2. amps-preamps
  3. 1448317474

Synergistic Red Fuse ...

I installed a SR RED Quantum fuse in my ARC REF-3 preamp a few days ago, replacing an older high end fuse. Uhh ... for a hundred bucks, this little baby is well worth the cost. There was an immediate improvement upon installation, but now that its broken in (yes, no kidding), its quite remarkable. A tightening of the focus, a more solid image, and most important of all for my tastes, a deeper appreciation for the organic sound of the instruments. Damn! ... cellos sound great! Much improved attack on pianos. More humanistic on vocals. Bowed bass goes down forever. Next move? .... I'm doing the entire system with these fuses. One at a time though just to gauge the improvement in each piece of equipment. The REF-75se comes next. I'll report the results as the progression takes place. Stay tuned ...

Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
128x128oregonpapa
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
wolf_garcia ...

Following your lead with the "no fuse" idea, I pulled all of the tubes out of my amp last night before starting the listening session.  Man, talk about a quiet background ... I could hear a pin drop. 
mitch2
4,039 posts
 
If I owned a Pass Labs amplifier, I would definitely add fuses...the more the better...and I would try all of the same type and then one of each, I would also try them in series and then in parallel, and try them in each of two directions and in different orders.  Now I remember why I never bought a Pass Labs amplifier.
jazzonthehudson's avatar
jazzonthehudson
277 posts
 
I have now about 30h with the AH Platinum (just in one device to hear the difference), no downsides compared to SR Red, more delicate, more "au naturel". Joseph uses a different coating (silver on?) on the fuse than other good fuses. 

/wolf
>> I think you're all insane, but mildly entertaining.
Tell me something we don't know :-) If a Benjamin can make your system (much) more "organic" then so be it, it is very well spent compared to other insane stuff I have. You don't have to rush and buy a dozen like mitch2 (who I believe saves a ton by DIY his own cables), just upstream devices to start with. 
IME fuses have a much higher value/buck than power cords.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
Thankyou wig  for your response post,  I'm also interested in more feedback from jazzonthehudson on the AH platinum fuses, Charlesonedad, are you going to pull the trigger on the AH fuses? 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Given my sucess with the SR Quantum fuses the past few years The SR Red would have been my next move. All reports say they're better than the Quantum. Wig and Jazzonthehudson  have made direct comparisons and favor the AH over the Red. More so for my interest the AH seems better in the areas most important to me, naturalness,body and tone. The two published reviews of the AH note or confirm the same desired attributes. I'm going to give the AH a listen. I don't doubt that both are excellent choices.

In my experience fuses have had a level of impact very similiar to better cables placed in the system. The fuses acomplish this for far less money. Their performance/cost ratio is high. I don't know why the fuses have this positive effect sonically, I just judge by listening to them as I do everything ielse in audio.
Charles.
More to discover