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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



128x128oregonpapa
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,842 posts
 
They're wrong, They know they're wrong, and yet they still persist.
All of their protests are nothing more than an end around the original intent of the OP. They're dancing madly on the head of a pin, only meaning to distract, to get in some blows. Poor snowflakes.

All the best,
Nonoise
prof
3,473 posts
 

tommylion,

I'm simply adding my own view: that I'm unconvinced that fuses make the type of sonic differences ascribed to them in the OP.   I had been asked to elaborate on my stance early on, which is what I've been doing: explaining why I personally am skeptical.

We all have views on various aspects of high end audio. 

If seems that if one's opinion is "X tweak makes an obvious sonic difference" then that is essentially greeted with open arms. 

But if someone explains why he is skeptical, then that is taken as an affront to the experience of everyone who believes he hears a difference, and so all these emotional, castigating replies tend to follow.

But the cautions I've alluded to shouldn't be seen as an emotional affront by a reasonable person, no more than if you were to take part in a scientific study it would be a personal insult for there to be experimental controls for bias.  It's just acknowledging we can all be fallible. 

I remember back in the 90's on the audio discussion groups, I reported what I felt were obvious differences between some CD players.  When it was suggested that these differences could be due to bias effects, I didn't get all huffy, calling people "psuedo skeptics" and "negative nellies" and "I don't have to listen to anyone telling me I don't hear what I KNOW I hear!"

Instead I just said "Yeah, fair enough, could be."  And I sought advice on how to properly blind test them, did the tests and...came out positive for sonic differences.

And then I've done tests on other items that did not support there being a detectable sonic difference.  No biggie.  And it's saved me money along the way.

I haven't argued at all for anyone else that they have to do this. 

But I have to say I'm intrigued by the question of these tweaks not only on the level of the tweak itself, in this case fuses, but on the level of the type of critical thinking and reasoned discourse that does, and often does not, happen among the audiophile community.  

Maybe it's a hopeless effort trying to show why skepticism is reasonable, and why questioning our own subjective inferences is actually a good thing, not a personal insult.  But I think it's worth at least trying to get this point across sometimes.


oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
uberwaltz & prof ...

We, as posters, have a huge disadvantage in the communication realm, in that, we cannot see facial expressions, hand gestures, voice inflections, etc.

I post to a Facebook page where a very predominate reviewer posts as well. I won't mention his name, but I can tell you with no uncertainty, he's one of the most vile individuals I've come across in my many years of posting on the Internet. I'm sure he wouldn't think of talking to me face to face the way he does on that site. Perhaps he doesn't even know how disgusting his diatribe truly is. It's a Facebook page started by an audiophile/manufacturer ... and from time to time politics is the point of conversation.  I like to discuss/debate politics in a rational, respectful manner. Not this guy. If he disagrees with your position, he just craps all over you and everyone else. Truly disgusting stuff.

I believe there are a FEW who post on A'gon with the same problem as the reviewer mentioned above. THEY were the ones I was addressing in the opening post of this thread.

Frank
prof
3,473 posts
 
jafreeman,

If you can ever step out of your need to caricature, please note:

I do indeed have experience with items like audiophile cables. I've had plenty over the years (and various other tweaks), and still have access to some of the most highly lauded cables available. 

I also have some experience attempting to be even more careful about my inferences, using blind testing to weed out my perceptual biases.  And those have been educational.
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Well I am doing what any good audiophile should be doing right now.
Sitting back and enjoying the music.

Alf by Alison Moyet.

Superbly produced and mastered l.p. playing back through my system with yes Sr blue fuses.....lol.

✌
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