Quantum Science fuses.

[CageyH]

That is why HiFi is a cruel mistress.
When you are young, and can appreciate a good system, you can’t afford one.
When you are old, and you can, you can’t tell any difference between that and a cheaper system.

[Macca]

That is why HiFi is a cruel mistress.
When you are young, and can appreciate a good system, you can’t afford one.
When you are old, and you can, you can’t tell any difference between that and a cheaper system.

There must be some truth in that but my friend a few doors down has a respectable system (Sony CD, Rega Planar 3, Rotel amp and Ruark Templar speakers). I can listen to it happily for hours but when I go back to my system I realise what is missing from his. It does nothing bad though, it's never harsh or hard. That's the key really, it's all sins of omisson rather than sins of commision.

But on the fuse thing and other improbable tweaks - I think we can potentially all hear differences, the question is whether they are real or not.

Example - My system already sounds great, there's no sins of commision. If I put fancy fuses in all the plugs and listen again, well it's still going to sound good, but now I know I have made a change, I'm listening to see if I can hear any difference, so I'm not listeniing in the usual way of just enjoying the sound. So maybe I hear improvements and think 'Yes these fuses work.'

Next day I come to listen again, this time I'm not doing a comparison, I'm just enjoying the sound. It sounds good. I take it for granted that the improvement I heard the previous day when I put the fuses in is still there.

Now if my system did not sound good, say it was harsh and hard, and the fuses fixed that, there's something solid to go on. I listen the next day and there's no harshness or hardness so I know the fuses did something. They banished the problem the first day, and when I come back the next day it is still banished.

But if the system already had no problems then I don't know if they did really do something, or if I was just listening differently, listening for improvements/changes, the day I put them in.

My other problem is that if you accept one thing that cannot explicably make a difference, where do you draw the line? There's a million products like that out there, do I start trying them too? That gets expensive, plus I'd never really be sure if they were actually doing something or it was in my head.

And the other issue is that if I'm tweaking often, my brain goes into that analytic/critical mode and then when I just want to relax to good sounds I can't switch that off - I'm always judging sound quality, That can ruin enjoying music for me.

I probably haven't explained that very well but hopefully you get the gist.

[struth]

That is why HiFi is a cruel mistress.
When you are young, and can appreciate a good system, you can’t afford one.
When you are old, and you can, you can’t tell any difference between that and a cheaper system.

there is also that when younger your idea of a good system isnt same as when your older.. also your hearing is going to be different as is your musical appreciation.
now for instance im happy with cans and pc.. i wouldnt have been before, although the tech now is much better, but the idea that cans are enough wouldnt have sat well when younger.

[Gazjam]

Hence me saying (right at the start) try it in your own system.
Make your own mind up.
Oh,
(No false equivalence please about sticking your hand in the fire...that's just intellectually lazy)

Us audiophile lot can't decide on a "best" anything, its all down to the individual and their system.
Which in my book is also fine.

not agin them as such either, but think both sides of the arguement need to be represented so people can make a more educated choice. lots of things come out this way on both sides.

also think adding a touch of humour along way does more good than harm.

[CageyH]

So, if you were going to try a fuse.
Where in the system would you put it?
And what would you use?

[Clive197]

So, if you were going to try a fuse.
Where in the system would you put it?
And what would you use?

I put 1 fuse only in the plug from wall socket into a short cable then into my IsoTek Orion power distribution bar. This powers the rest of my system of pre with streamer and DAC/power, disc player, phono pre and TT. The rest of the fuses are all standard bussman fuses. To my ears and system this achieved an improvement in the soundstage depth and width. So I will keep it. It’s a Quantum Science yellow. I don’t see myself using another.

[Gazjam]

Hey Kevin,

I'm no authority here, but I have played around a bit and here's what I found worked best.
Just my £0.02 worth.

Depends on system setup I'd say?

If someone runs their gear from a distribution block, put a 13A in there as any benefit would feed your entire system.
For the price of a half decent pair of trainers or a pub meal and drinks for 2, at a minimum I'd go with one of these.
Not an expensive upgrade in context of the return you get.

Hi-Fi Tuning Supreme3
https://www.analogueseduction.net/fu...rade-fuse.html

You can of course get better than this,
Clive's Quantum Yellow would do a better job (hifi sound quality wise)
For myself I've put a halt at the SR Purples, that my cost comfort level cap.

Think though Kev,
in France you guys use the two pin plug?
For yourself you'd be looking at the fuse in the rear IEC socket, or the internal fuse then.
If it has both, replace both.
Think of a fuse as a potential "chokepoint", in my experience its exactly that.

Easy to find your fuse rating of your gear,
just swap out like for like.
For doing this,
there's a better Hifi Tuning fuse (99% Silver 1% gold endcaps and burn wire - not plated, made from the alloy), and available in many different ratings.
https://www.analogueseduction.net/fuses/HFT-SUPF[1].html

Where to replace wise:
If your a digital guy I've found for digital best bang for buck is in upgrading your Dac's fuse first, then digital sources.
Then your amp.
Then any power supplies feeding your gear,
no point though if running a switch mode wall-wart, only do this if you run a decent linear supply.

Only exception is to this is if you run a separate power amp?
Just as much benefit here as from your Dac. was surprised at the jump when I put one in my Meridian.

That said, it kinda makes sense to me.
Like your Dac handling all things digital, power amp feeds your speakers, and if it can drive them better you'll get better sound out them.
Just in my experience clean AC power is everything.
I've swapped out every fuse in my system, one at a time and observed improvement every time.
Especially with the SR blacks and above.

I'm happy knowing I've eliminated any potential electrical choke-points that could hold back the sound.
Works for me, could for you too.

As I said I think its System dependent, setup and "all things being equal" matter too, so YMMV

[CageyH]

Gary, you are right, I have no fuses in my plugs, as you can’t fit them in a Schuko socket.

My system consists of my music PC, a digital interface/format converter, DAC, Pre amp, power amp for digital.
I do have a valve based phono stage on the analogue side.

So obvious plaCe would be pre and power?
They get used with everything.

My system as it stands:
Home built music PC
Audio GD DI-2014
RME ADI2 DAC Fs
Topping pre-90
Nuerochrome Modulus 686

All is cabled with OCC signal and power cables, except the DI, which has a Mark Grant power cable.

Analogue adds in my SL1200 and my BB3 phono stage.

[Gazjam]

Yup,
Agreee.

If it were my kit I'd go Pre and power, then Dac.

[Barry]

There must be some truth in that but my friend a few doors down has a respectable system (Sony CD, Rega Planar 3, Rotel amp and Ruark Templar speakers). I can listen to it happily for hours but when I go back to my system I realise what is missing from his. It does nothing bad though, it's never harsh or hard. That's the key really, it's all sins of omisson rather than sins of commision.

But on the fuse thing and other improbable tweaks - I think we can potentially all hear differences, the question is whether they are real or not.

Example - My system already sounds great, there's no sins of commision. If I put fancy fuses in all the plugs and listen again, well it's still going to sound good, but now I know I have made a change, I'm listening to see if I can hear any difference, so I'm not listeniing in the usual way of just enjoying the sound. So maybe I hear improvements and think 'Yes these fuses work.'

Next day I come to listen again, this time I'm not doing a comparison, I'm just enjoying the sound. It sounds good. I take it for granted that the improvement I heard the previous day when I put the fuses in is still there.

Now if my system did not sound good, say it was harsh and hard, and the fuses fixed that, there's something solid to go on. I listen the next day and there's no harshness or hardness so I know the fuses did something. They banished the problem the first day, and when I come back the next day it is still banished.

But if the system already had no problems then I don't know if they did really do something, or if I was just listening differently, listening for improvements/changes, the day I put them in.

My other problem is that if you accept one thing that cannot explicably make a difference, where do you draw the line? There's a million products like that out there, do I start trying them too? That gets expensive, plus I'd never really be sure if they were actually doing something or it was in my head.

And the other issue is that if I'm tweaking often, my brain goes into that analytic/critical mode and then when I just want to relax to good sounds I can't switch that off - I'm always judging sound quality, That can ruin enjoying music for me.

I probably haven't explained that very well but hopefully you get the gist.

I would add that if you do hear an improvement, stay with it for a few days, then revert back to situation before you made the change. If you hear a degradation of sound, then the change was a genuine improvement; if you don't hear any reduction of sound quality, then the change was not a genuine improvement.

I do this for with all changes of cable, and in the one instance: a Hi-Fi Tuning fuse that was given to me.

As to the analytic/critical mode - my modus operandi is to make a change and just play some music. If there is a definite change it will leap out to me whether I want it to or not. If it doesn't and I have to really listen hard for any change, then as far as I'm concerned the change either doesn't exist or is not important enough for me for it to remain in my system.