i add my thanks.  although $50-70 is not that much to spend in this hobby, it represents 10 to 25 used records.  i have also been very curious about these fuses.  having bob's great description, i think i will give them a try in my amp and preamp.  we spend far more than this to achieve small measures of greater clarity on components.

tom

I received my Stereophile magazine over mail yesterday and this was the first article I read. I could not agree more with Robert about the results of adding the Supreme fuse. In my case the experience was different. I borrowed a Gamut D3 preamp to listen on my system. It came with the Supreme fuse installed by the owner, however it was a 250mA fuse instead of the original 500mA and it  burned out. I replaced it with the original fuse and the air, the clarity and the level of details that were present just disappeared. I ordered a new one for the Gamut and another for my preamp Cary C306. I do not know how to explain how a small fuse can make such a difference. I wonder what will happen to cd players and dacs if I change them too.

Regards,

Pedro

I don't no why either Pedro, but hearing is believing, thats all I really need to understand.

                                                                                                                    Tim 

Appropriate controls for this comparison would be to 1) remove and replace the existing fuses, listening for any improvement, and then 2) remove the existing fuses, replace with new, conventional fuses and, again, listen for any improvement.  Then do the same with the magic fuses.

Goes for cables and power cords, too.  You'd be amazed what effects removing a little oxide dioding can do for a connection.

I'd love to see JA pop a few of these into an amplifier and compare measurements.

Just to see what up from a measurement standpoint.

 Replaced them in a past preamp with the same resuls.

Additionally, I changed out the ones in my magnepans .  Same results there.

If one had a rock solid thing like the PS Audio power "recreator," it would be tempting to go fuseless and compare. At least for a few listening session where only you got to control the volume.

Same with an AC outlet - create an outlet without a plug, just an intergal unit connecting AC line to the power and a more tru union between power cord and the input of the unit.

Just don't tell the fire marshall!

Repeatable measured amplifier improvements from installing expensive fuses. I have a feeling that's not going to happen. If it did, I'd actually consider buying a few.

I like to see John's measurements in the reviews, and I'm satisfied when he is, but measurements aren't everything, remember the Phase Linear scandal. Lets face it, if you had a choice between two component's, one that tested good or one that sounded good which would you purchase?

When I go to purchase a TV I don't pay any attention at all to tests, measurements or specs.  

Who does?

Geoff Kait

machinadynamica.com

But I don't make my buying decision solely on specs.

Do people buy expensive fuses for their televisions? That makes me wonder if tweaks are less common for televisions, and if so, is it because we are more sure of what we see than what we hear? Are we less likely to see improvements when we tweak our televisions?

I find the notion fascinating.

Don't forget the fact that comparing measurements could lead to 'progress,' especially for all the TV aficionados here today!

Looking into whether or how the fuses could affect measurements might be a scary thing to some, but you can't make 'progress' for these fine fuses without the rest of the gear being made better to allow those babies to really sing!

Wow, never thought about the possibility of changing fuses in the tube. Up till now I've used a good power cord and conditioner but never thought there were other upgrades for a TV. 

 Do most TV's have a user changeable fuse?

Guess it depends on what you think user changeable means.

I doubt there are many people who would go to the trouble. Even the Revolution Power website doesn't mention television fuse upgrades. I think that says some things. Like maybe it's dangerous to go poking around inside a TV, or maybe people won't see an improvement on their screens after a fuse upgrade. I think it's the latter. Probably not as easy to fool people using their eyes, as it is with their ears.

Maybe I should try some harmonic stone resonator blocks on top of my TV? I am sort of a televiaphile.

I guess that means that you haven't tried them. You'd be surprised what you can learn by experimentation.

In the course of messing with my equipment I've switched various interconnect cables and speaker wires many times. Never heard any difference. Really!  So I'm not going to start changing this and that in the hope I'll suddenly hear better music. Maybe if I ever heard a sensible explanation as to why changing to a certain wire or fuse, etc.. will improve sound, maybe then I will be inclined toward further experimentation.

Part of my resistance to these things is that sometimes my system sounds different to me than at other times. Some days it sounds better than others. Sometimes it sounds different at the beginning of a listening session than it does at the end. I chalk this up to my perception of what I'm hearing, you know, something going on in my head. I'm not about to go chasing my perception with cables, fuses, or other tweaks.

The biggest improvement I've heard was when I recently moved my system to another room in my house. It was obviously better even to my wife, who doesn't care that much. I've also heard somewhat more subtle improvements from upgrading components. I can barely imagine that changing a fuse would be noticeable. Call me a nonbeliever, or call me deaf, whatever. I'm saving up and putting my money towards more recordings, and better components that actually do something that can be explained. Maybe if I was wealthy I would spend money on these other things and try them out for a lark.

- Notice I didn't say other people don't hear things.  :)

Just a quick question...when the system was moved to another room was it also moved to another electrical circuit?

It is now on a different circuit, but the improvement is due to the new room's better dimensions, layout, and absorptive properties, which primarily improve the stereo image and the music's overall coherency. The old room was like a cave in comparision, with excessive reverberation.

The improvement is not subtle, and I can't believe I used the old room for so many years.

LOL

Hi, I'm the dlb mentioned in the article.  I have used Hi Fi tuning fuses for years in various components and have always found them to improve the sound markedly.  I have another rather astounding, if not down right incredulous little tweak, that I'm sure some of you may be aware of... at least in theory anyway.  The company is EVS and it's proprieter is Ric Shultz (I hope I spelled that right).  EVS or Electronic Visionary systems offers what they call Ground Enhancers, which are little pigtails of monocrystalline pure copper wire that attach to the binding posts of your speakers and amp.  They also have RCA grounds for components that are hit or miss in effectiveness.  They are CHEAP...like $30/set cheap, but they will completely blow you away after they are installed and settled in for a few days.  I have tried to take them out of my system, just to try and prove to myself that I must be crazy for having those pigtails hanging off the back of my speakers....especially since I have $6K spkr cables already!!  But when they are in the soundstage is breathtakingly open and dimensional;   the speakers play an octave deeper and with more low level detail as well.  Highs are seductively tactile and full of shimmer with great tone.  Bass becomes a thing of beauty and power with better definition and expression.  All around they make me uncomfortable in the sense that i have spent thousands of dollars on expensive EVERYTHING and yet those diminuitive, cheap, skinny pigtails of copper transform my system into an addiction.  How and why this happens becomes irrelevant after you are hooked....literally:O)  Enjoy!

Hi Pedro:

I saw your post about replacing the fuse in your Cary C 306 preamplifer with the Hi-Fi tuning fuse.  Did you ever do that?  If so, did it make any audible difference (large or small, positive or negative)?  Can you explain what the sonic difference were?

I recently purchased one of these units used and I think it sounds really good. But I'd like to get your opinion (being a long time owner) of how it sounds and what you think of it. Have you compared it to anything esle? What amplfier are you susuing it with? 

If you've sold it let me know why. What did you replace it with?

Pedro, I'd really appreciate your reply! 

Thanks, 

Ryan