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What's going on with Synergistic Research fuses?

I live in California and a couple of weeks ago we had strange lightning storms that started the many fires burning in the State.  It also fried the fuse in my Pass XA30.5.  I got the amp second hand and it came with a SR Blue fuse.  I called Pass and they recommended a very cheap fuse which I ordered and installed.  Because I was curious, I took the SR sticker off the old burnt out fuse and found that it was a very cheap SIBA brand fuse underneath.  It is clear that SR is either not making the ceramic casing for this fuse or using the SIBA fuse and then doing stuff to it.  At the very worst, it's just slapping a sticker on it and charging a ton more

The thing is, I'm pretty sure I could hear a difference for the worse when I installed the cheap glass fuse post lightning storm.  Could it be that SR is modifying an existing fuse to make it sound better?  Maybe some more technically minded folks here on the forum could help me understand

thanks!
adam8179
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
In the measurements I’ve made, they only seem to show up with equipment that actually draws enough power that you can measure a voltage drop across the fuseholder.
This is "maybe" a correct statement, but lets get the rest of it right, and may only apply to non regulated equipment.

What should be added is that it would be "impossible to hear" the difference. As the mains fluctuates much more every second, your measuring the same ***** thing, a minute voltage drop across the fuse or larger voltage drop in the mains every second!!!

It’s all fuser snake oil voodoo **, don’t try to make it anything else and give fusers even more fodder for the shilling of these >$160 fuses

Cheers George
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,958 posts
 
but lets get the rest of it right, and may only apply to non regulated equipment.
Yes- I've been careful to mention this at least twice earlier. 
It’s all fuser snake oil voodoo, don’t try to make it anything else and give fusers even more fodder to twist around in their snake oil heads.
Using a generality like this is problematic- its better to say that *most* of its snake oil... the problem is that the effects are measurable. But there is also the Veblen Effect- that the fuse must make a difference because it cost so much (which is a subset of 'expectation bias').

thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,847 posts
 
So, you would consider an expensive aftermarket fuse a Veblen Good as opposed to a Giffen Good given that an argument could be made that they are nothing more than rebranded cheap fuses?
I personally have no opinion either way as to their efficacy as I have never used one.
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,847 posts
 
Sep 22, 2006 · Apparently aftermarket fuse manufacturers haven't been paying much mind to the angst and whining of the naysayers as the fuse debate drags on into its tenth year.
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,847 posts
 
Happy 24th birthday!
Glad to see all this zany fuse business has finally been settled!
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