EVERYTHING!). And I heard it. I kept looking around the room, saying, "Okay, who's the wise guy that changed the sound like that? Is there an invisible witch in the room?!?"
Geez.
I'm glad for the corroboration. Who'd have thunk it?!?!? First it was line conditioners (the Tice started the revolution), then power cords, then...fuses??????? What's the world coming to???
And Vhiner, you're probably right, buy one thing about the Hurricanes: if you make a change in your system, they'll let you know about it. I know some people want uber-resolution above all, but I want musical resolution: more microdynamics, more musical resolution, more MUSIC(!) he said, as he swooned away into Dance Macabre...

Wow, after 4 pages of all this about fuses, I am really beginning to wonder...it is so simple guys. If it makes a difference, then it does, if it doesn't or you don't care to investigate, then leave it alone. Why all the fuss and bother?

The reason that we will never be 100% accurate with weather prediction is that we can never measure all the variables that make it up, ahead of the event. Even if we have a 10 mile on a side cube, with sensors at 1 ft intervals, we would still not have enough data to be able to predict what will happen becasue all the points in between the 1 ft interces would not be measured.

Music is an art form in the ear of the beholder. Even if at worst there is a placebo effect, it can still be worth the trouble to use high end fuses so as to achieve a positive result.

Time we get off our high horses and start enjoying this hobby, aoh yeah, and the music (remember that word?) again eh?