fuses - the $39 ones or the 85 cent ones

OK, I went back and forth replacing my old stock fuses in my 400xi vs the Hi Fi Tuning fuses plus I checked for directionality of the Hi Fi fuses and the results are....drum roll please............Hi Fi Tuning Fuses are directional (arrows should point toward the component) and sound far superior to the stock fuses. Having the fuses in backwards causes the highs to become shrill, forward and hard sounding, bass lacks focus and instruments seem a bit out of sync in relationship to each other. The stock fuses are less dynamic, less transparent, do not image as well and seem to add a bit more distortion. Bottom line is that the Hi Fi Tuning Fuses open things up more, seperate instruments better, increase dynamics, and reduce distortion...quite a bargain for chump change:)

So Dave, are you saying the change was dramatic?

For me it is something I wouldn't want to do without, especially when us audiophiles grasp for even marginal improvements where we can get them. Better highs, more vivid mids and deeper more focused bass response alon with enhanced transparency...yeah, I think that's dramatic!

Did you have someone change the fuses....or not, when you went in the other room to refill your wine glass?

No wine, several days of listening and short term comparisons plus using familiar material and passages repeatably. Experiences are mine and should be considered suspect until validated by an official oversite commitee committed to the advancement and general well being of the audiophile community at large...or, you could try the experiment yourself:)