PS Audio PWD MKII HiFi Tuning fuse direction

Why would it make a difference on e.g., interconnects but not fuses?

There are at least two relevant differences between the two situations:

1)Many interconnects are asymmetrical by design, having a shield that is grounded at only one end. The intent being that noise which may couple into the cable will be conducted to the output of the component that is driving the cable, and not to the destination component.

2)Most and perhaps all cable effects, at least those that are technically explainable, are proportional to length. Obviously the length of the conductor in a fuse is miniscule compared to the length of an interconnect.

Interconnects sit in a DC circuit, where current flows in one direction. The fuse on the PWD sits in an AC circuit meaning the polarity switches 60x per second.

Actually, the first sentence is not true. DC is a frequency of zero Hertz. While the circuit stages that generate and process analog audio signals are powered by DC, the analog signals themselves are a mix of AC components that are at many different frequencies, mainly between 20 and 20,000 Hz. There may be trace amounts of DC that are present for various reasons, but the speakers can't reproduce it and we can't hear it.

Some will say that fuses are directional because energy is being transferred through them in just one direction, or because during manufacture the conductive material they contain was "drawn" in a certain direction. Whether or not fuses in fact have any directional characteristics, the relevance of those facts is IMO speculative at best, and most likely unprovable.

Count me as being in the skeptic part of the spectrum, but with a mind that is not totally closed on this issue. I would, however, discount any reports of perceived differences in which the person did not go back and forth between the two orientations at least several times. Not only to assure that perceptions were accurate, but to rule out the possibility that extraneous variables were responsible, such as contact integrity, warmup status of the equipment, changes in line voltage or noise conditions, etc.

Regards,
-- Al

....I would, however, discount any reports of perceived differences in which the person did not go back and forth between the two orientations at least several times....

I personally would discount any reports that are not confirmed in double blind test, where the observer repeatedly picks the optimal orientation.

I totally agree with Al and Edorr, but for the sake of your peace of mind, Knghifi, install back to front as you noted in your op. This was discussed on the PS Audio forum.

Cheers!

_Ben

Almarg wrote,

"Some will say that fuses are directional because energy is being transferred through them in just one direction, or because during manufacture the conductive material they contain was "drawn" in a certain direction. Whether or not fuses in fact have any directional characteristics, the relevance of those facts is IMO speculative at best, and most likely unprovable."

I suspect one need look no further than the measured data for fuses of various types, including standard and HiFi Tuning, to see that fuses not only measure differently but are directional electrically.

http://www.kempelektroniks.com/Site_files/43/4300d6c0-5d8a-4774-bfde-f8b0088606b8.pdf

GK
MD

Hk_fan wrote,

"It doesn't make a difference in cables or fuses. Electrons do not care what arrow direction a manufacturer may put on a label."

Electrons don't carry the signal so I suspect we can probably rule that particular theory out. In fact, electrons in the conductor are kind of just sitting there, drifting along at a couple centimeters a minute.

GK
MD