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
i want to thank oregonpapa for starting this thread.  And both the supporters and naysayers, alike, for sharing their experience and doubt within.  Honestly, both have been a big help.

I recently installed a black fuse in my Parasound P7.  The consensus about the 70ish hour was right on.  Upon insertion, the sound was promising, then after a day, everything collapsed, and became sharp and fatiguing.  All hifi, no music.

After about 4 days, it sounded better, but still not as good as it did the day I inserted it, so I played with reversing the fuse, and sat for hour long sessions with the same playlist, to determine which way the fuse wanted to go.  One way, the music was exciting and visceral, if a little flat.  The other way, just sounded like music in my room.  Instead of the system's bass or soundstage creating the drama in the music, musicians are as close to being in my room as they ever have been, and THEY are creating the drama in the music.

The space, and utter silence that music now breathes out from is uncanny!  And the ambiance that fills the space between solid performers is not only the best I've ever heard, it is beyond anything I thought my system was capable of before.

Best of all, it's made all my non audiophile approved music (basically, the majority of what I listen to) sound better.  Tool, Deftones, Boston, Smashing Pumpkins, Shawn Mullins, XTC, Katy Perry, New Order, Depeche Mode; it is all more engaging.

But when i put on my hi res recordings of Billie Holiday, Vladamir Ashkenazy, Stan Getz, Ben Webster, Rush, Van Morrison, I'm left utterly bowled over at how convincingly the performance is taking place in my god damn room.

I just wanted to say thanks to Oregon, and David, and many others in this thread who shared their positive experiences, which got me looking at this product.

And, thanks to Wolf, George, Geoff, and other who expressed their skepticism, which forced me to listen with my own ears, and form my own opinions.

But, after putting the stock fuse in last night, i heard a pleasantly decent system that was fun to listen to, but no where near as engaging and uncannily real as it sounds with the Synergistic Black Fuse in place.  Returning the black fuse this morning, and my system went away, and music returned into my room.

I encourage people to continue to share their experiences and sketicism, because these things help guide all of us, to make decisions that are right for us as individuals, and helps us find commonality as people in an ever increasingly isolated world.  Even if most of the pro fuse camp doesn't agree with people like Geoff, i assume most of us agree that he has a fantastic sense of humor.  Commonality comes from what we connect with, not who we agree with.

Thanks to all of you for all of your help, even if it was given unknowingly, it was taken with the deepest appreciation I can offer.

Regards,
Jason
^^^ Excellent post, Jason ... thank you. 

The SR Black fuses seem to bring out the "humanness" in what is really no more than music reproduction in our homes. How they work is of no consequence to me at all ... only that they do. Do they work in all systems? Obviously not ... see Mapman's comments in this thread. But, for the vast majority who have tried the fuses, their assessment is most assuredly like yours, David's, Charles', mine and many others posting here. Most of the positive results being reported are by very seasoned audiophiles with decades of experience in the hobby. We are people who have been burned by certain tweaks over the years ... and when something works as well as the SR Black fuses do, well ... we want to shout it from the rooftops. 

Frank

 

Hi Jason,

Very nice and sincere post from you and I'm glad you're yet another listener who has found success with these better fuses. For the record Geoff has not been anti upgrade fuse in his commentary on this thread.

Charles

Apologies to Geoff if I misrepresented his position.  I'd feel worse if I misrepresented his sense of humor :)

But, seriously, thank you to you all.  This stupid tweak is fantastic!

Regards,
Jason