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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
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
Hi gwalt, what is your assessment of impressions between the audio magic beeswax fuses vs synergistic research sr-black fuses? 
cymbop
315 posts
 
I had a chance to flip by the Blacks in my DAC/Pre yesterday afternoon and had a night-time session after they’d settled in for a few hours. They’re now at about 170 hours total.

Wow. It was like the system had bolted awake after a nap. In this new orientation I’ll echo what some others have observed: _really low_ noise floor and black background. I was stunned to be able to follow cymbal decays for seconds longer than I ever thought possible.  Soundstage is pushed wider and brought 3-4 feet closer to provide a more front-row presentation, as if things are suddenly more close-mic’ed and revealing a little less of the room acoustic of the studio. Transient speed is fast, fast, fast. Bass has great heft and also great texture. The system is far more lively but not in a fatiguing way.

All this from the direction a fuse is turned. Who woulda figured? ;-)

Will come back with observations after another couple of sessions.
ariess
5 posts
 
Hey folks

i was wondering how hard it would be to do the burn in of a fuse outside of the expensive equipment?  Many of us use tubes which have limited life and it seems a shame to waste some tube life on fuse burn in. In addition, burning in fuses outside the gear would allow for a better test of what the fuses can do because your first impression will be the best the fuse can do.

Would an external fuse holder with a battery ac oss the leads to get an amp or two across suffice?

adam
wstam
8 posts
 
I have the Reds in my Amp, phono and DAC. I am cooking the Blacks now.

Someone has asked earlier in this thread but I don't see any answer: is the SR label on the fuses indicating direction? i.e. they are not randomly pasted.

For those who can observe the effect of the direction, do you notice any relation with the direction of the label? Do the label follow the direction of the current flow?

Just wonder if we can use the label (if it is indicating a direction) to determine the direction of inserting the fuses instead of just trying....

Thanks.
cymbop
315 posts
 
I my case, the clear winner is fuse seemingly reversed from current flow, such that incoming current sees the R side of the fuse.
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