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.
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.