Fuses that matter.

Hifitime,consider this,I have not said that the upgraded fuse has a sound, per se, but I have said that stock fuses can impede or colour the sound of the components in the chain that use them.

For instance, take my Manley Steelhead, it had a very acceptable sound on it's own with the stock fuse.

Adding the Supreme fuse only enhanced what I already liked about the Steelhead's sound.
It didn't alter it or change the sound in any way that I would not be able to ditinguish it from what it is.In other words ,the upgraded fuse did not mask or alter the sonics, It just let the sonics come thru clearer.I could not confuse the Stellhead with any other phono stage.

I know this is hard to comprehend if you haven't had the experience,but this is what happens in my system.

Every component that I've put a Supreme fuse in, has benefited in the same way.
Even my Decware Zen amp sounded fuller with the fuse than without it.
But the fuse didn't transform the DecWare into a Krell.It didn't turn two watts into two hundred.

If this is what some expect from an upgraded fuse, then they will be disappointed.

Perhaps this is the problem with tweaks.After reading about what they can do from happy users, some folks expectations are overly enthusiastic and when not met, the tweak is written off as snake oil.

Saddly I think this happens quite often, and if the disatisfied tweaker is more of a music first gear second type, then he may never be able to pick up on the subtle changes that can come about after a single tweak.

Also,single tweaks seldom are life changing events.
Like I mentioned, you won't transform your Nad into a Krell with a 100 buck fuse, but you will make that Nad sound better than it did.

In other words you will get more of the Nad sound that you paid for.

So there's no need to search for proof that the fuse can change the sound,if by change, one means morphing from B to A, it's more like B being improved to B+.

This is measureable with the greatest devices known to man, our ears.

Afterall, that's what we use when we enjoy the music.

When all is said and done, after all the science and snake oil and after the last spec has been documented,all we are left with is our ears.

And whether they are lying to us or not(hifi is just a lie)our ears are what we have to depend on.Unless you don't listen and just measure of course.

I've heard and read about amplifiers that have terrible measurements, but sound very natural and pleasing, and some amps with great specs can be fatiguing and not pleasant to listen to.

That should be enough to tell you that the specs and measurements aren't everything you need to guarantee that you will enjoy a component.They haven't been able to measure all aspects of the audio experience as of yet.Or tell us why we like some gear and not others with similar specs.

Do you believe that two amplifiers with identical specs but different topologies and components would sound the same?Would one amp using cheap caps, transformers and wire and another using upgraded caps, silver wound transformers and silver wire sound the same?
Are all mods just snake oil?



Again, I'm not anti spec anti science, but I don't think we have learned it all either.

Hifitime, I would ask you if you have ever experimented with a short simple piece of wire in place of the stock fuse you must be using?

Then try a thicker piece of solid core copper, or try silver and listen in place of the fuse.

Or you could try any number of simple pieces of wire as speaker cables.

One thing I would guarantee is that if you hear no differences in this case, then you will surely hear no differences in fuses either.

And you will get no argument from me.

I use Copper slugs in my gear and my preamp has a built-in miniature breaker instead of a fuse, the sound is much better in every parameter.

Hifitime, I was not aware they can measure soundstage height, microdynamics, transparency, pop, lushness, presence, shimmer, glassiness, glare, grain, openness, liquidness, timbre, rhythm, pitch, slam or air.  

Lacee....Excellent post!!!

Do you believe that two amplifiers with identical specs but different topologies and components would sound the same?Would one amp using cheap caps, transformers and wire and another using upgraded caps, silver wound transformers and silver wire sound the same?
Are all mods just snake oil?
Lacee

Lacee, two amps that have the same specs (or similar) will sound totally different. They even tried Emulators, Bob Carver and his Sonic Transfer Function, and others all sound different. Poor specs are usually heard in my experience. Good specs can't assure anything, in my opinion.

I should have said, when a tech scopes an amp out, different brands of part will give you different results, in the gear when it's measured after the part change. This could be tubes, transistors, coupling caps, plus other parts. These parts may measure the same value wise, such as two brands of tubes tested for transconductance, gas etc.

Replacing coupling caps in an amp is a great tweak in my opinion. Sometime the different brands will make the amp sound so different, it's hard to believe it's the same one.
This can be measured, and my audiophile friends, and I all hear the same changes. Fuses no. We don't hear any change going to a different type of fuse, with a total different construction, such as the old spring type of slo-blow fuses, vs. the spiral wound used nowadays.

I don't remember jumping the fuse with with anything else, although I may have. I didn't hear any changes if I did. Before these new fuses came along, I only changed a fuse, if it blew.

It's hard at times to get two monoblocks to sound the same, and the left and right channels also. A lot of Hi-end companies match parts while building their amps. Some also scope their amps out to make sure the amps also don't show anything different enough, to be heard. I doubt they measure the fuses for anything. I've never heard of it.

Another thing is the fuse holder. I would think that changing to a totally different design would have more of an effect on the sound, than just a fuse. The wire, printed circuit trace, or even one that is totally tinned with solder, is something that no one mentions, except maybe a small few.

I don't believe I would hear any changes here either, but electrically, it would be more of a change than a fuse. More ampacity, different qualities of the connection, plus some could probably come up with other results from this. But no one seems to hear a major improvement here (maybe some on a small scale do), even though it should be greater than a fuses swap. Otherwise, there would be tweak outfits doing this all day.

Going to the tweak issue. Yes, I use all kinds of tweaks besides changing coupling caps, and other parts. Even vibration tweaks for turntables, its shelf, etc. So yes, I believe in tweaks for sure. I may even still have an old Adcom (?) amp buried in the closet, that was modded by a popular mod outfit, decades ago. I can't remember the Mod outfits name, but they still may be around. It didn't sound like the same Adcom anymore, but sure didn't turn into a hi-end sounding amp.

Hifitime, I was not aware they can measure soundstage height, microdynamics, transparency, pop, lushness, presence, shimmer, glassiness, glare, grain, openness, liquidness, timbre, rhythm, pitch, slam or air.
Geoffkait

Geoffkait, I'm not sure how much can be measured. From what my audio friends, and I hear as far as other tweaks go, they can be measured, as far as a change goes, and we all hear that difference too.

The tweaks that can't be measured, such as these fuses, is something we don't hear. At least the different changed parts we do hear, measure different on the scope also. That at least confirms something for us.

I would like to see these fuse builders identify their own fuse, in their own system, in comparison to the stock fuses, or competition too. They could be changed by a qualified neutral party, without their knowledge of which one their listening to. This would be a simple fair test, that would probably satisfy a lot of people, besides me. This would be interesting.