Audiophile fuses or standard Bussman fuses ?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Soundlabs, Mar 15, 2019.

  1. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
    Anyone experienced improved sound quality when changing the standard fuse for an Audiophile fuse ?
    Have you found that fuses with different plated metals sound different ?
    Have you found that fuses sound better one way round to another ? ie Directional.

    In the UK we have a 13a fuse in our mains plugs.
    Years ago the trend was to do away with the fuse and hard wire the contact points in a UK plug.

    The last 5/10/15 years i have met lots of people choosing the schuko plug which like the US plugs are fuse free.

    The most expensive 13a fuses on sale i have found are £130 a pop, the claim is the current has to pass threw the hair width wire to power your equipment. Maybe i understand the principle if that is in fact true.

    Wouldn't manufacturers would put audiophile fuses in if they improved the sound of the component ?

    Is their any manufacturers that do include audiophile fuses in their products ?

    Please join in i am truly intrigued regarding audiophile fuses and their debatable benefits if any.
     
    SinnerSaint and enfield like this.
  2. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    No. I tried it

    Sounds same.But I am £20 poorer.
     
  3. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
    Can i ask which ones you tried please ? I am close on pulling the trigger for a Russ Andrews 13a Superfuse.
     
    Swann36 likes this.
  4. Done A Ton

    Done A Ton Birdbrain

    Location:
    Rural Kansas
  5. Same here. When i lived in the UK a friend worked at a respected Hi Fi outlet in New Malden. He joked about these expensive fuses. He lent me a few. Could I or my wife and friends hear any difference? NO.
     
    asilker and RONENRAY like this.
  6. Russ Andrews knows how to make money. Make sure you get a money back guarentee before ordering.
     
  7. Hershiser

    Hershiser Forum Resident

    When I bought my Rega Apollo back in 2007 from UltraSystems they included with the purchase a HiFi tuning fuse.

    Swapped out the original with that one but don’t think I ever heard a difference. I should try swapping them out again now that I have lived with this for 10 plus years.
     
    Fishoutofwater likes this.
  8. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    I think with Russ Andrews its members a
    It was the Russ Andrew's superfuse.
    Years ago I bought a hi - cap for my Naim Preamp.
    The difference was immediate.
    With the fuse, nothing.
     
    John Buchanan likes this.
  9. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
    Shawn likes this.
  10. heathen

    heathen Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Incredible the things people will fall for.
     
    kyouki, bresna, asilker and 13 others like this.
  11. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    The standard buss fuse is very short, so it has a short electrical path. Any short conductor can pass more current vs a long one. Any short conductor will not produce inductance and capacitance, nor any sound altering properties. A gold/silver plated fuse may look nice, but a 10 amp fuse passes 10 amps. If a fuse were to be 1 meter in length, then we could discuss solid core vs stranded, skin effect, Litz wire advantage and insulation.

    Perhaps the only advantage of an audiophile fuse would be silver solder connection and gold/silver plated contacts. Most of the losses incurred in a system IMO is at the points of connection, cable connections, switch contacts, and this would include fuses.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
  12. classicrocker

    classicrocker Life is good!

    Location:
    Worcester, MA, USA
    There was a thread discussing this not to long ago. As an Electrical Engineer it makes no scientific sense to me that a fuse should impact sound quality but I have never tried or compared any of the esoteric fuses so can't say for sure.

    There are members here who swear they make a difference so you won't know until you try I think.
     
    Triffid, rcsrich, George P and 3 others like this.
  13. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
     
  14. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
    Out of curiosity i just opened up my MS HD UK mains plug took the fuse out peeled off the nice posh MS HD sticker and the fuse inside is a standard silver ended Bussman. Damm it my flash new plug is worthless now, and i choose Rhodium plated, lol. Its still nice and shinny tho.
     
    Swann36 and lemonjello like this.
  15. VinylSoul

    VinylSoul Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lake Erie
    I would specify irradiated, cryogenically treated platinum plated fuses exclusively.
     
    mando_dan, Ilusndweller and Helom like this.
  16. timind

    timind phorum rezident

  17. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    UL Listed fuses, under UL Standard 248-14, must meet characteristics and submit for testing: verification of temperature rise and current-carrying capacity, verification of overload operation (with allowed runtime tests at three different overload levels), verification of operation at rated voltage, peak let-through current and clearing It characteristics, and must even be marked in a specific way. CSA Certification, IEC Standard 60127 and Japanese METI also dictate fuse certification.

    UL Fuse Classification Chart - Electrical References - Elliott Electric Supply

    That's why you pretty much have a fuse duopoly between Bussman and Littelfuse. Unless it is some dollar store Chinese Christmas lights, there's not so many places to get a real fuse certified to meet its ratings, because of the complexities of high-tolerance tube and conductor manufacturing and certification.

    Do you really think that an audiophile fuse are more than a fancy sticker on a factory made fuse, applied by con-men looking for suckers?
     
    kyouki, basie-fan, klockwerk and 3 others like this.
  18. Soundlabs

    Soundlabs Reference Townshend Audio Dealer. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Welling kent
    At least my posh fuse came with the plug, i have put the sticker back on and everything sounds so much better now.
     
  19. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    Audio theory has proved of inconsistent value so generally you have to try things to see if you hear a difference. I pay no attention to posters who offer an opinion in the absence of direct experience.

    As for my own direct experience I noticed a difference in some components, not in others. Our Host has tried them and may use them. I would not spend more than $75 for one and haven't had to.
     
    George P likes this.
  20. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    I stand corrected, for $225, these guys will sell you a $0.50 fuse that they have drilled a hole in and filled with wax:
    https://www.thecableco.com/ultimate-shd-bees-wax-fuse.html
     
    klockwerk likes this.
  21. heathen

    heathen Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    You can't judge it until you've actually tried it though! :rolleyes:
     
  22. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    wadenits, joeriz, punkmusick and 10 others like this.
  23. timind

    timind phorum rezident

  24. PJC68

    PJC68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Liverpool UK
    I have had many things off Russ andrews for 20 years, i got a free superfuse with a cable i bought a few years ago
    I put it in a russ andrews power cable that feeds a 8 way RA ext socket, made a slight difference
    You could improve your homes electrical earthing, i done this years ago and this improved sound quality, i trained to be an Electrician years ago so am competent, if you are unsure consult an Electrician to sort your Earthing, lower impedance = better sound
    Also leave your hifi on 24/7 and put the volume knob at zero, The components will reach a temp and stay stable, i have had my hifi turned on for about 9 months
    Just make sure nothing is covering vents and each component gets room for air to circulate around it
     
  25. classicrocker

    classicrocker Life is good!

    Location:
    Worcester, MA, USA
    I have been doing product safety engineering now for 33 years and currently work for an audio/ video company, and I don't want to panic people, but just want to advise that you are taking a small safety risk by leaving your amplifiers on for 24/7.

    Depending on the amp design, even with the volume knob set at zero, there is a small risk of an internal amp failure which will send a DC offset voltage to your speakers which essentially turns them into heating elements which could result in fire. Speakers voice coils become heating elements when subjected to a DC voltage and depending on the voltage and current available will heat up and potentially create a fire potential. It is low risk and does not happen very often but it is a real-life condition I have experienced as part of my job.

    Based on my personal experience with analyzing field failures I would never recommend keeping your amplifier powered 24/7. It does not take that long for the component's to come up to full operating conditions after turn on so IMHO you should power down your amps when not in use.

    Again I want to emphasize the risk is small, and maybe I am overcautious, but I have seen some field failures with amps sitting at idle causing speaker overheating and potential fires. I not only turn my amp off but have it on a switched outlet to turn off the power when not in use.

    YMMV but felt the need to share my experience.
     
    John3655, wadenits, Ste_S and 10 others like this.

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