09-08-12: Audioman58
The main reason why a aftermarket fuse makes it oundstaging better is a easy explanation .a stock Steel fuse has 7-8 Times the resistance of Silver. Just check the resistance index online.as we all know resistance in electronics is a Huge bottle neck for everything goes through them.
First, let me say that I don't question the sonic improvements you obtained from your fuse upgrades. Second, let me say that your explanation is one that initially may seem logical.
However, IMO the explanation does not stand up when looked at quantitatively, for several reasons.
Before going into those reasons, let me say that resistance in a fuse can have two effects:
(a)The voltage seen by the component will be reduced from the voltage that is provided at the wall outlet (or the outlet of a power conditioner or regenerator, if present). That reduction will equal the voltage dropped across the fuse, which in turn will correspond to the amount of current being conducted through the fuse multiplied by the resistance the fuse has at that current level.
(b)If the amount of current drawn by the component fluctuates significantly, the voltage seen by the component will also fluctuate, to a degree corresponding to the DIFFERENCE between fuse resistance x current draw when the current draw by the component is at a maximum, and fuse resistance x current draw when the current draw is at a minimum.
If you examine the very extensive
test data on various fuses that is provided by HiFi-Tuning, that was linked to by BryonCunningham earlier in this thread, you will see that the resistances of the standard glass and standard ceramic fuses that were tested were such that when carrying amounts of current within the range they are intended to carry the voltage drops across them were a small fraction of a volt, in most cases a tiny fraction of a volt. That leads to the following conclusions:
1)In components that draw relatively constant amounts of current, and/or that have regulated power supplies, the effects of that small fraction of a volt reduction of the AC line voltage seen by the component will be utterly negligible. That would apply to your DAC-Preamp, to nearly all other preamps and source components, and to Class A amplifiers. And lest there be any doubt about that, see the next item:
2)EVEN IF that small fraction of a volt reduction of the AC line voltage seen by those components has any audible significance, minimization of that reduction by a fuse having lower resistance would NOT BE CONSISTENTLY FOR THE BETTER. Suppose for instance that a component is designed such that it works best at 120VAC. If the AC line voltage at the particular location is less than 120 VAC, the slight increase in voltage provided by the upgraded fuse would be in the direction of helping. But if the AC line voltage at the particular location is greater than 120 VAC, the increase would be in the wrong direction, and would degrade sonics if in fact it makes any difference at all.
3)With a component that has an unregulated power supply and draws widely fluctuating amounts of current, such as most Class AB power amplifiers, the FLUCTUATION in voltage drop across the fuse could, if great enough, have sonic consequences. Again, however, it would seem highly farfetched that further reducing what would be a tiny fraction of a volt of fluctuation with a standard fuse would produce significant and consistent improvements among different amplifier designs. And,again, even if there were a benefit in those cases, it would not be applicable to other kinds of components.
Regards,
-- Al
