Fuses that matter.

04-29-12: Bryoncunningham
Here are the putative explanations I've been able to find for why a fancy fuse might improve sound quality...

1. Lower DC resistance
2. Less voltage drop
3. Lower microphonics
4. More conductive materials
5. Better electrical contact between fuse caps and fuse wire
6. Better mechanical contact between fuse and clips
7. Better conductivity due to cryo treatment

For the folks who know about these things, do any of those seem plausible?

Of course they seem plausible. Well, with the exception of cryo treatment. Every skeptic worth his salt knows that cryo treatment is like hunting the snark, you can't see it and you can't measure it. But can you hear it? That's the question. Answer at 11.

Well, if this is an issue of lower voltage drop or microphonics then I will pass, since my amp has line/load regulated power supply while case is made of solid billet of aluminum - not likely to vibrate.

"Well, if this is an issue of lower voltage drop or microphonics then I will pass, since my amp has line/load regulated power supply while case is made of solid billet of aluminum - not likely to vibrate."

Well, at least not at high frequencies.

Some kind of unfriendly ghost doesn't want me to A/B anything. When I decided to A/B grounding pigtails in a friend's system a couple weeks ago, he suddenly blew a tweeter. The replacement tweeter still hasn't showed up.

When I decided to A/B my Hifi Tuning fuses 2 days ago, I removed the fuse from the amp and cracked the fuse housing! It still works, but taking it in and out of the amp 10 times to A/B is a bad idea. I talked to Pass Labs yesterday (they are really nice guys, btw), and they are sending me another fuse housing free of charge. Should be here in a couple days. So I will in fact A/B these little suckers.

I'll report back about whether I hear Magic or Placebo. Admittedly, they sound similar, but I'm doing my best to keep honest.

Bryon

For now I've decided to ignore opinions about high end fuses and avoid using them unless somebody gives me one. It just seems like a simpler way to go, and hey, I have to take a stand someplace. Please feel free to ignore this opinion.