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
I'd like try the SR RED fuse, but have a question. I've never used after-market audiophile fuses before; how do you know if they are made with the same tolerances as a stock or a Buss fuse for a given amp value?
 For example, previous posts of the SR fuses blowing in some amps; a 5 amp slo-blo would not work, but the Buss fuse was fine.

But an amp's a high-current draw component. Have you proponents of these fuses found them to be reliable in CD players and preamps? I'd like to start with a SR RED in my ARC CDP. I'm hestitant to use one in my preamp since it is under warranty, wouldn't using these fuses leading to a circuit failure void the warranty?
I’ve never used after-market audiophile fuses before; how do you know if they are made with the same tolerances as a stock or a Buss fuse for a given amp value?
The major manufacturers of non-audiophile fuses, such as Littlefuse and Eaton/Cooper Bussmann, provide detailed datasheets at their websites. Which among many other things specify a "nominal melting" parameter, which defines the combination of current and time that would "typically" cause the fuse to blow. That parameter is usually specified in terms of (amperes squared) x (seconds). The reason current is "squared" is that power, and hence heat, are proportional to current squared.

I for one have never seen any such detailed specifications for aftermarket audiophile-oriented fuses. So I guess it comes down to relying on a combination of reported experiences and faith.

Re your question about warranties, per the terms of most component warranties that I’ve seen a company would certainly be within its rights to deny coverage for damage that might not have occurred if the original fuse had been in place. And some warranties, as you may have seen, simply state something like "all coverage is void if the unit in tampered with or modified in any way."

So I guess it comes down to balancing risks that aren’t precisely quantifiable vs. reward, as is the case with many things in life.

Best regards,
-- Al

Thanks Al,
Yeah, I personally wouldn't modify a component under warranty.
I for one have never seen any such detailed specifications for aftermarket audiophile-oriented fuses. So I guess it comes down to relying on a combination of reported experiences and faith.
That's why I appreciate threads like this one. I think it's worth trying in my CDP, long out of warranty, and with such agreement on improved sonics.
But, it makes me wonder if I really want to replace all the rail fuses in my amp without knowing the tolerance of an expensive fuse.
 
There have been failures of electronics due to aftermarket fuses? When, where, who, how? Gee, you’d think it would be all over the boards. Are audiophile houses burning down even as we speak? Rome burned while Nero fiddled with his fuses. All I see on audio boards are heaps of praise on aftermarket fuses. Could there be a deep hidden dirty little secret here? Perchance an exploding transformer or two.
 ;-)
David, I have Revel Salon 2s.  The Star Sound Apprentice XLs really took them to another level.