Swiss Digital Fuse Box Anyone?

A touch of warmth makes all the difference for me, no matter how much a component or accessory, such as the SDFB, improves the sound otherwise (and the SDFB certainly does). With a brass sluggo in my GG/Posedon dac, replacing a QSA red-black, I hit that tonality just right. Hours of involvement, just listening to the music. Since the next day, however, with a second SDFB with brass added for the VAC Master preamp, again replacing a red-black, that little bit of warmth has been gone. Back to listening to the gear rather than the music. Not fun. Even boring at times (perhaps vagaries of burn in). Just waiting it out for now (‘til 300 hrs), before copper sluggos come back in stock or I have the amp value changed and try the SDFB elsewhere.

P.S. I’m using AC adapters, ostensibly copper wired, off Amazon, not piggies. Other ends are WyWires Diamonds. My experience is that adapters tend to muddle, or not, but have less or little effect on tone.

pmiller said:

I am a bit confused. Why are you opening the Swiss Fusebox? The sluggo goes in the amp., or whatever other audio piece you are using, and replaces the fuse in that piece. The sluggo doesn't go in the fusebox which acts as the fuse for the piece the sluggo went in.

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Don't see where I implied that. Of course.

highstream said:

A touch of warmth makes all the difference for me, no matter how much a component or accessory, such as the SDFB, improves the sound otherwise (and the SDFB certainly does). With a brass sluggo in my GG/Posedon dac, replacing a QSA red-black, I hit that tonality just right. Hours of involvement, just listening to the music. Since the next day, however, with a second SDFB with brass added for the VAC Master preamp, again replacing a red-black, that little bit of warmth has been gone. Back to listening to the gear rather than the music. Not fun. Even boring at times (perhaps vagaries of burn in). Just waiting it out for now (‘til 300 hrs), before copper sluggos come back in stock or I have the amp value changed and try the SDFB elsewhere.

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I have found that break in of the pig tail AC is crucial. It sounds nuetral at first but left on full-time I find that days 2 and 5 are pretty bad- a bit bright and grainy. By day 6 or 7 it seems on course and just gets better. In my experience one should not judge tonality until day 7. It may also depend on what fuse you removed from the VAC. When I replaced the 2 QSA's (red/black) in my amp it was better right away but did falter on and off during break in. With the second SDFB replacing the SR Master Fuse in my DAC (all tube no caps)it sounded like a step back at first but after about 12 hours the tone is very sweet. It may also be track dependant. Playing Lucinda Williams latest which had sloppy bass that got a bit in the way of the tune but niow with the 2 SDFB's the bass is very strong but firmer, less sloppy and is playing it's own musical line better without blurring the rest.
I think we should also consider this: we think we are replacing the entire AC input chain when we change the fuse out for something else. In fact we are only changing one of three legs- nuetral and ground are hard wired and unchanged. Consequently we are going to hear the result of the changed hot leg in relation to the hard wired legs- this will vary from component to component and will make break in of the added devices subject to greater lability- all three of the legs in the pig tail are in the circuit but only the hot leg goes through the SDFB contact point (I assume) and the sluggo as stated only is in the hot leg path. So break in will be complex IMO. Give it time!

I neglected to mention that I’m using AC adapters, ostensibly copper wired, not one of the piggies. I did that for cost purposes and because one never knows what adding another cable will reap tonally. Adapters can muddle (or not), but don’t tend to change the tone so much. Mark says they are working on an elegant adapter solution.

Red-blacks had been in both. Yes, some recordings are warm and some less so, but it shows even on the former. Tolerable at best is not my favored approach. As indicated, I am giving it at least 300 hours with the current configuration — I don’t often make final judgments before then — and do have a couple of Russ Andrews grounding cords on the way that may have something to say.

I just hooked up my 1st SDFB with the graphene slug yesterday to my AtmaSphere amp and it was an immediate and obvious positive change. Fuller, more accurate bass. Smoother top end with no unwanted sizzle to cymbals and horns. Soundstage width and depth more expansive. Not jaw dropping but just a better all around listening experience. I, too, used an adapter on the front end of the FB but today swapped it out for a PC that matched the cord leading to the amp. Definitely a better set up. And nothing crazy expensive. Simply Anticables level 3's. The adapter didn't do it for me. Anyway, a thumbs up for Mark's service and product. I'll be ordering another.

Geerock said:

I just hooked up my 1st SDFB with the graphene slug yesterday to my AtmaSphere amp and it was an immediate and obvious positive change. Fuller, more accurate bass. Smoother top end with no unwanted sizzle to cymbals and horns. Soundstage width and depth more expansive. Not jaw dropping but just a better all around listening experience. I, too, used an adapter on the front end of the FB but today swapped it out for a PC that matched the cord leading to the amp. Definitely a better set up. And nothing crazy expensive. Simply Anticables level 3's. The adapter didn't do it for me. Anyway, a thumbs up for Mark's service and product. I'll be ordering another.

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It's not scientific but I am suspecting that the Core Cable pig tails are adding something to the upgrade in my system ( the last AC cable at the equipment inlet tends to have undue influence- the old thin cheap AC wires in the wall then some killer cable the last meter). I am speculating this may be the case based on having started out with the basic pig tail and upgrading ($50) to the better one and hearing a very substantive overall improvement in SQ. When my bank account rebalances I am considering a discussion with Mark regarding getting a much better Core cable at the inlet- they have 4 or 5 higher grades of AC cable.

Good Afternoon

Enjoyed this read a great deal today. My apologies if I offend with this post.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/graphene-sluggo-unlocking-sonic-scenery#2707630

Best wishes

Mark

corepowertech said:

Good Afternoon

Enjoyed this read a great deal today. My apologies if I offend with this post.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/graphene-sluggo-unlocking-sonic-scenery#2707630

Best wishes

Mark

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Is Fuse Box Max 120v only?

MusicTraveler said:

Is Fuse Box Max 120v only?

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There is a 220v version. https://verafiaudiollc.com/products/swiss-digital-fuse-box

Republicoftexas69 said:

There is a 220v version. https://verafiaudiollc.com/products/swiss-digital-fuse-box

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So the Max will also support 220/240v? I'm in the U.S. so I'd need 240v/60Hz. Sorry for the confusion.

MusicTraveler said:

So the Max will also support 220/240v?

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Yes it will - we will need a few weeks to deliver this in 220/240 ~ 50/60Hz

Thanks very much

corepowertech said:

Yes it will - we will need a few weeks to deliver this in 220/240 ~ 50/60Hz

Thanks very much

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How does the SDFB handle a loss, then return of electrical service to ones house? Does the cabling need to be un-plugged and reconnected to reset the SDFB? The online documentation doesn't seem to speak to this (or I missed it).

MusicTraveler said:

How does the SDFB handle a loss, then return of electrical service to ones house? Does the cabling need to be un-plugged and reconnected to reset the SDFB? The online documentation doesn't seem to speak to this (or I missed it).

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The SDFB is passive, so loss/regain of electricity is automatic, so to speak. Lost electricity here a couple of weeks ago w\o need to do anything.

MusicTraveler said:

How does the SDFB handle a loss, then return of electrical service to ones house? Does the cabling need to be un-plugged and reconnected to reset the SDFB? The online documentation doesn't seem to speak to this (or I missed it).

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No it will reset its self after a power service disruption.

Apologies if this has been covered before and I missed it. My integrated amp has a 6.3A rear panel mains fuse and two internal 6.3A fuses inside (one per channel) as well as a 2A (preamp?) fuse on the rear panel. If I replace the rear panel mains fuse with an SDFB, I am wondering if having the other three fuses in place would offset the performance improvement from the SDFB? Has anyone tried the SDFB with a multiple fuse component where at least one of the fuses has to remain in place? If so I'd be curious to hear what your experience was.

Cellcbern said:

Apologies if this has been covered before and I missed it. My integrated amp has a 6.3A rear panel mains fuse and two internal 6.3A fuses inside (one per channel) as well as a 2A (preamp?) fuse on the rear panel. If I replace the rear panel mains fuse with an SDFB, I am wondering if having the other three fuses in place would offset the performance improvement from the SDFB? Has anyone tried the SDFB with a multiple fuse component where at least one of the fuses has to remain in place? If so I'd be curious to hear what your experience was.

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You need to contact Mark. The short answer is no.

Republicoftexas69 said:

You need to contact Mark. The short answer is no.

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I’ve spoken with Mark who can only suggest that I try replacing one of the four fuses (the mains fuse) with an SDFB What I was asking for was any relevant experiences of WBF members. Is your short answer the result of you having used the SDFB to replace one fuse in a multiple fuse component?

Cellcbern said:

I’ve spoken with Mark who can only suggest that I try replacing one of the four fuses (the mains fuse) with an SDFB What I was asking for was any relevant experiences of WBF members. Is your short answer the result of you having used the SDFB to replace one fuse in a multiple fuse component?

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No sorry, only the mains fuse as that is my experience. Do lets us know if you try replacing the internal fuses with the sluggo and what the results are. My PA 10s only have 1 fuse.

It depends on what the internal fuses are protecting. Have to ask the developer. I would think that if there’s a backend fuse for the mains power, the SDFB would improve what the power supply is seeing, and thus offer a substantial sonic improvement. I would also think if there are additional internal fuses, they may be protecting something down the circuit and so shouldn't`t be replaced with sluggos, vs. maybe aftermarket fuses.

highstream said:

It depends on what the internal fuses are protecting. Have to ask the developer. I would think that if there’s a backend fuse for the mains power, the SDFB would improve what the power supply is seeing, and thus offer a substantial sonic improvement. I would also think if there are additional internal fuses, they may be protecting something down the circuit and so shouldn't`t be replaced with sluggos, vs. maybe aftermarket fuses.

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Heard back from Pathos this morning. They recommend against trying the SDFB with the multiple fuse TT. End of story.