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QUALITY AND SECURITY OF "LITTELFUSE" PRODUCTS

I find the tech specs of  LITTELFUSE very informative,enlightening and reassuring.
I am considering using them on my treasured reference level SPECTRAL electronics.
Anyone with experience using or EE level comments? Many thanks. Music lover and long time
audiophile, Peter.
ptss
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
I wasn't implying that an audiophile fuse was an attempt to fix an architectural design problem and I tried to make that clear in the last paragraph of my previous post:

All too frequently however, people try to solve architectural (design) problems with band aids. This is not to diminish the importance of parts quality, and parts (whether it’s fuses or cables or anything else)...

Here's an example of an architectural/design problem:

A poorly designed power supply regulation circuit that sends hash into the signal.  The band aid fix?   A cable with a rolled off top end to hide the problem.  It's like turning up the volume on your car radio to mask the sound of your wheel bearing.

The real fix.  A competent design.  Fix the problem at the source. 

A good cable (or fuse) is just that - a good component and I'm all in favor of that.  What I'm lobbying for is to address as much as possible in the design of the product.  I'd hope that you're on board with that concept.

The problem here is of course, what's a poor audiophile to do?  Not everyone has design skills to identify the true source of the problem and as a result, they take a buckshot approach to solving it.  I wish I could propose a solution to this conundrum.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier Design
davidpritchard's avatar
davidpritchard
866 posts
 
Thom:
 As a multiple SET amplifier owner I applaud you in your efforts in bringing to market a new SET amplifier. My amplifiers are using 845, 45, and PX-25 output tubes. Each has a wonderful sound with it's chosen speaker. 

Each has had a marked improvement in sonics when a Synergistic Research Black fuse was installed. I believe this is one of the best fuses currently available. I hope you will trial this fuse not as a manufacturer but as an inquisitive audiophile. I am certain you wear both hats- manufacturer and audiophile. For many reasons as a manufacturer the Black fuse may not be an option, but please do not deny the music lover within you the chance to hear your product with one of the best sounding fuses available.

What makes this decision simple to me is they are offered with a 30 day trial and full refund. You would also being doing your customers a service by being able to convey to them your impression of what this fuse does or does not do.

I hope you will trial the Black fuse.

David Pritchard
ptss OP
1,964 posts
 
To ebm. Caps in heading were inadvertent. I was in a hurry. I tried to correct it later but system wouldn't allow it after the 1st post. Correction allowed only before someone else posts. Fwiw, I do think it's an important topic and was impressed to learn the LITTELFUSES are used in critical medical and aerospace industries. I am not commenting on sound quality as I haven't tried them--but I will report after I try them ( I'm trying to rationalize a purchase based on the age of the 'old' fuses in use;but,it seams I have heard somewhere that the longer the metal is in use the smoother the current flow? ). I did take a look at one of the 'audiophile quality' manufacturers mentioned in a post above. Honestly; I found the information ludicrous,or silly. My guess is there must be truly ocd types in this hobby that will buy "anything" to satisfy there craving - and P.T. Barnum made it official years ago that a fool and his money are soon parted
wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
Well said.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,831 posts
 

At the risk of getting flamed by one particular fellow whose panties get quite wadded at the mention of Roger Modjeski’s name (apparently for not believing in the audible superiority of all audiophile boutique parts.), here’s what Roger found when he opened one of the eight Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses that were in one of his RM9 amplifiers returned to him for repair after the fuses had not done what a fuse is supposed to do when presented with a short: blow.

Roger discovered that the fuse was not designed for, capable of, or suitable for, use in a DC circuit---the very kind of circuit in which a tube operates. The customer’s RM9 had a tube fail, and the Littlefuse Roger installs in his amps would have done what a fuse is supposed to do when faced with a short in the DC circuit of a tube amp---blow. The Hi-Fi Tuning fuse did not, and the amplifier was then of course damaged. Not as a result of a fault in the design of the amp (unless you don’t want your tubes fused---Audio Research amps aren’t, ARC instead letting a resistor blow when a tube goes bad, thus requiring the resistor and any related parts to be replaced, rather than a fuse. At far higher cost, of course.), but because those fuses do not possess "high breaking capacity".

Surprised, Roger called first the U.S. distributor of the Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses, then the German designer/manufacturer. To his astonishment, neither knew what the term "high breaking capacity" means. That’s right---a fuse "designer" who knows less about fuses and their construction than an amplifier designer/manufacturer! The moral of this story is, if you are going to spend more on a fuse than a tube (if that doesn’t give you pause, spend on ;-), you might want to make sure the fuse is up to the task it is asked to perform in whatever application it is employed.

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