High Quality Fuses: Real Gains?


All:

I'm generally suspicious of "tweaks" but I had an interesting conversation with a service representative from one of the major audiophile companies about the potential benefits of replacing stock fuses with higher quality ones like the HiFi Tuning brand. I thought he would dismiss the potential gains of using an "audiophile" fuse but he affirmed that they might actually produce audible improvements since all the current must travel through this junction. He also admitted that the stock fuses they use are pretty ordinary throwaways. So, have any of you used these and if so what were the results? Are there brands other than HiFi Tuning that are worth considering? I should have probably checked the archives so if this has been debated already sorry to bring it up.
128x128dodgealum
Dogealum,

Your report indicates that careful evaluation by professional engineers showed them that these higher grade fuses do indeed change the performance of their equipment by making it sound "different", adding support to the notion that there is indeed a real effect. Furthermore, the engineers found that orientation of even off-the-shelf fuses was critical, consistent with the claims of HiFi Tuning which actually prints the desired circuit direction on their fuses. I have only very rarely read here or elsewhere reports that these higher grade fuses actually resulted in a reduction in sound quality or anything other than a perceived improvement in sound quality when end users applied them in their systems. As noted previously in the thread, my personal experience was that HiFi Tuning fuses provided a significant and noticeable "improvement" in the audio quality as perceived by me when used in my amplifier in place of stock glass fuses.

Your sharing of the comments made by the head of the service department of the high end manufacturer is interesting to me in other ways. Their perspective is similar to that of most manufacturers when it comes to aftermarket or upgraded power cords - they just don't come with. I have heard the same comments made by the service department head about fuses applied by industry professionals to aftermarket cords, essentially "they do sound different, just not necessarily better". I wonder if in the case of higher grade fuses, manufacturers are hesitant to break convention and design their gear around fuses that are only available from mail order specialty houses and cost tens of times more than standard issue, even if the higher grade fuses might be a little or even a lot better than the cheaper ones. If one of these fancy fuses blow and the end user replaces it with a convential product from the hardware store, there is a risk that the equipment may no longer perform to spec or expectation, a clear potential headache for the service department in the end.

My experience with power cords and HiFi Tuning fuses - applied at least to my amplifiers - indicates to me that next to room treatments and isolation, they are the most profound and effective tweaks I have tried, providing more sonic bang than new interconnects or speaker cables, and actually allowing me to better resolve differences in the latter two items when they are changed.
Very good responce Knownothing.
I'm almost positive that there would be a better sound in an amp with a better fuse.
I too have a treated room and can hear without a doubt, very subtle changes in power connectors (Porter Ports, Power cords,Dedicated line). All were a great improvement as I upgraded.
My reply above is to the fact that fuse direction is understandable. But spinning the fuse within the fuse holder is a little to much.
The fuse is a bottle neck into the system. It makes no sents to buy very expencive power cords and a dedicated line w/cryoed receptical and ignore the fuse. Espeacialy when they make an upgrade for it.
I have been using IsoClean fuses for about four years and have consistently thought them the best. I have tried HiFi Tuning fuses also, starting when they said they had no direction, which I found untrue.

More recently I have had many fuses "quantum tunneled" by Synergistic Research and found even Bus fuses were greatly improved. I have also found that painting the glass on fuses with Anti Vibration Magic paint even further improves the sound. Yes this is all a pain and I have several components were I need to update the fuses. I have even tried magnet in place of fuses. I did not like them and thus did not have to face the issue of no protection.

I view all of this as optimizing ones system.
I have also found that painting the glass on fuses with Anti Vibration Magic paint even further improves the sound.


I like magic,it makes everything better!!!
Tpreaves, if you are serious, I agree. No one likes to work on a board that has been painted, however.