Another thing, fuses such as Hi Fi tuning do not have a voltage rating on them. On my amp it is written 4a 250V slo blo.
Audiophile Fuses
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The Orange, on Ayre QB-9, took a month to be completely stable, but only the first two weeks were very critical. I believe that this depends a lot on the energy demand of the equipment, and that equipment with higher consumption tends to be stable more quickly. As I stepped out of the original $ 0.10 fuse for Orange, at no time I felt any kind of loss, only gain, but it was evident how the sound changed, from a heavy and high-pitched sound, to a sound more analytical, shiny and aggressive, and oscillating from one way to another constantly, but nothing that would make me want to stop listening.
However, after two weeks, the changes are much less apparent and the gains are more timid in delicacy, musicality, fluidity and sweetness. It's the best fuse I've tried, although I'm very curious about the beeswax that they talk about so much.
However, after two weeks, the changes are much less apparent and the gains are more timid in delicacy, musicality, fluidity and sweetness. It's the best fuse I've tried, although I'm very curious about the beeswax that they talk about so much.
I've only browsed this thread and though I'm a firm believer in certain aftermarket fuses, particularly those that have been properly cryo-treated, there's more than meets the eye here.
I've owned various types of fuses and have replaced fuses (usually in groups) on perhaps 12 - 15 occasions and in every case those fuses, regardless of mfg'er, required roughly 53 hours of straight burn-in time - give or take 30 minutes. Likewise with other simple electronics like wall outlets, AC plugs, IEC connectors and inlets, etc. All roughly this same short time period.
Larger electrical items like 1M ic's take roughly 5.5 days and 2M speaker cables 6 - 7 days. Components generally 150 - 250 hours of continous burn-in with one exception, an integrated amp with a huge teroidal transformer over 500 hours.
All of this burn-in especially the simple electrical is like clockwork and length of time seems to depend entirely on size and complexity.
So for a simple and tiny fuse to supposedly take 300 - 500, well, unless it has a huge oversized toroidal transformer attached to it, something else is going on.
For many enthusiastis, 500 hours is a very long time to wait or keep a playback system stable / unchanged. Perhaps other parts of the playback system are being altered or burning in or settling in. But based on its size alone, I'd be extremely sceptical of anybody claiming any fuse took longer than say 75 hours to fully burn-in.
So I installed the SR Orange Fuse in my amplifier today. It does sound better than the standard fuse. The standard fuse is much brighter and does not have the texture of the SR Orange. This is an initial observation. I know it will change over time but so far thinking I made the right decision.
One thing I am noticing right away is that strings on violins sound much better with the upgraded fuse.
I admit it. I fall for every tweek I can try. Tube rolling, V-caps, Furutech NCF wall sockets and iec's , Entreq grounding stations, Dalby or Shun Mook feet. I'm hopeless! So when my Lampizator Big 7 mk 2 got here, I just had had to try the new Audio Magic Premier fuse in it. After around 60 hours, I'm thrilled I did. So thrilled that I then ordered one for my custom built phono stage that already had a first generation AM fuse. Another home run. Last night I placed another order to replace the original AM fuses in my mono amps with the new AM Premier's. I've tried too many tweeks to tell anyone to order immediately, but, IN MY SYSTEM, these fuses impart an organic sound with an even better soundstage than I've every had before. Makes this virus induced sequestering in my cave more bearable I must say. Stay well everyone.
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Answering questions raised in the Tube Rolling Review thread:
The SR Orange is $159 in the States. SR had a 3-for-2 special around Xmas, so that helped kickstart the process. Then I've picked up a couple more with a WTB ad (am still looking for a couple of 10-12.5A for subs). They have specials regularly, so that may come around again later in the year (watch the Cable Co). I found they really kicked in about 250-300 (continuously powered) hours, like it wasn't bad but then all of a sudden the sound leaped. I started years ago with the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses and they were fine, but then found with some experimentation that there were better (and more expensive) ones out there.
As I mentioned, I've favored the Audio Magic ones until this bad experience with the Ultimate Premium (not posted yet), which at $240 is awfully pricey (I think Kitsune HiFi gives a discount). I'm not an SR aficionado generally. Their Black fuse was fine, but for me their highly regarded Venom power cable was nothing hot and the popular Blue fuse was unlistenable. With the Orange, however, they kept much of the Blue and added some warmth, and that drew me back. Right now, most of my system uses the Orange. The one thing to know about SR fuses specifically is that starting with the Blue they were prone to blow at spec, so people learned to go 25% higher. I hear SR itself privately advises buyers to do that with tube systems, which depending on the tube may draw more on start up (e.g., 274B, recti vs. 5AR4 which has a slower start up). That's why it pays to buy on a 30-day return. I use a regenerator, so I'm not particularly worried about being a little above spec, plus most (but not all) developers spec their fuses well above need, to prevent a slew of returns given the wide variety of electrical and audio systems and users' aptitudes.
How much are those SR Orange fuses? Do you use them in all your gear?
Do they also need some 27 thousand hours to burn-in?
Yes, please report in the fuses thread
Oh, can you link to that thread, please?
The SR Orange is $159 in the States. SR had a 3-for-2 special around Xmas, so that helped kickstart the process. Then I've picked up a couple more with a WTB ad (am still looking for a couple of 10-12.5A for subs). They have specials regularly, so that may come around again later in the year (watch the Cable Co). I found they really kicked in about 250-300 (continuously powered) hours, like it wasn't bad but then all of a sudden the sound leaped. I started years ago with the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses and they were fine, but then found with some experimentation that there were better (and more expensive) ones out there.
As I mentioned, I've favored the Audio Magic ones until this bad experience with the Ultimate Premium (not posted yet), which at $240 is awfully pricey (I think Kitsune HiFi gives a discount). I'm not an SR aficionado generally. Their Black fuse was fine, but for me their highly regarded Venom power cable was nothing hot and the popular Blue fuse was unlistenable. With the Orange, however, they kept much of the Blue and added some warmth, and that drew me back. Right now, most of my system uses the Orange. The one thing to know about SR fuses specifically is that starting with the Blue they were prone to blow at spec, so people learned to go 25% higher. I hear SR itself privately advises buyers to do that with tube systems, which depending on the tube may draw more on start up (e.g., 274B, recti vs. 5AR4 which has a slower start up). That's why it pays to buy on a 30-day return. I use a regenerator, so I'm not particularly worried about being a little above spec, plus most (but not all) developers spec their fuses well above need, to prevent a slew of returns given the wide variety of electrical and audio systems and users' aptitudes.
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As indicated, I was a user of AM fuses up through the Ultimate beeswax and had nothing but good experiences, but then had a very bad one with the Premier. I'll post abut it very soon as a caveat to buyers, but mine literally fell apart on first removal (to test the other direction). So be very careful, especially if you have the typical tight clip holder unit that slides in under the power cord.
Btw, I have two 5A Ultimates for sale. PM if interested.
This is a caveat emptor about the Audio Magic Ultimate Premier Beeswax fuse ($240).
Audio Magic and its vendors advertise this fuse as "...sometimes it takes up to 3 tries to get one good fuse..." That should be taken seriously as a caution about its construction and handling. After a few years of great experiences with the AM fuses, including with a few of the prior Ultimate Beeswax, I was offered an Ultimate Premier by someone who after about 100 hours the previous month had found it didn't meet his tastes. I placed the fuse in a PrimaLuna preamp, but it didn't sound quite right, like it was in the wrong direction. So I carefully tried to remove it from the fuse holder, but it was very tight, tighter than the SR Orange I had just removed. I then started to gently work it from one end and at that point it fell apart at the junction of glass and metal cap, with the beeswax grains spilling out (photo). Since I had inserted and removed Audio Magic and other fuses quite a few times in two systems and never seen anything like this happen, it sure looked like faulty construction. What to do?
I wrote Jerry of AM, questioning the integrity of this fuse's construction, but he said that there wasn't anything he could do since it was broken and, in any case, since it wasn't bought from him directly I'd have to go through the dealer. I wrote the private seller, who then wrote the dealer on my behalf. In the former's email to the dealer, he explained that he hadn't seen any problem and that when removing the fuse he had always used a fuse puller -- and not just any fuse puller, but a $45.90 Jonard (https://www.amazon.com/Jonard-FP-600-Puller-Plier-Length/dp/B07PWNBXZS/ref=a)! Well, not only had I've never heard anyone mention the need for a fuse puller in dealing with small aftermarket fuses, but it's also not clear to me how pulling on the center of the glass in that tight location would have resulted in a different outcome than what happened manually (something I had done many times without problem, including eventually five times overall with the pictured SR Orange). Of course, the dealer never responded to my emails.
So this is posted as a caution about handling if you do buy a Premier. I don't know how the Premier sounds, but I do know that for $240 -- or a discounted secondhand price -- it's not something I wish to repeat.
Gene
Audio Magic and its vendors advertise this fuse as "...sometimes it takes up to 3 tries to get one good fuse..." That should be taken seriously as a caution about its construction and handling. After a few years of great experiences with the AM fuses, including with a few of the prior Ultimate Beeswax, I was offered an Ultimate Premier by someone who after about 100 hours the previous month had found it didn't meet his tastes. I placed the fuse in a PrimaLuna preamp, but it didn't sound quite right, like it was in the wrong direction. So I carefully tried to remove it from the fuse holder, but it was very tight, tighter than the SR Orange I had just removed. I then started to gently work it from one end and at that point it fell apart at the junction of glass and metal cap, with the beeswax grains spilling out (photo). Since I had inserted and removed Audio Magic and other fuses quite a few times in two systems and never seen anything like this happen, it sure looked like faulty construction. What to do?
I wrote Jerry of AM, questioning the integrity of this fuse's construction, but he said that there wasn't anything he could do since it was broken and, in any case, since it wasn't bought from him directly I'd have to go through the dealer. I wrote the private seller, who then wrote the dealer on my behalf. In the former's email to the dealer, he explained that he hadn't seen any problem and that when removing the fuse he had always used a fuse puller -- and not just any fuse puller, but a $45.90 Jonard (https://www.amazon.com/Jonard-FP-600-Puller-Plier-Length/dp/B07PWNBXZS/ref=a)! Well, not only had I've never heard anyone mention the need for a fuse puller in dealing with small aftermarket fuses, but it's also not clear to me how pulling on the center of the glass in that tight location would have resulted in a different outcome than what happened manually (something I had done many times without problem, including eventually five times overall with the pictured SR Orange). Of course, the dealer never responded to my emails.
So this is posted as a caution about handling if you do buy a Premier. I don't know how the Premier sounds, but I do know that for $240 -- or a discounted secondhand price -- it's not something I wish to repeat.
Gene
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I have this Prism Sound Callia seller of which informed after the selling that it had SR Blue. I never cared about it but yesterday, I noticed that fuse rating of this DAC is same as what dCS Debussy uses. As a timepass activity I placed SR Blue in dCS and I could immediately hear the difference such as more strings in guitar, more reverb layers in piano and system is more quiet now. So impressed that just ordered SR Orange for power amplifier.
Hi Mic,
Be forewarned, it takes quite a while to settle in. Be patient, very patient. It's also a very directional fuse. They sound good in both direction, it depends on what u like I guess, try both directions. Happy listening and stay safe.
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I found the Orange fuses excruciating in my Io with dual supplies for at least 300 hrs. The Blues did not take 1/2 as long. After that they offer more spatiality, quietness and drive. Quite an inexpensive upgrade but painful on the break in.
Synergistic doesn't like to talk about it but I found their fuses to fail when replacing like for like amperage. Usually have to add 30-50% de-rating to solve for these infant mortality failures.
Just as my system was sounding good ... I replaced 9 fuses.... systematically over several weeks to note the effect on each piece. My amp fuse blew even though it was de-rated. I ordered another. Just Fyi.
Synergistic doesn't like to talk about it but I found their fuses to fail when replacing like for like amperage. Usually have to add 30-50% de-rating to solve for these infant mortality failures.
Just as my system was sounding good ... I replaced 9 fuses.... systematically over several weeks to note the effect on each piece. My amp fuse blew even though it was de-rated. I ordered another. Just Fyi.
Hi MCRU,
You commented relative to SR orange fuses: "I use them in the mains wall plug here in the UK they are very good."
Did you add a fuse socket to the face plate of the wall plug, or how did you execute this?
Have you compared your results to having the fuse in the piece of equipment?
I have considered doing this, but I have 120v balanced power (two 60 volt hots and a ground), so I likely (?) would need two 20 amp fuses per wall receptical.
An advantage to using the larger fuses would be that I can use a Audioharma Cable Cooker to break in the fuses. I haven't tried this, but it should work.
Any suggestions from you (or anyone) relative to doing this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Don
In the instructions that come with the Orange, SR says the proper direction in the sense of the SR. That said, it's worth checking both ways, as I got one with the label on backwards.
Yes, 300 hours seems to be the wake up point for the Orange. But remember, if that's in a location getting power continuously, those 300 are going to come sooner than the burn in of the gear itself. That is, unless the gear itself is left on continuously, but that's something I've read from developers prevents consolidation of what's gone on when running (perhaps think of it like recovery after physical activity is when the gains are made). The instructions with Morrow cables comes to mind right off as an example.
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The obvious question for me, although it may have already been asked and answered, is WHY CAN'T SR BREAK THESE FUSES IN BEFORE SALE???
Even if it added to the (already) significant price, it would seem to be a huge advantage for some of us.
I hope I'm not opening a Pandora's Box here.
Thanks,
Don
Even if it added to the (already) significant price, it would seem to be a huge advantage for some of us.
I hope I'm not opening a Pandora's Box here.
Thanks,
Don
No, but think about the logistics and labor that would be involved. Plus, to a certain degree burn in is specific to the location/gear.
Just wanted to report that Oranges have been installed in both DAC and amp and could hear benefits immediately. Sound now is less digital, more holographic, more calm and lots of low level details getting uncovered.
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