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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
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
The SR black fuses (2) in my preamp and phonostage are burning-in nicely, starting to relax with each listen, just as you have been saying oregonpapa.

My system has ceramic drivers in the Coincident PREt’s and can present a bit edgy or harsh if everything is not just right, and they did a little but that is easing away and things are just opening up. Very nice.

I have tried flipping the fuses and the difference was clearly evident, also as reported by the pioneers on this thread. I had them in right from the start.

Thinking about two more for the scd-xa5400es now, imagine that.
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
I'm guessing I've got 80-100 of burn in on the Black that is in my Coincident CSL.  Tonight I did an A/B with the stock fuse.  Replacing the Black with the stock fuse made an immediately obvious difference.  Everything just went flat.  Very 2 dimensional, loss of dynamics, loss of harmonic richness.  Put the black back in and everything went back to what I have been hearing recently.  Amazing, how can a fuse do this?  I think I will be buying more.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,239 posts
 
Bill I'm glad that the Black fuses worked out for you,  I was confident they would be beneficial in your system. You'll likely experience further improvement up to the 150 hours mark. I believe that you'll be happy with these fuses in your Frankenstein 😊

Charles, 
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Charles,  I am thinking that getting a pair of 3 A slo-blo is up next.  Both the Franks and my HAPZ1 take 2 3A slo's,  so it is almost a slam dunk that one of those will benefit substantially.   
bondmanp
1,792 posts
 

A Dilema:


Okay, so I have been slogging my way through this thread with interest. I am not a big tweeker, but the praise for upgraded fuses on this thread and elsewhere is so overwhelming, and it is such an affordable tweek, that I am considering it.


However, when I contacted the manufacturer of my preamp for some fuse value details, I got this in return:

"On ‘super’-fuses:

[Manufacturer] de-recommends using aftermarket ‘super-fuses’ whose construction varies from the standard fuse provided by [manufacturer] and their use will void the warranty.

The units are designed for use with a standard fuse and any that varies from the electrical characteristics of a standard fuse may be a risk to the equipment or user, and invalidates the safety certifications of the unit from agencies like U.L. and C.S.A.

In addition, the clearly defined laws of physics would indicate a different fuse cannot possibly (positively) affect the sound of the unit, the fuse design can only have 3 possible outcomes:

  1. Allow the unit to operate as designed;

  2. Starve it of current or voltage lowering its performance;

  3. Raise the amount of current that can pass through the fuse, which would damage the unit if an internal short were to occur (but have NO effect otherwise, as an electrical circuit operating normally will only draw the amount of current the circuit uses, no matter how much might be available)."

When it comes to anything having to do with electricity, I am a scared little bunny. I don’t doubt what you all are hearing with your fuse upgrades, but the email from the manufacturer scared the carp out of me. What do I do? I feel like a bully just threw my baseball into the lake.

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