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
macdad, every device is designed to use a particular value fuse in terms of how much current will pass before blowing out.

The risk with audiophiles is forgetting what the primary purpose of a fuse is: to protect the equipment from accidental damage. Its a safety device first, an audiophile tweak second. I’m not sure how much attention teh companies selling fuses based on how they sound pay attention to making sure they work properly to-spec, which is the first most important thing.

If a device requires a certain rating fuse and it blows consistently, then either there is a problem with the device or the fuse. You want to change to a different fuse of the correct rating. Going to a higher rated fuse that passes more current is the wrong thing to do. It could result in damage to your expensive gear. All for a freaking hifi fuse!!!!!
Update ...

Robert (Mr. Golden Ears) came over for the listening session last night. The last time he came over the black fuses in the CD player had at the most 20 hours on them. At that time, he thought the black fuses were a big step back from the red fuses. He found the system bright and unemotional.

Last night the system was sounding exceptional. Here's Robert's comments with the black fuses broken in:

1.  "You haven't had sound this BIG since you had your big Acoustat IV electrostatic panels."

2.  "The system has the speed of the best solid state gear and the three dimensional sound of the best tube gear."

3.  "The black fuses have improved the system further than the red fuses did over the stock fuses." 

4.  "It sounds like a new system."

5.  "Amazing!"

6.  "This is the best I've ever heard a trumpet sound in any system."

7.  "When thinking of all the HiFi shows we've been to together over the years, we haven't heard anything this good."

Its been fun being the Guinea Pig for the SR black fuse experiment and upgrades. Now then ... there are three more red fuses to be replaced with the black fuses. Once done ... will I ever be able to leave home? Von's market delivers groceries, right? 

Happy listening fuse freaks ... :-)



Mopman wrote,

"Geoff if you know just be nice and share and stop teasing the audiophiles."

if I know? I thought everyone knew.  Don't you know?

an ordinary man has no means of deliverance.

Mapman, thanks for the tip. The designer of the DAC told me to try a slow blow fuse instead of fast.
"Don’t you know?"

Apparently either you don’t or do and won’t say. So if you do how about answering your own question? Or do you derive some kind of unique pleasure from being a tease?  Not that anyone really cares most likely at this point.  Just saying...