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The new Synergistic Research BLUE fuses ....

New SR BLUE fuse thread ...

I’ve replaced all 5 of the SR BLACK fuses in my system with the new SR BLUE fuses. Cold, out of the box, the BLUE fuses stomped the fully broken-in SR BLACKS in a big way. As good as the SR BLACK fuses were/are, especially in comparison with the SR RED fuses, SR has found another break-through in fuses.

1. Musicality ... The system is totally seamless at this point. Its as if there is no system in the room, only a wall to wall, front to back and floor to ceiling music presentation with true to life tonality from the various instruments.

2. Extension ... I’ve seemed to gain about an octave in low bass response. This has the effect of putting more meat on the bones of the instruments. Highs are very extended, breathing new life into my magic percussion recordings. Vibes, chimes, bells, and triangles positioned in the rear of the orchestra all have improved. I’ve experienced no roll-off of the highs what so ever with the new BLUE fuses. Just a more relaxed natural presentation.

3. Dynamics ... This is a huge improvement over the BLACK fuses. Piano and vibes fans ... this is fantastic.

I have a Japanese audiophile CD of Flamenco music ... the foot stomps on the stage, the hand clapping and the castanets are present like never before. Want to hear natural sounding castanets? Get the BLUE fuses.

4. Mid range ... Ha! Put on your favorite Ben Webster album ... and a pair of adult diapers. Play Chris Connor singing "All About Ronnie," its to die for.

Quick .... someone here HAS to buy this double album. Its a bargain at this price. Audiophile sound, excellent performance by the one and only Chris Connor. Yes, its mono ... but so what? Its so good you won’t miss the stereo effects. If you’re the lucky person who scores this album, please post your results here.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRASONIC-CLEAN-The-Finest-Of-CHRIS-CONNOR-Bethlehem-Jazz-1975-NM-UNPLAYED-...

Overall impressions:

Where the RED fuses took about 20 hours to sound their best, and the BLACK fuses took upwards of 200 hours of total break-in, the BLUE fuses sounded really good right out of the box ... and that’s without doing anything about proper directional positioning. Not that the BLUE fuses don’t need breaking in, they do. The improvement continues through week three. Its a gradual break-in thing where each listening session is better than the last.

Everything I described above continues to break new ground in my system as the fuses continue breaking in. Quite honestly, I find it difficult to tear myself away from the system in order to get things done. Its truly been transformed into a magical music machine. With the expenditure of $150.00 and a 30 day return policy there’s really nothing to lose. In my system, its like upgrading to a better pre amp, amp, CD player or phono stage. Highly recommended.

Kudos to Ted Denney and the entire staff at SR. Amazing stuff, guys. :-)

Frank

PS: If you try the SR BLUE fuses, please post your results here. Seems the naysayers, the Debbie Downers and Negative Nellie’s have hijacked the original RED fuse thread. A pox on their houses and their Pioneer receivers.

Frank



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nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,795 posts
 
@uberwaltz,
Welcome to the club. I was a firm believer in after market fuses but not of the directional camp. It took about two years for me to simply try the other direction and there was a definite and obvious difference. 

I told myself that I didn't care what others felt and would not get involved in a pie fight with the naysayers but, I did. Don't do as I did and simply post and reply to those who appreciate what this is all about. Enjoy.

All the best,
Nonoise
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,249 posts
 
nonoise,
Good advice you offered. As far as the directional characteristics I’m in the same boat as you. On 3 separate occasions in my system and 2 occasions in a friend’s system (very different components from mine) change of fuse direction was simply undeniably present.

I can’t explain why and frankly not bothered by this inability to explain it. I’m just very happy with the end result of improved sound and leave it at that. BTW for those who have tried and hear no improvement with the fuses, I believe them.  I see no reason to question their hearing ability or quality of their systems. Just different outcomes, nothing new about that in regard to audio listening endeavors. I can appreciate experienced listeners who have opposite results from mine.
Charles

fleschler
1,992 posts
 
Some retailers of high end gear I’ve spoken with in the past two weeks told me when I asked, about use of upgraded fuses in their equipment. One VAC dealer said he used HiFi Tuning but upgraded to Furutech in his VAC amps but sells them with the original manufacturers ceramic basic fuse. They recommended them as they often do NOS tubes after purchase.

I’ve had Herbies tube dampeners for over 15 years. When I used an EAR 864 pre-amp, they were absolutely essential in the phono stage to get the most out of the 12AX7s, stock or NOS. Even the stock tubes sounded acceptable where non-dampened tubes sounded unacceptable to hear.

I recently made a second, wildly effective upgrade in my system equivalent to going from stock to Blue SR fuses. Grover Huffman RCA interconnects have changed from really good to outstandingly good. The combo is spectacular. My system has increased resolution, maintaining the same tonal balance, punchier, tighter (you can feel it) deep bass, gorgeous highs, greater dynamic swings and so much more open. I always thought the Ames brothers couldn’t be separated in Blend and the Beat RCA Living Stereo, and some of their other recordings. Now each of them has their own stage in the studio. Orchestral strings now wrap around the speakers as they do in life in well recorded music. The music is a more forward sounding and the pace of the music draws you into it. It’s difficult to ignore the music and do something else while its playing.

Mr. Huffman’s wiring is a labor of love, hand built and low cost, relatively speaking compared to the blue fuse. It takes him two hours to make an IC pair at $400/1 meter. So, if you really want to double you pleasure of the SR Blue fuse, try a pair of his cables between your pre-amp and amp. http://www.groverhuffman.com/empress-1 Disclaimer, I am a friend of his but I have to pay for all the cables he makes, A/C, speaker wire and ICs. Sorry if I got off track here, but the combo is twice as good as just adding the SR blue fuse. Money back guarantee as the fuse, although warning, it takes 24 hours minimum break-in time before you can hear the bass or the benefits. Just hook them up to a tuner and let it play (without sound, just hooked up and on) for a day. I leave it in for three days.to make sure they are ready for play.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Marqmike & Uberwaltz, thanks very much for the kind words. And Uberwaltz, between your new turntable/cartridge combo and the improved DAC performance it sounds like you’ll be discovering a lot about your recordings that you didn’t know existed. Enjoy!

Best regards,
-- Al

oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
Charles ...

"Manhattan Moods" with McCoy Tyner on piano and Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone arrived from Ebay today. Just finished listening to the whole thing. Very nice ... thank you for the recommendation.  I've always been a fan of not only vibes, but marimbas as well. 

Frank
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