Audiophile power cords vs. the cables in your walls

[Atmasphere]

So, from your experience, you don’t see a fuse as a weak link (in terms of sound quality in the electrical circuit) until it’s heating up and about to blow?

The fuse is of course intended as a weak link. And in terms of sound quality its a very minor player.

You can measure the voltage drop across a fuse holder, and you will find (if you cause your hand to move to do the required actions) that the voltage drop corresponds to the differences you hear. Often that has more to do with how well the fuse actually fits in the holder rather than if its boutique or not. As long as the power supplies are able to function properly in the circuit (for example in our MP-1 preamp, which has all of its supplies regulated and all of which don't drop out until the AC line gets below about 105V) the fuse will impose no sound.

So the takeaway is that if you hear the sound of the fuse (and its not simply expectation bias, which has to be considered) it suggests that a power supply or supplies in the the unit under audition is unregulated.

Fun facts dept.:
We discovered audible fuse and power cord issues about 33 years ago. So in 1990, when designing our flagship amp (our MA-2, a 220 Watt class A triode OTL) we designed the fuse system and internal wiring to minimize its effect. To this end, the amp employs dual power cords for the supplies in the amp, and FMA-style fuses which have far better contacts on the fuse and also in the holder (which also exerts far more pressure on the fuse contacts). In effect, we had our own boutique fuses before any such thing existed.

 

[Rensselaer]

The fuse is of course intended as a weak link. And in terms of sound quality its a very minor player.

You can measure the voltage drop across a fuse holder, and you will find (if you cause your hand to move to do the required actions) that the voltage drop corresponds to the differences you hear. Often that has more to do with how well the fuse actually fits in the holder rather than if its boutique or not. As long as the power supplies are able to function properly in the circuit (for example in our MP-1 preamp, which has all of its supplies regulated and all of which don't drop out until the AC line gets below about 105V) the fuse will impose no sound.

So the takeaway is that if you hear the sound of the fuse (and its not simply expectation bias, which has to be considered) it suggests that a power supply or supplies in the the unit under audition is unregulated.

Fun facts dept.:
We discovered audible fuse and power cord issues about 33 years ago. So in 1990, when designing our flagship amp (our MA-2, a 220 Watt class A triode OTL) we designed the fuse system and internal wiring to minimize its effect. To this end, the amp employs dual power cords for the supplies in the amp, and FMA-style fuses which have far better contacts on the fuse and also in the holder (which also exerts far more pressure on the fuse contacts). In effect, we had our own boutique fuses before any such thing existed.

So boutique fuses are not worth the money, just ensure good contact in the fuse holder?

 

[twitch]

So boutique fuses are not worth the money, just ensure good contact in the fuse holder?

what kind of Kool-Aid do you prefer ............

 

[Rensselaer]

what kind of Kool-Aid do you prefer ............

I always preferred the Coke-flavoured Fizzy's. Go better with Rum.

 

[Atmasphere]

So boutique fuses are not worth the money, just ensure good contact in the fuse holder?

Yes- if its a good quality fuse like Bussman or Littlefuse.

 

[Rensselaer]

Yes- if its a good quality fuse like Bussman or Littlefuse.

eh, not impressed with Synergistic Research Orange "subjective view" that they improve sound stage, timbral accuracy, silence between notes and promote World Peace?

 

[Kingrex]

This does not make sense to me. If using seperate power cords, each with its own 13A fuse you'll get less voltage drop- hence less degradation on that account.

I agree. And I always advocate simple. Adding a power strip and cord is adding 6 more pressure only contact points in the power chain. As well as all the dissimilar metal contact.

 

[Kingrex]

The fuse is of course intended as a weak link. And in terms of sound quality its a very minor player.

You can measure the voltage drop across a fuse holder, and you will find (if you cause your hand to move to do the required actions) that the voltage drop corresponds to the differences you hear. Often that has more to do with how well the fuse actually fits in the holder rather than if its boutique or not. As long as the power supplies are able to function properly in the circuit (for example in our MP-1 preamp, which has all of its supplies regulated and all of which don't drop out until the AC line gets below about 105V) the fuse will impose no sound.

So the takeaway is that if you hear the sound of the fuse (and its not simply expectation bias, which has to be considered) it suggests that a power supply or supplies in the the unit under audition is unregulated.

Fun facts dept.:
We discovered audible fuse and power cord issues about 33 years ago. So in 1990, when designing our flagship amp (our MA-2, a 220 Watt class A triode OTL) we designed the fuse system and internal wiring to minimize its effect. To this end, the amp employs dual power cords for the supplies in the amp, and FMA-style fuses which have far better contacts on the fuse and also in the holder (which also exerts far more pressure on the fuse contacts). In effect, we had our own boutique fuses before any such thing existed.

This is synonymous with how I view power cords and why they voice so much. They are based upon multiple sets of preasure contacts. Some fairly inferior. Some better. But they are all pressure. From the wire in the wall screw clamped to the back of a receptacle all the way to the iec inlet in your amp. A minimum of 6 points of contact, pressure only. Really 12 when you consider AC and the neutral return path.

There is little you can do about a fuse block in your equipment, outside pay a technician to change it. If your equipment is old, you could use a small piece of green pad and alchohol to clean the contacts. Be careful not to bend the tabs. This would make things worse. And the pad need only be damp, not dripping. And have clean swabs ready to wipe excess liquid and contaminants loosened by the cleaning from the fuse block blades.

And per another thread here, you could try wrapping the fuse glass with tape to reduce vibrations in the glass. This could cause heat build up. But a forum member with a lab has measured reduced vibration in the fuse when current is applied. I tried it and heard nothing. But hey, it may work different for other.

I have performed cleaning of contacts in fuse blocks, receptacles and tube pins. It can have a profound impact on playback.
Rex

 

[Atmasphere]

eh, not impressed with Synergistic Research Orange "subjective view" that they improve sound stage, timbral accuracy, silence between notes and promote World Peace?

IMO if you really want to make an improvement with fuses a precisely built fuseholder would do more good rather than the fuse, especially if it used a threaded fusecap to allow you to put more pressure on the fuse. That is one of the major advantages of the fuse types we use in out MA-2. Rex's comments above are spot on.