2. amps-preamps
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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
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,096 posts
 
Very sticky situation.  Hopefully gets resolved in a constructive manner for all involved. 

I'm very interested to hear how it turns out.
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
audiolabyrinth ...

No doubt ... we audiophiles ARE crazy. :-)



audiolover718
132 posts
 
Black fuse due here tomorrow. Can't wait, got the red in the preamp, and two furutechs in the CD player. Maybe a set of blacks for the CD player would do me well.... First things first. Let's try the black in the power amp first. Mail can't get here fast enough. M

oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
audiolover718 ...

A change from the Reds to the Black in the CD player was huge. Had a hard edge and lost musicality to begin with .. but WOW, when the Black finally broke in, it was simply a revelation. 

I was listening to a jazz CD last night that featured the playing of a Hammond B-3 organ. That was the best reproduced B-3 I've ever heard in my system. Sooo real. 
cymbop
315 posts
 
Got the Blacks for my DAC/pre in the mail yesterday.   VH Audio shipped fast.  Out of the box, the sound was a little muddy and indistinct.  After about six hours, I had a listening session.  The mud was gone and leading edges of horn notes had a nice bark to them, but overall I felt I was lacking the harmonic and overtone development that I had enjoyed with (burned-in) stock fuses.  

I still retain great hope that these things will rebound with burn-in.  I won't be able to listen again until Tuesday night, at which point we'll have about 125 hours.
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