Synergistic Red Fuse ...

tzh21y:

I have a Marantz SA11-S2 unit. Remove the three screws at the back of the unit that are along the top edge. The lid needs to be slid back about 1/2 inch and then it will lift straight off. But the lid usually will not move back with just finger strength! There are two outcroppings on the back of the top lid that can be used to put in a flat bladed screwdriver and pull the lid back the necessary 1/2 inch. For me what worked better was to put a very fine flat edge screwdriver in the space at the front of the unit and carefully move the lid backward a fraction of an inch at a time. Put the blade in on the front left, middle and right side to loosen it up.

The main power fuse is by itself, on the left side as you face the front of the unit. You will also see six rail fuses that are 1.6 amp and one amp. Small slo -blow type.
I would upgrade the power fuse first and see if you like the change. Leave the unit on 24/7, and listen critically a week latter. 

If you still have trouble with the lid let me know. It is very rewarding to look inside the unit.

The Marantz really responds to a Synergistic Research Black fuse upgrade.

David Pritchard

F

In all fairness, as I mentioned earlier,  the fuse I replaced with Synergistic Red in my Audio Research sp16 looked quite substantial and well thought out, not your garden variety fuse to start with.    Why would a company like Audio Research limit performance of their highly regarded products with a 10 cent fuse?    It does not appear that they did.   That fuse surely would cost more, maybe as much as a few bucks even assuming ARC buys their parts in bulk and gets a better price accordingly.

mapman:

I am suggesting that it may be possible that the new generation Black fuse that has been cryogenically treated, Quantum Tunneled, treated with UEF and Graphene, may sound better than the 3/4 inch piece of wire it replaces. Especially if the wire is ordinary low quality hook up wire. This experiment has not been done to my knowledge.

It may not of course but until the experiment has been done it has not been proven which gives the better sound. It is also possible that there is an optimum number of these fuses for a circuit. More or less or  even no fuses may give the best sound.

In the Marantz SA11-S2 SACD player I replaced the seven fuses in three steps. First the power fuse, next five of the rail fuses and lastly the fuse to the laser assembly. In this exercise I heard an improvement with each series of fuses replaced. I found it particularly interesting that the laser assembly fuse also responded to changing the fuse.

mapman- do not sell your children's intelligence short. My son has no problem with the concept of a fuse changing the sound, just as changing the type of strings on his viola changes the sound.

I wish someone would explain to me how viola strings wear out.  As they age while playing, they at first improve and then get worse. Just like many audio components.

Geoff:

I only wish I could go as fast as my daughter. She is singer-dancer in the high school show  choir and in the school band's drum line. One of the few female drummers in the school band!

As you might guess, at my house I do not lack Live Music to see how my audio system is performing.

David Pritchard

Such a wonderful thread this is. Better sound obtained. More insights gained. And most importantly, new friends made. :-)

oregonpapa:

I agree. I also would add people overcoming fear and prejudices. Learning new skills whether it is how to replace a fuse, read the fuse, or opening the audio component. It took me over a year to finally take off the top of my SACD player due to fear and not knowing the trick to get it off.

It seems to me our hobby should be enjoyable and liberating.

David Pritchard