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, I'm just curious if you can hear differences in cables and different feet under components. I'm not be negative just that some people can't hear slight differences or even care about them.
Mapman, the reason for the above post is that these fuses made way more of a difference to me in my system than the differences in many cables.
Better get Al here to mediate the situation.
I'll have to admit that when it comes to mediating disagreements with Geoff, staunch defender of the faith when it comes to unexplainable and seemingly implausible tweaks, that my reconciliatory abilities approach a nullity.

:-)

Regards,
-- Al
 
Al wrote,

"I’ll have to admit that when it comes to mediating disagreements with Geoff, staunch defender of the faith when it comes to unexplainable and seemingly implausible tweaks, that my reconciliatory abilities approach a nullity."

I’ll let you off the hook. But not before I point out that aftermarket fuses are not unexplainable. Although I can certainly appreciate why Skeptics prefer to make it look that way, along with associating the poor little misunderstood Mr. Fuse with things that really are unexplainable and seemingly implausible. You know, things that go bump in the night. We’ve already listed many reasons why aftermarket fuses should sound better than ordinary stock fuses. Hel-looo!  You can rest easy, no Laws of Physics have been broken, including quantum mechanics.

geoff kait
machina dramatica
we do artificial atoms right

jwm

Yes at least in some cases.

I have dnm reson, harmonic tech and mit ics and i always hear a clear difference between these.

Note these three are each very different designs and the sound reflects that. Some ICs are more similar than different and I would not expect to hear as much if any difference in those cases.

Regarding feet under components, yes, always when called for with a turntable in particular. Also isolating stands or platforms under speakers when resting on lively flooring like suspended plywood. I’d recommend that to anyone. No difference with same if solid concrete foundation.

The difference between these tweaks and the fuses though is the fuses are essentially a black box with little info to work with regarding how they work or when they are most effective or not. So its a potshot/hit or miss. Almost every tweak enhancement has known dependencies that determine effectiveness. You are shooting totally blind until you try with fuses. That’s really the only objection I have and why I would not recommend them to others. There is nothing to base saying they will work or not on other than what I hear. Each case could be quite different and results vary as we are seeing here.


Here’s a thread I started recently recapping relative effectiveness of tweaks for myself and others who post.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/most-effective-tweaks-2

There is no reason to expect everyone will agree on effectiveness of any specific tweak because results almost always depends on other external factors and people try different things depending on their needs and goals.