Fuses that matter.

Tbg,

WOuld you agree that there are a lot of ifs and maybes still in this discussion?

Back in grad school, where I did in fact study applied science and even conducted some award winning research, we were taught that the scientific method can be used only to measure support for hypotheses. Nothing is ever proven without a shadow of a doubt. That is why I seldom state anything in absolute terms, even if in my mind I think what I say is in fact true.

Best to not jump to conclusions even if you get the facts right, especially when there is only limited scientific data to support such.

Science alone answers little conclusively. We all have to rely on our intuition to help guide the way to some extent.

So what is it we are arguing about again?

The Believer says to the Skeptic, "You must be deaf.”

The Skeptic says to the Believer, "You must be a fool."

The Engineer says to the Believer, “Where is the evidence?”

The Believer says to the Engineer, “In my ears.”

The Skeptic says to the Believer, “Your ears are failing you.”

The Believer says to the Skeptic, “Your brain is failing you.”

The Philosopher says to the Believer, “Let's use reason.”

The Believer says to the Philosopher, “I am using reason.”

The Skeptic says to the Believer, “So am I.”

The Engineer says to the Philosopher, "We need to find evidence."

The Philosopher says to the Engineer, "I found some right here."

The Engineer says to the Philosopher, "Let's take a look at it."

The Believer says to the Skeptic, “I have to step out for a second.”

The Skeptic says to the Believer, “I'll come with you.”

bc

To all,

I would like to remind everyone that reversing the direction of existing, stock fuses can result in better sound. Of course the sound could get worse, it all depends on whether the fuse was initially installed in the "correct direction". This means that there is something inherent in the fuse wire that is producing the change in sound, since fuses are symmetrical. What could that something be? Well, since manufacturers of fuses and cables that have identified directionality of wire as being a real phenomenon have had to implement a strict control process for how the wire is fabricated, tracking the direction of the wire throughout the entire process. Ironically, this is true for Hi Fi Tuning, the owner of which for years insisted that fuses were NOT directional, that they would eventually break in "correctly".

If a manufacturer doesn't maintain strict control of wire direction during the entire process the odds are 50-50 that the wire direction will be correct. Pop quiz - Can anyone think of the reason why a wire becomes non-symmetrical during the fabrication process? Answer at 11.

"A difference that makes no difference is no difference".

An obscure quote from an obscure scifi novel I read years ago that has always stuck with me. I find it quite useful to help sort through priorities in life.

05-14-12: Almarg
On page 3 they state in reference to the resistance measurements that:

"There is a measurable difference in directivity of fuses. Mostly that will be due to the way the melting wire is manufactured. The difference is in the range of 5%."

In fact, all or nearly all of the directional differences in resistance were vastly smaller than 5%...

That was exactly what I thought. I wondered where they got the 5% from. When I looked at the measurements they provided, I thought "Wow, those are tiny differences. How is that audible?" It makes me wonder whether I heard what I thought I heard.

I don't exclude the possibility that a fuse change can make a difference, but once again the explanations that are offered in support of the existence of those differences do not withstand quantitative scrutiny.

Again, I agree. And thank you again for your substantive comments.

I have a question about Hifi Tuning fuses and directionality...

I've read in several places that Hifi Tuning fuses are supposed to be pointed "in the direction of current flow." Leaving aside for the moment that we're talking about Alternating Current, I've taken those instructions to mean that the "arrow" that appears on the fuse should be pointing "downstream" toward the equipment's power supply.

The problem is that the "arrow" looks like a diode symbol, and the "arrow" in a diode symbol customarily points AGAINST the direction of current flow. So it's totally unclear to me which way the folks at Hifi Tuning think is the "correct" way to install the fuse. Anyone know?

Bryon