Synergistic Red Fuse ...


I installed a SR RED Quantum fuse in my ARC REF-3 preamp a few days ago, replacing an older high end fuse. Uhh ... for a hundred bucks, this little baby is well worth the cost. There was an immediate improvement upon installation, but now that its broken in (yes, no kidding), its quite remarkable. A tightening of the focus, a more solid image, and most important of all for my tastes, a deeper appreciation for the organic sound of the instruments. Damn! ... cellos sound great! Much improved attack on pianos. More humanistic on vocals. Bowed bass goes down forever. Next move? .... I'm doing the entire system with these fuses. One at a time though just to gauge the improvement in each piece of equipment. The REF-75se comes next. I'll report the results as the progression takes place. Stay tuned ...

Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
128x128oregonpapa
^^^ 
R_F_Sayles ...

Like you, I'm astounded at the improvement in my system brought about by the SR fuses and power cords.

 A fellow audiophile friend, whose hearing I really trust, made the comment the other night during a listening session that the tonality of the instruments was "dead nutz on."  That, in my opinion is the ultimate test in an audio system. When the instruments sound "right," then its time to start thinking about sound stage width and depth. And, with that said, the instrument we are most familiar with is the human voice. Get that right ... and all else falls into place. 


Hi Salyes,,
As I recall you have Atma-Sphere amplifiers. Are you using the Black fuses in them as well? 
Charles, 
It is fascinating to me that the Synergistic Research Black fuse has had a positive effect on so many different components.

Eddie Current Zana Deux OTL tube amp.
Emotion Audio Type 45 SET tube amp.
Art Audio PX25 SET tube amp.
Antelope Audio DAC.
Marantz SA11-S2 SACD player.
Marantz SA11-S1 SACD player.
Galileo Sub Woofer.
SVS Sub Woofer.
Zvox Home Theater System.

I am very glad Oregon papa started this thread.

David Pritchard

Gents,
At the risk of being the denier of Oregonpapa’s experiential views on all things fuse and power cord-related, my experience has been quite different. The Red Fuse provided no sonic improvement in my system, none at least that could discern. I have auditioned a dozen power cords in my system with no benefit, although none admittedly cost more than a few hundred dollars. It has been a fool’s errand trying out these tweaks. That said, I have rolled NOS tubes in my preamp that have made very obvious changes in the sound. Some favored the LF and some the HF and some yielded a sublime mid-range response. These tube-rolling experiences were far from subtle, manifesting their sonic impact within a few bars of the music. Their effect was immediate. Other than with new speakers, the notion of "breaking in" gear, such as fuses, IC's and power cords laughable. 

My take is that this fuse and power cord business is reflective of the paranoia and insecurity of lots of audiophiles who are guilted into trying foolish tweaks thinking that such electrically illogical tweaks will reveal the sort of performance that their systems are somehow currently masking. Frankly, think about it for a moment... what is the logic in thinking that a fuse will make any difference, regardless whether it is cryo treated or not?

By all means, give these tweaks a try so long as can get your money back if they don’t please you. But don’t waste your time listening to the pablum on this forum "informing" you of what ought you to be hearing with them in your system. If they improve the sound in our system, keep them. If not, send them back. Cheers, Whitestix


To recap Whitestix:  Many of us are paranoid and insecure. We are somehow guilted into trying foolish tweaks. Break in is laughable (we are all stupid). Better fuses are illogical if we just think about it (we act on emotions, not logic).  
Well, that's a fine entrance, Whitestix. Please list your components, cables, power supply in detail, and we will tell you why you can't get anything out of it. And, is your thinking from the AVA tradition?