emaidel was right about the Hi-Fi Tuning fuses

[E-Stat]

Picked up a pair for my Sound Lab stats. I had bypassed the fuses altogether with previous Acoustats and picked up some resolution although I'm hesitant to do that with these. Sure enough, the improvement in added resolution is similar. I also purchased one for the AC line fuse in the GamuT CD-1. So far, I've only listened to vinyl so I cannot speak for that one yet.

Thanks, emaidel!

rw

[3db]

Picked up a pair for my Sound Lab stats. I had bypassed the fuses altogether with previous Acoustats and picked up some resolution although I'm hesitant to do that with these. Sure enough, the improvement in added resolution is similar. I also purchased one for the AC line fuse in the GamuT CD-1. So far, I've only listened to vinyl so I cannot speak for that one yet.

Thanks, emaidel!

rw

Placebo effect perhaps?

[emaidel]

Placebo effect perhaps?

Hardly.

[E-Stat]

Placebo effect perhaps?

Why do you say that? Have you ever bypassed a fuse before?

rw

[bfalls]

Placebo effect perhaps?

Cyrogenically-treated, gold-plated, placebo effect??? You must get the terminology correct.

[JohnMichael]

I replaced the stock fuse in my Onkyo A-9555 with the Hi Fi Tuning fuse. The difference was audible to me and one friend whose system was better than mine and a non audiophile friend. I guess if you have not tried it you do not speak from experience.

[bfalls]

I replaced the stock fuse in my Onkyo A-9555 with the Hi Fi Tuning fuse. The difference was audible to me and one friend whose system was better than mine and a non audiophile friend. I guess if you have not tried it you do not speak from experience.

I've never tried a "Brazilian Bikini Wax", but positive I wouldn't like it---not even a little.

What exactly do the "Tuning Fuses" tune? Do different amperage fuses tune differently? The parameters for the internal wire has to be different, so should result in a different sound. Any experience trying different values? How do you know you're getting the best sound you can? Is the effect more pronounced with your Onkyo, or Emaidel's Parasound preamp? Is the improvement more noticeable in fused speakers, sources, amps? Do you think Emaidel would notice identical changes if he listened to your Onkyo?

You could start a service for matching fuses to different brands and models. Possibly start a new forum with threads for Krell, CJ, etc... Seems a good opportunity for someone who believes in the product. Let me know when you make your first $1M. Be sure to offer a money-back guarantee.

[E-Stat]

What exactly do the "Tuning Fuses" tune?

That would be the sound quality of the component in which the fuse is used.

The parameters for the internal wire has to be different, so should result in a different sound. Any experience trying different values?

Correct. I have totally bypassed the fuse block on an older speaker with similar improvements in clarity. Any changes to the value of the fuse may affect the sound quality at the expense of compromising the safety of the device.

How do you know you're getting the best sound you can?

You know that you are not. Bypassing the fuse altogether would provide the best sound, but again compromise safety.

Is the improvement more noticeable in fused speakers, sources, amps?

The question of most noticeable would be component specific.

rw

[audio amateur]

I've never tried a "Brazilian Bikini Wax", but positive I wouldn't like it---not even a little.

What exactly do the "Tuning Fuses" tune? Do different amperage fuses tune differently? The parameters for the internal wire has to be different, so should result in a different sound. Any experience trying different values? How do you know you're getting the best sound you can? Is the effect more pronounced with your Onkyo, or Emaidel's Parasound preamp? Is the improvement more noticeable in fused speakers, sources, amps? Do you think Emaidel would notice identical changes if he listened to your Onkyo?

You could start a service for matching fuses to different brands and models. Possibly start a new forum with threads for Krell, CJ, etc... Seems a good opportunity for someone who believes in the product. Let me know when you make your first $1M. Be sure to offer a money-back guarantee.

OMG I'm stunned by your boldness! But I like it! Rock on buddy!

(those who feel offended don't take it personnaly)

[Feanor]

I've never tried a "Brazilian Bikini Wax", but positive I wouldn't like it---not even a little.

What exactly do the "Tuning Fuses" tune? Do different amperage fuses tune differently? The parameters for the internal wire has to be different, so should result in a different sound. Any experience trying different values? How do you know you're getting the best sound you can? Is the effect more pronounced with your Onkyo, or Emaidel's Parasound preamp? Is the improvement more noticeable in fused speakers, sources, amps? Do you think Emaidel would notice identical changes if he listened to your Onkyo?

...

Just for emphasis, let me point out that fuses can be used in four different locations in any given component:

1. Before the power supply, that is, on the incoming AC line;
2. Downstream of the power supply but ahead of the signal processing circuits
3. In the signal processing ciruits but not in the direct signal path, that is, in a parallel path that "tunes" the direct path, (although you seldom or never see fuses use this way, capacitors, resistors, coils, etc., are routinely used in these circuits)
4. In the direct signal path.

The plausibility of improvement from a better fuse increases as you go from 1 to 5.

I use Hifi Tuning fuse ahead the tweeters of my Magneplanar speakers, that is, in the direct signal path, and I think I hear a small improvement. (I liken this improvement to wiping a fine layer of dust from the front of you TV screen.)

[emaidel]

Thanks, emaidel!

Wow! The first thing I saw when logging onto AR this morning was my own name!

You're certainly welcome. Nothing I"ve ever done to my system, for so little money, made as much difference as the Hi-Fi Tuning fuses, especially the five that are in my amp. Enjoy!

[audio amateur]

Seeing as the fuse is in the direct signal path (in E-Stats situation), the case of a change in sound is already more plausible.

[poppachubby]

Interesting reading here. I would like to chime in and say I find it funny that anyone would doubt the opinion of a high profile engineer/producer. Certainly someone in the position of Rick Rubin would not need to shamelessly "advertise" for the sake of money or the like.

Quite the opposite, these guys know what they like and more importantly, know what gets results. Of course, the company lucky enough to find their wares in use by these guys will want to exploit the fact as a means of advertising. Of course, they will offer endless cash and perks for the endorsement. However, the bottom line is that no producer/engineer as high profile as those mentioned, would need to endorse any product other than those they find of actual benefit.

Present topic aside, you can't cast away the opinions of proven studio gurus. These guys are basically genius' behind a board, I think they know a thing or two... you may find yourself in a state of denial should you not agree.

[3db]

Interesting reading here. I would like to chime in and say I find it funny that anyone would doubt the opinion of a high profile engineer/producer. Certainly someone in the position of Rick Rubin would not need to shamelessly "advertise" for the sake of money or the like.

Quite the opposite, these guys know what they like and more importantly, know what gets results. Of course, the company lucky enough to find their wares in use by these guys will want to exploit the fact as a means of advertising. Of course, they will offer endless cash and perks for the endorsement. However, the bottom line is that no producer/engineer as high profile as those mentioned, would need to endorse any product other than those they find of actual benefit.

Present topic aside, you can't cast away the opinions of proven studio gurus. These guys are basically genius' behind a board, I think they know a thing or two... you may find yourself in a state of denial should you not agree.

I'm not the lemming that follows the other over the cliff. I find these audio gurus' that are promotomh high dollar audio cables, fuses, and powr cords snowing the public. The problem is, nobody calls them on it and they won't enter a single blind test or a double blnd test which would quickly point out that they are not sure of what sounds better.

[poppachubby]

Funny to hear Technics, Yamaha and Radio Shack in the same paragraph as DBT.

[3db]

Funny to hear Technics, Yamaha and Radio Shack in the same paragraph as DBT.

And??

[3db]

Funny to hear Technics, Yamaha and Radio Shack in the same paragraph as DBT.

Actually, the Rat Shack SPL meter has a good rep. There are a few other Rat Shack products of yester year that also have a good rep as well.

[poppachubby]

Actually, the Rat Shack SPL meter has a good rep. There are a few other Rat Shack products of yester year that also have a good rep as well.

I am presently using a Realistic EQ which was originally sold by "Rat-Shack". No shame here...

[poppachubby]

Hahaha, just ribbing you man. Frankly, I see both sides of the coin in this debate. I think you could have made your point without pulling out the DBT. Nothing gets people rolling their eyes quicker than hearing about DBT, mostly for the reason that, it ain't gonna happen.

But anyhow, I think the bottom line is to each their own and everything in the audio world must be taken with a grain of proverbial salt, until tested out by one's own ears. Personally I wouldn't have a need for these fuses, or the desire. But when guys like E-Stat and Tommy talk, I listen. Your talkin years of experience. I am 32 years old, I would rather have these experienced guys help lead me to the cliff, from that vantage I can decide if a jump is in order.

[emaidel]

If I buy something - a Hi-Fi Tuning Fuse , or the Achromat turntable mat, or Vibrapods and Vibracones for example - install them and hear a difference, I post my findings here for others to read. First, I hope they enjoy reading what I have to say, and second, I hope they try these items out for themselves. This is precisely the case here with myself and EStat. Each of us bought several of these fuses, installed them in various pieces of equipment in our respective audio systems, and genuinely liked the differences we heard, all of which were directly attributed to the use of the Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses. Having Stereophile on our sides praising the fuses as a "Recommended Component" adds credibility to our observations. Neither of us partook of a DBT, but had one been available to us, I'm sure each of us would gladly have participated. And, I seriously believe, the DBT would only have further substantiated our personal findings. But, such a DBT isn't now, or likely ever will be, available to us. So, we trust our ears - you know, those things we all use to evaluated the audio equipment we've all been purchasing for most of our lifetimes.

I can give a very good example of how a DBT - and a carefully controlled and designed one at that - provided genuinely false results. During the late 70's, ESS was conducting a series of DBT's in college campuses across the country as part of their advertising campaign, "ESS Wins on Campus." The test was incredibly well put together and monitored.

Two inexpensive ESS speakers (the Performance Series One and Five) were compared to about 7 or 8 other speakers from other known manufacturers, all of which were a good deal more expensive than the ESS models. An acoustically inert screen was placed in front of these speakers to obscure them so that listeners couldn't see what they were listening to. Levels were all carefully set via a noise generator so that the "louder is better" syndrome couldn't affect the results. Bose 901's were provided with the appropriate reflecting surfaces so as not to mar their performance in the test. And, for the "double" part of the test, the numbers assigned to the speakers during the comparisons were routinely scrambled so that no particular bias could be formed. Specifically, if speaker "5" were preferred to speaker "3" in a given comparison, the next time the listeners were told that speaker "5" was playing, it was a different speaker.

The tests ran most of the day with many different sessions, each including about 20 or so students. The tests were conducted over a period of about a week, and at the end, the results were tabulated. Based on these DBT's, a stunning "conclusion" was made: the ESS PS-1 (at a list of $149.95) was repeatedly preferred by a majority of the listeners by a factor of greater than 3 to 1 to the far more expensive Bose 901. The PS-1 was also chosen far more often than a JBL L-40, as well as anythng used from AR, Infinity and Cerwin Vega. While the ESS PS-1 was chosen over all of these speakers, the margin was the greatest in comparing it to the Bose 901.

Lawsuit-happy Amar Bose desperately threatened to sue ESS, claiming fraud, but after carefully examining the testing procedure, he had to back down as there was nothing fraudulent about how it was designed and administered. So, did this actually "prove" that the ESS PS-1 was a better speaker than all the others? Of course it didn't, but it surely proved the fallacy of a DBT, no matter how carefully designed and administered it was.

[poppachubby]

If I buy something - a Hi-Fi Tuning Fuse , or the Achromat turntable mat, or Vibrapods and Vibracones for example - install them and hear a difference, I post my findings here for others to read. First, I hope they enjoy reading what I have to say, and second, I hope they try these items out for themselves. .

Keep em coming, I for one enjoy your findings. My Vibrapods should arrive any day. Did you see my DIY isolation feet? They work really well and will be a great reference for me when checking out the VP's.

Isolation Feet for Turntable

This all stemmed from your post and findings. It's really quite simple. If I find something of interest, with credible findings, I will order it up or make it myself. Seems arguiing on AR gets me no closer to actually hearing anything for myself. As for these fuses, I have no interest.

Perhaps for kicks, I'll have my wife conduct a DBT!! Wouldn't that be a hoot?!?

[E-Stat]

So, did this actually "prove" that the ESS PS-1 was a better speaker than all the others? Of course it didn't, but it surely proved the fallacy of a DBT, no matter how carefully designed and administered it was.

The irony is that most novice listeners would most likely NOT prefer the very finest and highest resolution systems because they do not initially sound *impressive*. There is no booming bass nor soaring highs. You hear the extended voice of a bell tree only when it is played - not as a false brightness imparted to everything. And whose harmonics seem to linger forever in their sweet decay...

I truly wish others could share in my fortune in having thirty plus years of exposure to the incredible systems of two audio reviewer friends. These two gentlemen have been my mentors since I was 19 or so and have enlightened me in countless ways as to what audio systems are capable of achieving. One system in particular is downright spooky in its ability to make the walls disappear and place you in a large acoustical space where you can hear everything on the recording. It has been in this environment where I learned my love for electrostatic speakers, tube amps and various tweaks that only serve to improve the musical experience.

rw

[poppachubby]

The irony is that most novice listeners would most likely NOT prefer the very finest and highest resolution systems because they do not initially sound *impressive*. There is no booming bass nor soaring highs. You hear the extended voice of a bell tree only when it is played - not as a false brightness imparted to everything. And whose harmonics seem to linger forever in their sweet decay...

I truly wish others could share in my fortune in having thirty plus years of exposure to the incredible systems of two audio reviewer friends. These two gentlemen have been my mentors since I was 19 or so and have enlightened me in countless ways as to what audio systems are capable of achieving. One system in particular is downright spooky in its ability to make the walls disappear and place you in a large acoustical space where you can hear everything on the recording. It has been in this environment where I learned my love for electrostatic speakers, tube amps and various tweaks that only serve to improve the musical experience.

rw

E-Stat, I find you make alot of references to neutral and uncolored. I'm not sure I fully understand what you are saying, however, as a musician I can't help but be afraid of those specific terms.

If there's one thing I know I love, it's natural sound reproduction. It's obviously less fatiguing and to me, the closest thing to being in a room with a band. Any overly boosted frequencies, particularily bass, will ruin a nice natural sound. This is why I love my AKG K240S cans, it's a wonderful, natural sound.

When you're speaking of neutral, uncolored, etc, is this what you're referring to?

[E-Stat]

When you're speaking of neutral, uncolored, etc, is this what you're referring to?

When you go to a typical big box retailer (Best Buy, Fry's, etc), what kind of sound do you hear? Tipped up bass and treble. Especially the upper bass. Boom. Sizzle. "Like, totally kewl, dood". When you see a "smiley face" profile on an equalizer. That is anything but neutral. That is why some folks tend to favor mid-bass rich speakers like JBLs and the like. Neutral bass never sounds "heavy" or "bloated". It is sensed as much as heard. The same is true of the opposite extreme. Some folks (like one in this thread) perceive more treble to be better treble or "improved clarity". Such is truly not the case. Truly neutral systems sound almost dark until real HF content comes along. Where it emerges from a totally black background and shows its beauty. Speaker manufacturers have been playing against these perceptions for years. The extremely popular JBL L-100 (or pro 4310) exhibited carefully placed peaks around 55 hz and 5 khz as graphed here by JBL. Fun for good 'ol rock n roll? Sure. Neutral? Not!

My forest of bass traps in the main listening room helps to render flat bass response (+/- 1.5 db from 25 hz to 200 hz).

rw

[3db]

If I buy something - a Hi-Fi Tuning Fuse , or the Achromat turntable mat, or Vibrapods and Vibracones for example - install them and hear a difference, I post my findings here for others to read. First, I hope they enjoy reading what I have to say, and second, I hope they try these items out for themselves. This is precisely the case here with myself and EStat. Each of us bought several of these fuses, installed them in various pieces of equipment in our respective audio systems, and genuinely liked the differences we heard, all of which were directly attributed to the use of the Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses. Having Stereophile on our sides praising the fuses as a "Recommended Component" adds credibility to our observations. Neither of us partook of a DBT, but had one been available to us, I'm sure each of us would gladly have participated. And, I seriously believe, the DBT would only have further substantiated our personal findings. But, such a DBT isn't now, or likely ever will be, available to us. So, we trust our ears - you know, those things we all use to evaluated the audio equipment we've all been purchasing for most of our lifetimes.

I can give a very good example of how a DBT - and a carefully controlled and designed one at that - provided genuinely false results. During the late 70's, ESS was conducting a series of DBT's in college campuses across the country as part of their advertising campaign, "ESS Wins on Campus." The test was incredibly well put together and monitored.

Two inexpensive ESS speakers (the Performance Series One and Five) were compared to about 7 or 8 other speakers from other known manufacturers, all of which were a good deal more expensive than the ESS models. An acoustically inert screen was placed in front of these speakers to obscure them so that listeners couldn't see what they were listening to. Levels were all carefully set via a noise generator so that the "louder is better" syndrome couldn't affect the results. Bose 901's were provided with the appropriate reflecting surfaces so as not to mar their performance in the test. And, for the "double" part of the test, the numbers assigned to the speakers during the comparisons were routinely scrambled so that no particular bias could be formed. Specifically, if speaker "5" were preferred to speaker "3" in a given comparison, the next time the listeners were told that speaker "5" was playing, it was a different speaker.

The tests ran most of the day with many different sessions, each including about 20 or so students. The tests were conducted over a period of about a week, and at the end, the results were tabulated. Based on these DBT's, a stunning "conclusion" was made: the ESS PS-1 (at a list of $149.95) was repeatedly preferred by a majority of the listeners by a factor of greater than 3 to 1 to the far more expensive Bose 901. The PS-1 was also chosen far more often than a JBL L-40, as well as anythng used from AR, Infinity and Cerwin Vega. While the ESS PS-1 was chosen over all of these speakers, the margin was the greatest in comparing it to the Bose 901.

Lawsuit-happy Amar Bose desperately threatened to sue ESS, claiming fraud, but after carefully examining the testing procedure, he had to back down as there was nothing fraudulent about how it was designed and administered. So, did this actually "prove" that the ESS PS-1 was a better speaker than all the others? Of course it didn't, but it surely proved the fallacy of a DBT, no matter how carefully designed and administered it was.

It shows preferences and I can understand that outcome. Different speakers sound differently. Different speaker manufactures, different drivers, diffwerent cabinet resonanances...just way too many variables. But that is an all together different testing than a fuse in and out of the circuit. There, the only variable is the fuse. With test you described, there are an ifinite number of variables. If the ESS speaker sounds better, what does that tell you?