My three years of part time Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute,
Toronto shouldn't qualify me change anyone's viewpoint on the audibility of fuses and directionality
(the slide rule and abacus will stay in the drawer) so here goes my rambling.
Fuses are like very small versions of audio interconnects or cables, being conductors
within a dielectric (casing) and terminated at both ends by connectors assembled from
dissimilar materials. These products, as are the others in an audio system can be to an extent
microphonic and should incorporate design and materials to reduce this type of distortion.
It seems rational to consider this a basic practice to have a purer electrical signal from the onset
and not have an impure distorted power being amplified with a musical signal. IMHO "An ounce of medicine is worth a pound of cure."
From the theory that I can still remember (30 years + now) there is an effect at play where the signal (electrons) are partially reflected when the electrons cross dissimilar mediums, This is similar to particle wave theory where sound and light reflect upon encountering a different medium. This I believe is related to Tony Ma's and Don H's attempts or experiments to reduce the amount of transfer/ connector points and lessen distortion. Like Tony I had chosen a tone arm with built in phono cable to
avoid the extra (single) connector.
The fuses in my audio system were installed one at a time with a line conditioner and premium electrical receptacle already in the electrical path. With each installation there was I felt discernible positive improvement. These fuses with a silver conductor mirror my interest in the use of silver in the audio signal path.
For those who need to hear with their own ears try this. Sell enough CDs, the ones you never play
anyway to buy a premium fuse or borrow if you can. Record or burn a test track from a digital playback
device then replace the fuse with a "broken in" premium fuse and record the track again. This way
you are able to playback comparison tracks without unplugging downtime!
Several posts question whether there is value for the cost of these pieces of snake oil. From my
experience as a user of Hi-Fi Tuning Gold fuses for several years is that they are easily justifiable
for there cost and the benefit is compounded with their use in more than one component. For reducing
distortion they are worth their weight in unobtanium and offer exceptional return for the amount spent.
From my point of view these small devices are mini line conditioners. I will never be able to say this
about another product where great effort, premium materials, SOTA manufacturing and tooling are
applied with the same principle in mind that being the reduction of unwanted distortion. The Magico
Q5 has "400 or so parts just to hold it together", half inch thick aluminum panels and "X' pounds of
aluminum cabinet and who knows what else whose purpose is to reduce distortion. If I was an owner
(I almost made to RMAF 2011 to hear these an other speakers for possible buying) I would question
how much of my Magico Q5 (or any megabuck transducer) buck went into managing distortion.
Though I'm certain that the Magico folks and other hi end companies are all addressing their own
power and electrical management.
To me the irony here is some of this unwanted distortion may have been reduced or possibly
eliminated by using a premium fuse. Once again, IMHO "An ounce of medicine is worth a pound of cure."
Ask any doctor!
Is there one in the house?
Toronto shouldn't qualify me change anyone's viewpoint on the audibility of fuses and directionality
(the slide rule and abacus will stay in the drawer) so here goes my rambling.
Fuses are like very small versions of audio interconnects or cables, being conductors
within a dielectric (casing) and terminated at both ends by connectors assembled from
dissimilar materials. These products, as are the others in an audio system can be to an extent
microphonic and should incorporate design and materials to reduce this type of distortion.
It seems rational to consider this a basic practice to have a purer electrical signal from the onset
and not have an impure distorted power being amplified with a musical signal. IMHO "An ounce of medicine is worth a pound of cure."
From the theory that I can still remember (30 years + now) there is an effect at play where the signal (electrons) are partially reflected when the electrons cross dissimilar mediums, This is similar to particle wave theory where sound and light reflect upon encountering a different medium. This I believe is related to Tony Ma's and Don H's attempts or experiments to reduce the amount of transfer/ connector points and lessen distortion. Like Tony I had chosen a tone arm with built in phono cable to
avoid the extra (single) connector.
The fuses in my audio system were installed one at a time with a line conditioner and premium electrical receptacle already in the electrical path. With each installation there was I felt discernible positive improvement. These fuses with a silver conductor mirror my interest in the use of silver in the audio signal path.
For those who need to hear with their own ears try this. Sell enough CDs, the ones you never play
anyway to buy a premium fuse or borrow if you can. Record or burn a test track from a digital playback
device then replace the fuse with a "broken in" premium fuse and record the track again. This way
you are able to playback comparison tracks without unplugging downtime!
Several posts question whether there is value for the cost of these pieces of snake oil. From my
experience as a user of Hi-Fi Tuning Gold fuses for several years is that they are easily justifiable
for there cost and the benefit is compounded with their use in more than one component. For reducing
distortion they are worth their weight in unobtanium and offer exceptional return for the amount spent.
From my point of view these small devices are mini line conditioners. I will never be able to say this
about another product where great effort, premium materials, SOTA manufacturing and tooling are
applied with the same principle in mind that being the reduction of unwanted distortion. The Magico
Q5 has "400 or so parts just to hold it together", half inch thick aluminum panels and "X' pounds of
aluminum cabinet and who knows what else whose purpose is to reduce distortion. If I was an owner
(I almost made to RMAF 2011 to hear these an other speakers for possible buying) I would question
how much of my Magico Q5 (or any megabuck transducer) buck went into managing distortion.
Though I'm certain that the Magico folks and other hi end companies are all addressing their own
power and electrical management.
To me the irony here is some of this unwanted distortion may have been reduced or possibly
eliminated by using a premium fuse. Once again, IMHO "An ounce of medicine is worth a pound of cure."
Ask any doctor!
Is there one in the house?
