Audiophile Fuses

Sablon Audio

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Over the last decade or so, I have evaluated @15 types of audiophile fuses covering a wide range of price points. Almost every option will outperform a generic fuse and I would recommend the Padis to fuse neophytes as it is both very competent and reasonably priced. If you like what it does, then you will experience an even greater jump going up to the SR Blue. If however you find your system sounds too thin / cold with the Padis, then consider the AM Beeswax options.
 

Blue58

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Jan 20, 2013
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I took my Blue out of my monos about two weeks ago. Not concluding that they are not good but I have components keep coming into my system. The Blues gave me more quietness which I really don’t need any more of. My system is already very quiet. It is the kind of quietness that shaped off spatial info, high extension and openness in my system. The Blues also gave me more pronounce in mids. Yes, the sound got louder as someone said. But I don’t have a patience waiting 300 hrs. This is longer than burning in cartridges. So I sent them to my friends to do time for me :p. Now the Blacks are back in place. Honestly, the fully burned Blacks are good enough for me.

Kind regards,
Tang

Hello Tang, I hope you get a chance to try them again but understand the problem evaluating when lots of other changes are happening.
You are right about the mids and the spatial info just explodes back in after break in so no worries there.
Blacks just not my cup of tea.
Cheers
Blue58
 

Blue58

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Jan 20, 2013
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Blue58, As you requested, after six weeks with the Blue in a Directstream dac (thus one piece only), I have to agree with most everything you just wrote (#474) about the sound differences. I'd add that the Blue is much more delicate and much louder than the Super beeswax, although those may be a function of its greater quietness to some degree. Nonetheless, I've gone back to the AM Super beeswax for the moment, and will now consider the Ultimate. Why? Primarily greater warmth and tonal accuracy (up to a point, I find the two go together). To me, the Blue in the DSD brings fantastic "sonic effects," but tonally makes things relatively cool and digital sounding, so that all music seems to sound the same and leaves me emotionally uninvolved. With burnin completed, I've come to feel seriously put off, wondering how the hell I could have put in this much effort and money and ended up feeling sometimes like I dread listening. Switching back to beeswax in the dac changes that to a fair degree, bringing me back into the music. I'll add that the beeswax's bass seems to be more substantial too (though less transparent). In addition to music, this is evident with TV, where the resonance of speakers' voices comes through much more (all my audio - modded Oppo 203 and cable - is run through the DirectStream). Of course, there is a matter of component and system synergy, but my experience makes me wonder if the SR Blue needs some seriously compensating warmth in a system, enough at least for the musically attuned ear.


System: PS Audio Soundbase, P5 Regenerator and DSD; Oppo 203, ATC SCM19A active speakers (SR BlacK), PS Audio power cords and MG Audio Design AG2 XLRs, Furutech NCF(R) outlet
Hi Highstream,
You’re right in what you hear though in my system I hear no lack of emotional involvement so indeed system synergy is the key.
Active ATC with black fuses are a world away from AG Duos and SETs.
I’m about to replace the Beeswax in my SETs this week with Blues. Will this be a step too far.?

Do you plan on changing the Blacks in the ATCs?

Blue58
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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After the sheer Hell that has been my analog rig burn in, no way would I consider a fuse that genuinely takes 300 hrs.
That’s beyond a joke.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Hello Ron,

I am using Audio Refine fuses in most of my audio componentss. They sound consistent and I like them.

Have no experience (yet) with the SR blue and black fuses so cannot comment on them.

I really liked what the AM beeswax were doing at the time in my Gakuoh 300B se amps as regards refinement, tonality, dynamics, staging and emotionally involvement but in my LA set up - contrary to the experience highstream just described - they were somewhat lacking in the bass (depth and punch). Due to their - large - size and technical specs I cannot try the beeswax fuses in my Kagura’s (need small size fuses and not two but in total four fuses for the Kagura’s).

The Kagura’s are in my LA set up a better match with inter alia more bass control, depth and punch so maybe the beeswax will function in these amps better in that regard. But I am not sure because I have not tried it.

Notwithstanding aspects like consistency, yes/no components/system symergy effects and personal taste, all various fuses have a serious impact on the music reproduction. So why not try out a few different (fuse) brands that might appeal to you and find out which one you actually prefer in your set up? This search will in the end reward you with better sound quality or a music reproduction that is more to your liking.

Thank you, Audiocrack, and thank you Mark (and Marc C., too)!

I will be ordering some Ultimate Beeswax SHDs in due course. :)
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Stop the press! Ron tries fuses!
He’ll be on the Mooks next.
 
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spiritofmusic

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Twitch, I’m very good friends w Barry, and he’s absolutely sold on the Blue in his SGM.
But I really couldn’t face that period.
My Blacks pretty much sounded of their best by the second day of install (other than in my preamp where several were installed in low DC zones, and things took a few more days).
Suffice to say, I’m totally happy I stuck w Blacks and resisted the temptation to go Blues.
 

twitch

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Jun 17, 2010
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Twitch, I’m very good friends w Barry, and he’s absolutely sold on the Blue in his SGM.
But I really couldn’t face that period.
My Blacks pretty much sounded of their best by the second day of install (other than in my preamp where several were installed in low DC zones, and things took a few more days).
Suffice to say, I’m totally happy I stuck w Blacks and resisted the temptation to go Blues.

spirit man, I was serious, if you or anyone else can explain to me (in scientific facts) what would take 300 hours in a 'fuse' to 'burn in' ......?? I'm all ears !!
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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The way I see it, a fuse is a form of power cord. Like the latter, however long it takes to burn in, 300 hours or more or less, it does. I'm sure there are some technical explanations about burn in around, but even if there aren't, that wouldn't prove it's not real, just that it's a phenomenon that lots of people have heard but doesn't have a scientific explanation yet. The absence of explanation is not evidence of absence.
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Hi Highstream,
You’re right in what you hear though in my system I hear no lack of emotional involvement so indeed system synergy is the key.
Active ATC with black fuses are a world away from AG Duos and SETs.
I’m about to replace the Beeswax in my SETs this week with Blues. Will this be a step too far.?

Do you plan on changing the Blacks in the ATCs?
Blue58

The first question I'm looking at is whether to try the Ultimate fuse in the dac. The Super is a great improvement in overcoming the sense of digital sameness I spoke about, but still is not quite right enough tonally or have the degree of warmth I'm looking for (that may need a different solution). Audio Magic (email) says the Ultimate "without question builds on the SHD, tighter bass, more spacious, in fact it’s just better every where and it has an uncanny ease and musicality about it..."the most natural sounding fuse by a stretch I’ve ever made, a piano sounds like a piano. It is very neutral and all instruments sound as they should."

That should sound appealing, but what I've been asking about is the Ultimate's warmth relative to the Super and so far haven't gotten a direct answer (and maybe won't). For me, that's a problem because in my experience, especially with cables and fuses, natural and neutral are opposites. Every time I hear the two together it means "cool" and maybe even a touch steely, but not warm, or at least much so. In my view - or to my hearing - the human voice and acoustic instruments are typically naturally warm (in varying degrees), and that's what I'm looking for first in my system, ahead of wonderful "sonic effects." Perhaps this dichotomy is overcome in very high end, much pricier equipment than I'm able to dabble in, but I've never had the opportunity to hear systems like that. In any case, to each their enjoyment...

As for the ATC's, yes, I'm considering switching the Blacks to either the Super or Ultimate. I'd prefer to hear an Ultimate first, but they are $$ and as far as I'm aware they are made to order, so there's no auditioning/returns. I'll probably have a 1A small Blue to sell once I get this figured out.
 
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twitch

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The way I see it, a fuse is a form of power cord. Like the latter, however long it takes to burn in, 300 hours or more or less, it does. I'm sure there are some technical explanations about burn in around, but even if there aren't, that wouldn't prove it's not real, just that it's a phenomenon that lots of people have heard but doesn't have a scientific explanation yet. The absence of explanation is not evidence of absence.

OMG .........if there is a 'change' then in FACT there has to be an explanation, understood. I take it you drank the 'Kool-Aid' !
 

highstream

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OMG .........if there is a 'change' then in FACT there has to be an explanation, understood. I take it you drank the 'Kool-Aid' !

Phenomena within the human realm are always experienced before an explanation is hypothesized, let alone established, historically often hundreds or thousands of years before, if ever (yet). In fact, right now, in this very moment, your mind and body are experiencing things that neither you or anyone else will ever have a direct explanation for, but are no less felt as very real because they are. So let's hope someone comes up with an explanation for what many of us readily recognize - and move on...
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Yes, but Barry is talking hundreds of hours needed on the Blues
30 days won’t cover that
 

Argonaut

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Jul 30, 2013
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Yes, but Barry is talking hundreds of hours needed on the Blues
30 days won’t cover that

I do appreciate that point, however, as I have migrated up the food chain Factory Glass-Red's-Black's-Blue's I have yet to fail in recognising an easily perceived sonic evolution, straight out of the box, when compared to the previous incumbent.
 

Gardener

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Sep 23, 2017
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Harlequin
As now owning the same ARC 250 amps as you .Could you tell me which fuses you use ?
That is in the fuse holder next to the mains lead
I am a complete novice to fuses
Thanks in advance

I do appreciate that point, however, as I have migrated up the food chain Factory Glass-Red's-Black's-Blue's I have yet to fail in recognising an easily perceived sonic evolution, straight out of the box, when compared to the previous incumbent.
 

Argonaut

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No problem Gardner, I hope that you are enjoying your 250's, I have moved from Synergistic Research Red to Black and just very recently to the lates Blue, each revision has improved my system replay by a remarkable degree.

I would go as far as to comment that IMHO they, in concert with Vintage production 6550 and 6h30-DR valves, brings me to the conclusion that I have never really 'heard' the REF 250se and REF10 equipment before, they are capable of higher levels of fidelity than the factory valves and fusing will allow them so to do.

Should the Blues prove too much of a leap of faith there will invariably be second hand Blacks dripping on to the SH market, they are excellent however If you can afford the Blue they are a sonic evolution upon the Blacks.






Harlequin
As now owning the same ARC 250 amps as you .Could you tell me which fuses you use ?
That is in the fuse holder next to the mains lead
I am a complete novice to fuses
Thanks in advance
 

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