Iso Clean Fuses

That is a good reminder about the HiFi tuning fuses- that they need a break in time . I believe your explaination about needing a break in explains the varried experiences reported on the web concerning the HiFi fuses.
David Pritchard

And just what IS the current flow direction in an AC circuit?

Back and forth 60 times a second in power supply circuits and back and forth from 20 to 20000 times a second in speaker wires. So directionality, even if it exists in wire, makes no difference.

Bob P.

Do any high-end manufacturers equip their amps, pre-amps, tuners, or cd players with these fuses? I would be interested to hear what an actual professional electronics designer for a high-end audio manufacturer has to say about these fuses. I am not interested in what a marketing company for the fuses or for a high-end manufacturer has to say. Spare me the reviews from them; they just want to sell a product. I am talking about a real electronics engineer who designs amps, etc.

I understand the reported observations from audiophiles. No one seems to understand what is going on, nor can they explain it technically -- just get a bunch of superlatives and recommendations for inserting it one way or another because there is directionality to any metal conductor.

I don't think the conductivity of metal is as directional as that of doped silicon with a voltage drop across it. By "directionality" I mean impedance is more or less with current flowing in one direction than the other through the metal. Not the mere fact that current flows one a specific direction. Maybe at radio or microwave frequencies there is directionality of electrical conduction -- perhaps due to the molecular grain. I don't know; I am not a radio or microwave frequency electronics designer. However, even 20kHz is not high frequency by any means.

Bicycle_man

I know for a fact of about 3 manufactures you can call and they will offer them in the equipment for a small upgrade cost, also that do recommend the better fuses as they do sound much better... And 2 of them are huge names in the business, but they simply don't try to push a product based on a small piece of metal as you say for exactly that point. They also believe they can improve the sonics having them in all spots on the board not just the primary fuse in that you see on the back of your unit.

Think about it for one second, do you not believe that the one small cheap fuse with a tin wire thats like the thickness of a hair on your head is not causing a small current drop directly feeding the primary on your transformer? So realistically a 20 gauge generic power cable on your DVD or receiver is good enough over the 14 gauge solid copper wire in your wall feeding it to that point?

The direction I cannot specifically explain, however it really depends on the leg the fuse is put on inside the equipment, seems that its normally on the HOT side, not the Neutral side which is tied to ground, so your 2 major AC lines which are hot and neutral back to your breaker box are in fact 2 different legs of an electrical system.

So I would assume the only reason somehow direction is effected is its just better in some equipment depending on how the neutral and hot are ultimately run into that component, some gear is actually wired out of "Phase" and some have Phase switches on remotes and on the faceplate sometimes just for this reason. Again who cares, if it works, yes I will say that a better fuse is in fact a better fuse, the cheap ones vibrate like crazy, have ridiculous hair like thin elements, and yes the isocleans and hifi tunings are quite a bit more substantial.

This is nothing new, for years CAR audio DC circuits have been using MONSTER sized fuses, big huge Gold plates inside the fuse element for complete current conductivity.. These fuses are of course much more amp rated than home audio gear, but take a look at the big battery fuses etc, and see that they replace the little plastic 50 cent standard car type fuses as well for huge amps and current drawing devices for competions in cars, realistically its just to get the best current without much voltage drop possible if the transformers demand it.