The Synergistic Research Black fuse is definitely directional. This is coming directly from Synergistic Research in a call I placed. They suggest the flow of current to go From the "S" end to the "R" end.
The Stereo Times article was about the earlier Synergistic Research SR-20 fuse. I have several of those fuses and the Black fuses are much better. I did not find there to be nearly the direction difference with the SR-20 fuse. To me it was a small difference and not huge.
Geoff:
Actually the Synergistic Research fuse may improve the sound better than no fuse or a piece of straight wire. It's time to get your headphones cryo treated! I had my Sennheiser 650 treated and I like what I hear.
David Pritchard
David Pritchard |
Oregonpapa wrote,
"By the way .... I’m getting sound from records now that I never thought I’d ever hear. If you have a phono stage that takes a fuse, be sure to put a SR Black fuse in there. Here’s the deal ... the AT ART-9, for the price of a $120 fuse has gained at least $1000 in sound quality. No joke."
Now that you mention it, I don’t use any fuses in my current system. That would be a what, $2000 improvement in sound quality? Did I luck out or what?
|
wolf-garcia ...
Pleeeze!!! Don't diminish the size of the fuse I sent mapman. The appendage I sent was 1.25 inches and not the paltry "half-inch" you alluded to. We Italians are sensitive to such things. :-)
Nice to see your humor in the thread, wolf.
geoffkait ...
Nope, no instructions, no arrows. You just put it in and let the equipment tell you what's best.
By the way .... I'm getting sound from records now that I never thought I'd ever hear. If you have a phono stage that takes a fuse, be sure to put a SR Black fuse in there. Here's the deal ... the AT ART-9, for the price of a $120 fuse has gained at least $1000 in sound quality. No joke. |
Addendum to previous post regarding directionality of SR fuses, in particular the Black fuse.
This is an excerpt from the Stereo Times review of an earlier SR fuse that addresses the subject of fuse directionality (of SR fuses) as apparently SR see it. Maybe SR has changed it's mind about directionality, who knows. I do know that HIFi Tuning used to claim that their fuses were not directional but would burn in properly no matter which way they were inserted. Of course, HiFi Tuning has since recanted.
"Finally, the Synergistic Research Quantum fuses are put on the Tesla coil both directions, which they claim makes them not directional. That would be convenient, but I have found that not true. I find the lettering on the fuse runs opposite of the direction of the fuse that sounds best. This is not a major factor, but with their exceptional realism, it is not one you would want to forego."
|
Oregonpapa wrote,
"^^^ ... Hmmm ... I don’t recall anything about SR saying their fuses weren’t directional. I may have missed it though."
at this point in time I suspect SR doesn’t really care one way or the other since it’s common knowledge or at least it should be that you’re supposed to try all fuses both ways, even the ones like Isoclean and HiFi Tuning that come with directional arrows as well as stock fuses. You know, better safe than sorry. Speaking of which, do the SR fuses come with directional arrows or directions for how to insert the fuse into the system, e.g., per direction of writing on the fuse?
|
Wolf,
Once I get all that I will surely be hooked and hired ninja assassins may not be able to make me part with my new friends.
We'll see.... :^)
|
Mapman…If you don't mind, when you're finished enjoying the astonishing transformation produced by the use of the half inch of directional hair thin fuse wire on your system, your wardrobe, the brightening of the sound room wallpaper, and your Mama, please send it to me as I would like to experience the same (maybe not the "your Mama" part)…plus I can assume it will be thoroughly broken in and please note which direction sounds best, as I don't want to waste 170 hours on tawdry electron confusion. |
OP,
These are computer systems engineers like me. Not EEs,. Some of which are interested in hifi, some not.
They like to know what makes things tick in general, but are smart enough to know what they know and what they do not and act accordingly.
It’ll make for interesting conversation around the water cooler. That’s about as far as I will predict.
|
I’ll take salt on my chips at the moment pappa, hold the malt vinegar! :)
So far, the SR Blacks are coming into their own and sounding quite amazing. What a value.
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^^^ ... Hmmm ... I don't recall anything about SR saying their fuses weren't directional. I may have missed it though.
Mapman ...
I'm looking forward to your assessment on the fuse. If it works for you ... don't tell the "world class engineers." I seem to remember an audio magazine where the "world class engineer" constantly made the claim that "all amplifiers sound the same," and "if it measures the same, it sounds the same." :-) |
|
Oregonpapa wrote,
"^^^
First hand ... second hand ... from the horse’s mouth. No matter, geoffkait ... the info I have came from SR’ s Facebook page. If you want to try a WA fuse chip on your Black fuses ... go for it. As for me ... I’ll take SR’s word for it.
Take care ...
no problem but wasn’t it SR who stated that their fuses were absolutely positively NOT directional? I have a definite tendency to take everything I read on Facebook or anywhere else for that matter, when it comes to high end audio, with a grain of salt. Nothing personal against you or SR.
Cheerios
Geoff at MD |
Ok, so now I have no clue what in the blue hell these quantum chips do or when to use them or not.
Good thing this is just audio and not prescription drugs. The ramifications of trying things blindly just because would be much higher.
With audio, what’s the worst thing that can happen? Less perfect sound? Or if just a placebo no change at all that perhaps some might still hear for whatever reason. As long as the fuse is reliable to blow when it should.....
I will try my free trial fuse from OP both with and without and report on what I hear when I can.
This better be good!!!! I’d rather spend my time listening to the great sound and music I already have and worked hard to achieve then experimenting with things I have no clue about how they work or why. :^)
In any case when I tell my more normal than I friends including some world class systems engineers that I am experimenting with $100 hifi fuses and quantum chips, that will make for some entertaining discussions. Especially if they truly seem to work and make things sound better. I have absolutely no clue how a quantum chip works. Makes a fancy fuse seem mainstream in comparison.
|
^^^
First hand ... second hand ... from the horse's mouth. No matter, geoffkait ... the info I have came from SR' s Facebook page. If you want to try a WA fuse chip on your Black fuses ... go for it. As for me ... I'll take SR's word for it.
Take care ... |
Ogegonpapa wrote,
"First hand? No .. from the horses mouth. The Black fuses have a coating on the outside of the fuse. The WA chips interfere with that coating and degrade the sound of the fuse."
Right, that’s second hand information. The WA chips sometimes don't work on fuses of any type. The cable chips work on cables yet the cable jacket and shielding doesn't interfere with the chip. It's not cut and dry either what the WA Chip is doing, how it operates, OR why it doesn't work in some cases. Can't the WA Chip be attached to one of the end caps of the Black fuse, avoiding perhaps interfering with the coating, if in fact the coating is really the issue?
|
^^^
ustubes2 ...
I didn't try them on the Black fuses. I had them on three of the Red fuses. I suggest that you ... and anyone else interested in the SR products visit their Facebook page. Also, check out their demos on Youtube. Some very interesting stuff happening there.
|
What specifically did the WA chip sound like or detract from adding it to the Black fuse? I have them on and didnt think to remove and try wothout them.
Comments by Geofkait about the cable chips not working well on cables and losing emotinal impact could well be due to the cable chip cleaning up the sound. In most cases, cleaning up the highs and tightening lows seems to make midrange sound leaner and less tubelike giving the impression of a slightly more mechanical sound. |
Mapman ...
Your SR Red fuse is on its way via USPS. It even has a WA Quantum fuse chip on it. You can peel it off if you want to make a comparison. Be sure to experiment with the fuse direction. If you have it wrong, the sound stage may sound a bit wider ... but the system will sound out of phase. Get it right and everything locks into place. Please post your impressions here in this thread. Thanks ...
PS: Keep in mind that the SR Black fuses KILL the Red fuses. :-)
Enjoy ... |
"So which is it, you think fuses work, you think fuses don’t work?’
I think it is definitely possible that different fuses could make things sound different at least in some cases. I’ve posted that on many occasions. I've never said they don't work
|
mapman, you are such a gentleman.
|
But seriously, Mopman, how does my vendor status enter into a discussion
of fuses? I don’t sell fuses? You seem to be saying vendors can’t
participate in discussions on ANY topic and should be banned from the
site. You're a smart guy. Figure it out. I didn't say you can't participate in anything. Only that you are a vendor selling other poorly understood tweaks and therefore may be judged to have a conflict of interest. Especially when you bash "skeptics". I'm sure you won't likely judge yourself guilty on that but others easily could, which is all that really matters. |
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David ...
I agree wholeheartedly with you on Alfred and Betty at highend-electronics. Suburb service and rocket ship delivery.
geoffkait ...
First hand? No .. from the horses mouth. The Black fuses have a coating on the outside of the fuse. The WA chips interfere with that coating and degrade the sound of the fuse.
The music is sounding wonderful at my house as well, David. :-)
|
"Wa Quantum Chips: I spent a lot of time and effort trying them on fuses, power cords, interconnects, etc. They do produce a sonic change, bit in my system there was always a sense of information loss. Sort of a more detail but less emotion effect. Other users have had a more positive result."
i spent quite a bit of time with WA Chips, too. What I found was a little different. I found the WA power cord chip on the circuit breaker box wrapped around the wire coming into the breaker for the audio system worked great. But not on power cords. When I say great I mean more information, more dynamics. I also thought the inductor chip worked as advertised in close proximity to the transducers on my Sennheiser 600s. And also the capacitor chips worked on small and large capachitos.
|
bondmanp:
Do not know your location but I would suggest buying the fuse via E-mail or telephone call to Alfred and Betty Kainz at High-End Electronics, Apple Valley , Calif. He has multiple ads under power cords, and tweaks here at Audiogon. He is a leading Synergistic Research fuse seller and so has a large inventory ready to ship. Normally sends USPS in small box with no shipping charge.
Also he is very understanding about returns. He makes this a no hassle process.
I am a big believer in getting oneself a Birthday Present and seeing or calling one's Mother on that special day in your life!
Wa Quantum Chips: I spent a lot of time and effort trying them on fuses, power cords, interconnects, etc. They do produce a sonic change, bit in my system there was always a sense of information loss. Sort of a more detail but less emotion effect. Other users have had a more positive result.
Boy the music sounds good at my house these days.
David Pritchard |
"Hello guyz ...
Just as a heads up ... I have learned that the WA chips are NOT compatible with the SR Black fuses. Putting a WA chip on the Black fuses will degrade the sound.
Take care ..."
Well, let’s look on the bright side. It’s not like the WA Chip did nothing. I can’t recall, do WA Chips break in? Anybody? Is it possible that two nanotechnology/quantum audiophile thingies, Graphene and WA Chips, cancel each other out? (Yes, that’s a quantum mechanics joke).
Footnote: to OP, you learned this first hand one assumes.
|
Hello guyz ...
Just as a heads up ... I have learned that the WA chips are NOT compatible with the SR Black fuses. Putting a WA chip on the Black fuses will degrade the sound.
Take care ... |
Bondmanp,
If there's no B&M retailer available, the Cable Company is a good source. Top service and they honor the 30 day return policy.
Charles, |
David Pritchard - Yup, I think I am going to take the plunge. Just need to find a retailer (I would prefer a B&M dealer in my area), and make sure the correct value is available. One month away from my B-day, so that will be my gift to myself. I will report back here with the results. This just sounds too good not to try. The cost/benefit ratio seems off the charts. |
Mapman ...
Send your addy to: oregonpapa@aol.com
Thanks ... |
holydio ...
Haven't tried the WA chip. I have one on the fuse that's going to mapman. I'll peel it off and try it on the Black fuse that's in the phono stage.
Thanks for the reminder ... |
b_limo,
I'm not very familiar with your Peachtree, I do recognize that it is a multipurpose component and may as a result have more than one fuse.
I think it'd be reasonable to begin with the main AC power fuse. Does your owner's manual list any fuse information ?
Charles, |
|
"Have any of you tried the black fused with Wa quantum chip? I was using them on RED with excellent results. Thanks!"
Outstanding question! Some other things off top of head, contact enhancer, replace fuse holder with a better one such as Acme silver plated one, send the fuse off to your local cryo company such as the one I’ve been using for 20 years (gosh, how time flies) - Cryopro, use a purple ink pen to paint the end caps, protect the fuse from mag fields with mu metal, damp the fuse & fuse holder. |
@oregonpapa
Have any of you tried the black fused with Wa quantum chip? I was using them on RED with excellent results. Thanks!
|
Mapman wrote,
"I have no conflict of interest either. I even cited how the fuses might make a difference. But I am also not an EE. So reduce my skeptic rating accordingly please. :^) "
So which is it, you think fuses work, you think fuses don’t work? Color me confused. It certainly appears you and Al are the main uber skeptics on this thread. Everything is topsy-turvy. "Fuses are too small to make a difference." "Fuses are unreliable." "Fuses can’t possibly work as the manufacturer states." How can a fuse possibly make any difference to the sound when the signal is AC?" "There is no such thing as wire directionality." Sorry, Charlie. Been there, done that. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder where you are, up above the sky so high....
Mapman also wrote,
"Geoff with all due respect you are a vendor and do have a conflict of interest."
Ouch! Very ouch! But seriously, Mopman, how does my vendor status enter into a discussion of fuses? I don’t sell fuses? You seem to be saying vendors can’t participate in discussions on ANY topic and should be banned from the site. Methinks the skeptic doth protest too much. |
Mapman ...
Never mind telling me what value fuse you need. I missed it in your last post. I have the 3.1 SR Red that I'll be sending you ... all broken in too. :-) |
Mapman ....
Hallelujah!
Send your addy to my Email at oregonpapa@aol.com
Do you need a 3 amp fuse?? Actually, it'll be a 3.1 amp. Just let me know the value you need.
Take care ... |
bondmanp:
I do hope you will try a Synergistic Research Black fuse. I have found the improvement to be quite remarkable. Since they come with a 30 day trial, the risk is return postage. Give yourself a present- you are worth it.
David Pritchard |
I have no conflict of interest either. I even cited how the fuses might make a difference. But I am also not an EE. So reduce my skeptic rating accordingly please. :^)
OP, if you really want me to try the 3Amp fuse, go ahead and send it to me. IF you take the time and effort to do it I will give it a shot in my ARC sp16. It's totally up to you.
Geoff with all due respect you are a vendor and do have a conflict of interest. |
Charles 1Dad, thanks for the reply! Thats the quick, to the point, constructive response.
I have a Peachtree 220se right now: where would I install this fuse?
I'll give it a shot if it will work in my application! |
Typo city!!
Sorry guys iPhone autocorrect!!!! |
Knowledgeable EEs in these parts. You mean like Al? But he's a skeptic. Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest for him to explain it? No, consistent with the kind comment Charles posted about me yesterday, I would plead not guilty to any allegations of being a skeptic. However, I would not dispute the characterization you implied in a different thread some time ago, namely that of a "pseudo-skeptic." One attribute of a "pseudo-skeptic" being the absence of conflict of interest. :-) Regards, -- Al |
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Hello b_limo,
I invite you to try a Black fuse in one of you components, the cost of entry is very reasonable. I don't believe that you'll find their impact boring once you have listened to it. If you happen to be unimpressed with it you can return the fuse within 30 days for a refund. Regarding capacitors I've used VCap,Duelund CAST and Jupiter copper foil. Depending on the application the SR Black fuses have equal or even greater sonic impact on the sound quality. This no hyperbole by any stretch. It's up to you, give it a try or continue to dismiss this superb tweak. The barrier to experience them is so low, just let your ears decide.
Charles, |
Mapman wrote,
"Audiophile fuses are always a controversial topic.
People hear improvements but nobody can explain why.
That makes it interesting to me at least.
You’d think that some knowledgeable EEs in these parts could explain it. But not the case.
So there are some happy customers here hearing benefits yet why remains a mystery.
That’s pretty interesting stuff compared to a lot of more mundane topics one often finds."
Golleee, Mapman, is your memory completely shot? The reasons, and I’m talking about the technical reasons, why aftermarket fuses sound better than stock fuses have been listed out many times, by lots of folks, not just yours truly. If it makes you happy to pretend that no one has explained fuses, or even that they are controversial, that’s certainly your prerogative. But give me a break. Let’s see, how long have aftermarket fuses been around, fifteen years? Twenty years? Hel-looo! Knowledgeable EEs in these parts. You mean like Al? But he's a skeptic. Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest for him to explain it?
|
Audiophile fuses are always a controversial topic.
People hear improvements but nobody can explain why.
That makes it interesting to me at least.
You'd think that some knowledgeable EEs in these parts could explain it. But not the case.
So there are some happy customers here hearing benefits yet why remains a mystery.
That's pretty interesting stuff compared to a lot of more mundane topics one often finds.
|
Im confused how a thread about a fuse is the main topic here at audiogon lately... and in the pre amp amp section and not tech? I believe in tweaks but I've never seen something so blah and boring get so much coverage. How can someone possibly talk so much about fuses? I'd read about caps but not this... |
While on the subject of fuses not sure how many of you are aware that Synergistic Research also sell a quantum tunneled breaker. You send them a stock breaker in the rating needed for your fuse box and they send it back to you for a charge of as I recall $50 or less. Now as I had this installed in a new room build I cannot speak to the before/after but maybe one of you all on this thread want to give it a try? Who knows maybe they'll have a graphene enriched version soon :-) |
Hello David,
Thanks for your kind comments. I'm glad that you gave these fuses an audition. Given the very high quality and resolution of your audio system I believed that you'd extract the full performance potential of the Black fuses.
Take care,
Charles, |
Hi all,
After reading all the wonderful threads about the SR fuses initiated by Oregonpapa I felt I had to get some black fuses myself. After some very helpful advice from Charles1dad and waiting for break into occur, I was totally overwhelmed by the improvements these relatively inexpensive tweaks could have on my system.
I originally placed them in myCoincident Frankenstein amps.
Transparency, dynamics, visceral impact , organic realism, depth width, everything ; You name it ,it improved.
Charles recommended that I also get a fuse for my Coincident Line Stagecoach .
After some break in ,as before , the results were overwhelming
The improvement in the CSL had an even greater impact. The musicality and realism were just taken up another notch.
The idea of a fuse having such a profound impact on improving an already satisfying sound system was mind boggling.
I now am waiting on my fuses for my Coincident Dragons, as I biamp my Coincident Pure Reference Extremes with the Frank's on top and the Dragons on the bottom.
The sequential replacement of each component's performance improvement has been nothing short of dramatic.
If anyone is still on the fence after reading through this multi page multi month wonderful thread , I encourage them to get off the fence and try these incredible fuses.
I have spent many dollars over many years on other attempts to upgrade my system only to realize that some of them were no improvement at all and some even had a negative impact. In those case I was forced to sell them,barely used, at a heavily discounted price.
The fact that SR is willing to offer a 30 trial period makes this no leap of faith or guess. It's a no brainer and has no financial risk.
This , honestly, imho, may be the best tweak in audio ever. The bang for the buck factor is unreal.
I know there will always be doubters and skeptics in life, and that may actually be good and healthy , but even they , in this situation have nothing to lose by trying these wonderful fuses.
A big shout out and thank you to Frank, Oregonpapa, for taking us along in his journey of evolution of his system with these fuses and sharing this with us all so that we too can benefit and get closer to receiving an even greater sense of pleasure from our wonderful hobby.
And to Charles, thank you once again for your guidance and excellent advice, as usual.
David
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Being technologically still in Kindergarten ... well, maybe in the sixth grade, I couldn't care less HOW something works, only that it does. I don't know graphene from aluminum foil. All I know is what its done for my audio system.
I had what I thought to be a very revealing system prior to trying the first SR Red fuse that began this entire thread. Little did I know where the fuse path was to lead. Eventually, I had placed the Red fuses throughout the system and just figured I'd call it a day and enjoy the major improvement given by these fuses. Then ... the announcement of the SR Black fuses.
With each component sporting a new Black fuse, that component was brought to a new, much higher level of musicality and realism. This was really brought home during last night's listening session.
I had moved a broken in Black fuse from the CD player into the phono amp, replacing a broken in Red fuse. After re orientating the fuse to the proper direction, the end result was truly amazing. I have NEVER had such realism from spinning vinyl on the turntable. As good as the digital system is now, the analog system is another league better in natural organic sound.
As many of you know, I'm using an AT ART-9 cartridge. As good as this cartridge is (a real sleeper - and thanks again to Pani), I was only hearing about half of what it was capable of with the SR Red fuse. The sense of realism and a "you are there presence" has been taken to a whole new level. I've heard vinyl rigs costing many times what I have invested in mine and I don't hear from them, what I'm getting now.
Graphene, aluminum foil, witch doctors, magic spoof dust ... I really don't care. What needs to be said is ... I have upgraded my vinyl rig by many thousands of dollars for the cost of a $129 fuse.
Anyone who continues to question these fuses in the face of all of the positive comments in this 18-page-long thread is like Cleopatra .... In De Nile. :-)
Happy listening, friends ... |
A Nigerian Price explained that, as a result of a blood sacrifice under a full moon, Zeus was inspired to Taser the SR Black Fuse so it would have a profound impact on audiophile systems. I was skeptical, but tried one anyway. It was a significant and immediate improvement. For those unwilling to pay $120 for a fuse, I understand. I paid a nickel for the fuse. The remaining $119.95 was for the improvement to my DAC.
BTW, African royalty do not worship ancient Greek gods, so I know he was lying.
|
At some point I will also join the black fuse fun. An audio club member has been installing the reds and now the blacks. He is always looking for effective cheaper tweaks and has indicated a positive effect. In the end you can analyze this stuff to death and the only "tool" I trust is my ears. Does it sound better or worse. |
