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So done with audiophile fuses

The journey started with a medium priced ($50) fuse in my power supply.  A failed rectifier tube blew that one out.  Not a fuse problem.  Next up was a blue fuse in my pre amp.  It blew and was not caused by a pre amp problem.  Apparently they sometimes are more sensitive and it was replaced by an orange fuse two values higher.  Things were going along fine.  I replaced the pre amp with a newer version of the pre amp and it has the same fuse value.  Five months latter (today) I turn on the pre amp and nothing.  it's a five month old pre amp so I suspected that it was the fuse.  Sure enough, I replaced it with a ceramic Littelfuse of the lower correct value it works fine.  No more wasting my money on unstable fuses for me.     
goose
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
Yeah, sorry.  There are already nuts in earlier threads who think fuses are directional.

It also makes a difference how they are twisted in the holder.

I put a little bit of salt inside, it brings out the high frequencies very nicely.  Must draw out any dampness inside.  A damp fuse is a poor-sounding fuse.

Conditioning the fuse in the oven at 87C for 39 minutes gives a sheen on the metal end barrels that increases the front to back soundstage.  It would be interesting to try 92C for an hour - would probably be different.

............................... (insert your own nonsense)

etc, etc etc, ad nauseam.
sns
3,390 posts
 
This is an issue of inrush current at initial turn on. I've experienced boutique fuse failure only with tube amps and preamps, ss devices have never given me a problem. You can replace with higher value and they will survive the initial current surge, have to take in account there might be warranty issues.
hartf36's avatar
hartf36
214 posts
 
I switched from plain glass fuses to ceramic and did detect a noticeable difference.  Not earth-shattering, but noticeable.  My fuse experiment ended there.  

Until I took the fuses out of my Maggies and replaced them with like-sized sections of silver tube.  Another noticeable difference.  That's where it REALLY ended.
robert53
484 posts
 
He didn't mention anything about sound. He only stated that it worked fine. No more blown fuses.
twoch
429 posts
 
could just be the on off switch . Anyway i never had any fuze problems.     I did when i got the idea to bypass the fuze   
   So done with audiophile fuses ,,
 Sounds like you raise little girls ?
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