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
Davidpritchard wrote,

"It is hard to audition fuses in a now fuseless system as Geoff has. Time to put some back in! It might improve the sound. Without experimentation it is merely speculation on how the newest generation fuses would affect Geoff’s system. Of course installed in the correct direction!"

Huh?! I was experimenting with fuses when you were still wearing bell bottoms. I’ve already explained my system has no fuses, has no need for fuses and has no place to put a fuse, for the umpteenth time. The Audio Magic fuse overdamped? That’s rich. So now the shill is bashing the competition. That’s a fine howdya do. Just remember no fuse is better than any fuse.

Cheerios

Hi Charles,  thankyou,  I am interested in that after burner 8 outlet,  although I have to run sound test with the new NCF furutech gtx-rhodium outlet's I just received,  each socket of a two socket wall power outlet with the furutech takes 500 hrs to burn in,  och is an understatement! , that's 2,000 hrs for two receptacle's,  I totally agree with the furutech poster's on this thread,  useing two none ncf furutech gtx-rhodium outlet's did not sound as good as one,  however,  I'm the type that will test useing two ncf furutech gtx-rhodium outlet's and hope that the previous problem is resolved,  but I doubt this,  this will take months,  I have to know what these  $260.00 retail wpo’s-wall power outlet's do before I test the sr-black's,  lol,  I may very well have the sr-black's bought and sitting around before installing,  I want to be sure what the fuses bring to the table. 
Audiolabyrinth:

Congratulations on not taking the "short cut" approach to evaluating the difference in sound in the two top Furutech wall outlet offering. I agree that Rhodium takes a long time to break in. I will contact Alan Kafton the maker of the Audio Dharma Cable Cooker to see if how he uses his conditioners to treat Wall outlets.

Oregonpapa:

Absolutely right. I looked very good in bell bottoms -1969.
I know fuses have made fantastic improvements since then, as have capacitors, wires, and vacuum tubes. I know I am not the only poster here who has gone to the expense and trouble to try the new generation Elrog and Psvane Tubes.Their new 845 varieties do sound better to me than my RCA's and other NOS  845 tubes. But the cost of tube rolling is certainly much greater than fuse rolling.

I think with the latest advances in fuse manufacture, that the old adage that "no fuse sounds best" may now be incorrect. But only with  patience and a thorough investigation will we some day know.

The beauty of this thread is it takes a lot of time to evaluate even something as 'simple" as an audio grade fuse. With many data points published it does help others decide which path to take. I am thankful for the many posters who have taken the time to evaluate the latest generation of fuses  and published their observations. The value of this collective thread is far greater than any one poster.

David Pritchard
Keith,
I was pretty close to purchasing the Furutech GTX receptacle. An audiogon member named Zephyr24069 had tried numerous AC outlets and preferred the GTX. He said when he later discovered the Afterburner 8 he compared it with his GTX and couldn't tell them apart in his system.  This caught my attention and given that the Afterburner 8 is 1/3 the price I figured what the heck, .  It has unplatted copper prongs and is burned in with 80 hours. I have no idea if it equals the GTX,  I can say it's a very fine addition to my system. 
Charles,