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Why don't amplifier Companies use high end fuses?

My equipment - Raven Integrated Reflection MK2 tube amp 58wpc. / Lumin A-1 DAC Streamer / Synology NAS / Isotex Aquarius Power Conditioner / Furutech Rhodium Plug / Sonus Faber Amati Homage Tradition speakers.  

I have read thousands of comments on upgraded fuses improving the performance of sound.  I am very open minded but not sold either way.  So, the question I have is....if fuses were so important, than why don't Amplifier companies all install them as OEM equipment?  To me, if they are as good as people say, that would provide companies who use them a competitive advantage?  

Every High End Audio store I go to in Phoenix have told me it does not make a difference and is a waste of money.  For the record, I have fuses purchased at an automotive store for under $10 and I think my sound is awesome.  The Company that built my amp tested the Synergistic Fuses and he emphatically said there was no difference.  

If I were to try a fuse for fun, given my equipment, what would your recommendation be to try?  
willgolf
minorl
1,016 posts
 

"Amplifier manufacturers don't have a clue"?  That is just not true.

The costs of many of these "audiophile" fuses are pretty high.  That would be added to the costs of the equipment sale price.  also, if the equipment sounds pretty wonderful with stock fuses, I would leave it to the buyer to fuse roll.  Same is true for tubes.  I would chose some tubes that suit my equipment. Sell that equipment with that tube set.  I'm sure there would be tubes out their that offer different sound characteristics.  But, the "consistent" great sound I want from my equipment is reached using the tubes my company would supply.  Same is true for fuses. 

So, if a buyer wants to change tubes and tube roll as it were.  More power to them as long as it doesn't hurt the equipment.  Same is true for fuses.  As long as the audiophile fuses are at the same voltage/amperage rating as the fuse they are replacing.

But don't believe the hype that manufacturers don't know about audiophile fuses.  They do.  Lots of reasons why they don't use them.

People on this forum and other places constantly complain about the high costs of audio equipment.  Specialty capacitors costs.  Same is true for great resistors and other components.  Some not off the shelf.  Add high prices for fuses to that mix?  wow!  A fuse.  I'm sure it may make a difference. But first, how does it sound with regular off the shelf fuses?  Pretty darn good?  Then no way would I install high price fuses.

I just wouldn't.

Let the buyer do that if they want.

enjoy

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
I don't suppose it could possibly be that the top engineers at high-end companies have found that audiofool tweeko crap like magic fuses make no real SQ difference, could it?


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
In response to the previous post I would point out that the argument that Aftermarket Fuses are too high for manufacturers to use them is a little weak inasmuch as 80% of all Aftermarket Fuses actually cost $50 or less, according to the list of available Aftermarket Fuses on The Cable Company web site. And many Aftermarket Fuses can be bought at lower prices when they go on sale. For example the SR Black fuse, certainly not one of the less expensive fuses, was offered recently at the price of three for the price of two. So, in fact, amp manufacturers can’t really use the cost argument, assuming they even know about aftermarket fuses which, as I’ve already intimated, they probably don’t.

There are really only two possibilities. The high end amp manufacturers are totally in the dark and blissfully unaware, as it were, regarding the whole fuse thing, including directionality, or they can’t hear. I bet they don’t even put the inexpensive stock fuses in the correct direction. At least not on purpose.
jl35
4,017 posts
 
And they don't include IC's with the amp and preamp anymore...
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

I think we are all forgetting a major contributor to audio products -- logistics. It really depends on how critical this specific area is to an audio manufacturer. If we are talking about somebody like ARC (Audio Research) who is so critical about these things that they have to use a specific brand/type of solder, then the selection of fuse can also be a major contributor.

Wyred 4 Sound used to advertise "upgraded Furutech rhodium fuse" in their DAC 2 SE level, so the boutique manufacturers that use specialty fuses are out there. However, Wyred now only indicates "upgraded fuse" without specifying type/brand.

When an audio manufacturer needs to have a board manufacturer build xx number of boards for them to use when assembling/integrating their audio equipment, they don’t want to worry about sourcing a specific fuse type. I have talked to a boutique amp manufacturer who never knows what kind of capacitors will be available for his main power supply when he gets ready to do a manufacturing run on his amp.

When the sub $10 fuses are readily available at industrial manufacturing houses (such as Little Fuse or Buss), it becomes very easy for them to just assembly and ship. These fuses are most likely sub $2 at this point and time is money. Even at the price point of Krell or Parasound, an additional $50-100 for a fuse will affect bottom line, especially in amplifiers or devices that have multiple fuses. I know the Parasound amps have a total of 5 fuses (that’s $250-500 dollars that affect the bottom line, which is typically 50-60% or retail).  The additional time to order/unpack/insert custom specific fuses may also be a major contributor to a manufacturer who just wants to "get the amps out the door".

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