Synergistic Red Fuse ...

^^^ The experience I've had with the RED fuses can be encapsulated in this:  There are NO speakers in the system. In fact ... there is NO system. The music and performers are completely detached from anything and just do their own thing in the room. And very musically so, I might add.

While the BLACK fuses have been an improvement in some areas, most notably transparency, a wider sound stage, and a lower noise floor, its like I'm listening to a stereo system and not a live event. After leaving the CD player on repeat overnight again, this is far less of an annoyance than it was the night before ... more evidence that the two fuses are still breaking in.

Its almost there ... but not quite. The CD player will be in the "repeat"  mode for another 24 hours. Stay tuned ...

Hi Gwalt,
Your experience with the SR Red fuses makes sense to me in that these outcomes are all individual in nature with the numerous variables. 
As you  note,  fuses are no different than  comparing cables or any audio products,  results will vary.  In your system another fuse may be an ideal fit.

The Red fuses have been stellar in my system and a wonderful discovery,  so I'm very curious to hear the Black version in my system. The Reds contribute to a full bodied tonality and very fleshed out harmonic overtones and are beautifully 3 dimensional. So for a multitude of factors results will be diverse among listeners. Good luck with your searce.
Charles, 

Search I meant, not  searce. 

Jafreeman

Interesting thoughts.

I suspect the new phase of A/B-ing Red-Black-Red-Black we’re entering will be more problematic than the revelatory first hearing of the Red. I think the vagaries of A/B occur because we tend to overlay what we’re hearing with what we previously heard, so instead of being an insightful measuring device, the brain is singing along, blending memory of sound with what’s being currently experienced. It’s also true that our minds make us conscious of something newly perceived, but can ignore something that fades because memory can fill in what fades. If we’ve been hearing “The girl with colitis goes by”, but the Red reveals the lyric is actually “The girl with kaleidoscope eyes”, then we’re going to hear “kaleidoscope” regardless of whether we go back to old fuse, or forward to the Black. So what we hear is often cumulative, and what is lost is often ameliorated with memory. I think this is why A/B tends towards “can’t tell the difference” when switching back and forth.

In my case, my initial perception was that the Reds were presenting more information through a clearer window, which turned singers into imperfect humans—sometimes struggling, instruments with more of the discordant overtones, and percussion with more “hitting something hard with intent.” I can understand why some systems would portray the effect as “lean” or “cold,” but I think most systems are warmer and more resonant than reality. I really couldn’t go back to the less revealing sound, but I was aware that in choosing the Red, I was choosing a more naked portrayal where I perceived things as sounding authentic, but sometimes less “easy listening.” I found that there was a different pleasure from the realness of the Red portrayal versus the pleasure of pleasant sound such as tube glow or accentuated punch. Naked can be off-putting, but also euphoric :-)

I’ve heard tubes change, but in general, I’m not confident I have the ear to discern burn in, or can attribute changing perception to a physical object, so the initial perception of the Black being “hard” is a cautionary tale for me.