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
fleschler,

thx for reporting.  Please continue to keep us posted.  My black duplex should arrive tomorrow.
fleschler ...

Could it be that the resolving power of the Black Duplex is revealing something that you haven't heard before in your LP playback like a rising top end in your cartridge, or perhaps revealing a brightness in your IC's and/or PC's connecting up your phono?  I'm not saying these are the problems, its just a suggestion. 

On mixing the outlets:  David Pritchard has done exactly that in his three systems to good effect. He's really been the go to guy on the outlets. He's been mighty scarce around these parts lately. Hopefully he will be prompted by your post to chime in here with his valued opinions

If you want, Robert and I can bring over a few of our "reference" albums and give a listen.  Robert hears like a bat, and as you know, he's not one to dance around the truth. So if there's something other than the outlet causing the problems Robert will be able to hear it. 

Take care ...

Frank
Hi Frank,

I want to congratulate you and thank you for a wonderful thread that has brought many a new satisfaction with their audio experience.

The one year anniversary of this thread came and went with no fanfare, but I encourage you to review the entire thread as I did over the last two days and appreciate what you have done here for the many audiophiles that have found great success by simply trying these products and, even more impressively, graciously acknowledging the virtues of the feedback from those that did not.

You have endured the personal ridicule of flat-earthers, atheist, and those insatiably intent on ruining the pleasure and enthusiasm of others (often the three are of one mind and one voice) with grace and dignity in order to share your genuine experience with an audio product that you feel deeply about. All because, and only because, you care enough to put yourself on the line to bring new and great products to light.

Again, thank you very much for your contribution here and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Dave
150 hours on my smaller living room system.  It sounds so musical and non-audiophile (as in high end systems at audio shows).  The Signature IIIs highs are now totally integrated with the rest of the frequency spectrum.  The rear tweeter always (15 years) stood out and sounded a bit hissy.  Not now.  It doesn't have the tweaks or isolation transformers, Hallographs or Stillpoints of my main system.  I ordered the black fuse for it.  This system is just so satisfying that I didn't think about the missing the large room sound, additional ambience and detail of the main room.   Plus, the living room is a better sound room and the sound radiates beautifully throughout the front end of the house.   All this from a couple of duplexes, black and red.

As to the blown main amp fuses, SR Elliott is sending 8 amp fuses because my big amps have a massive pair of capacitors each as opposed to multiple small caps like most modern amps.  He said that the big caps draw a big instant load and the fuses have to compensate (the SR fuses are rated for typical loads at 5 amps not my big loads).  He also said he heard many stories concerning the idiosyncrasies of the black duplexes and fuses although my situation is rather unique.  If David Prichard finds success in mixing duplexes and I've done the same in my living room system., I can do the same in my main system although that has separate 20 amp dedicated power lines rather than share the same power line as in my living room.