I see a lot of you guys giving opinions when Synergistic clearly state
3-400 hours breakin Time .I have found around 150 hours it starts to settle in nicely,
Then just gets better until after 300+ hours. I just put on and play files for 2 weeks straight.
I dropped the SR Master Fuse into my Horizon DAC, replacing the Purple. The difference between the two was immediate and very pleasing. More of everything: an even wider and deeper soundstage and more inner detail and nuance, but not at the expense of messing up the response curve (e.g. pushing sonics to the right/bright end of the spectrum). In fact, the sound is slightly more natural (dare I say "organic" and "real") IME.
Given SR's write up on the Master Fuse, I may be embarking on diminishing marginal returns with my decision to add one to my Jubilee Preamp in place of a Purple. I will let you know.
The SR Master is best used in a streamer - the effects are just amazing. For example what a Holo Audio Red with default fuse, Purple Fuse and then SR Master fuse will sound and improve is just something that even many familiar with fuse changes will hardly believe. So that is a great recommendation for someone looking into that.
Also the SR Pink even improved the overall performance of my Network Acoustics Tempus switch, which already was sounding just great. But I was astonished to see another noticeably improvement.
To me the different SR fuses have a bit of different burn-in / settle times. But 24-48h for the first judgement and then 150-200 hours provide a really good insight.
As a follow-up to my prior (#22) post, inserting the SR Master Fuse in my Octave Jubilee Preamp yielded a very pleasant surprise. I wasn't really expecting much given SR's statement that adding a second Master fuse might not be beneficial. It then modified that statement (likely for marketing reasons) that "most systems will not benefit from more than one or possibly two Master Fuses in an otherwise complete loom of Purple and or Orange fuses." The The addition of the second one produced an improvement IMHO and it was definitely noticeable (i.e. more of what the first one rendered). However, I will stop here and enjoy their synergy with the Purple downstream fuses.
Since Verafi’s Swiss Digital Fuse Box audiophile fuses have become an anachronism. One wonders when its ‘no fuse ‘ credo will be adopted by serious audio manufacturers and proper circuit breakers will do away with all this price gouging mumbo jumbo.
I have substituted a Hifi Supreme Cartridge fuse for a CB in a Sq D panel. I was shocked how apparent the difference was. The owner of the system loved it and wanted it. But its not legal so I had to remove it before I left. I don't know if it was better or worse. All I know is it was very sonically audible. I would not be so quick to.toss out a fuse.
Every form of overload protection has some form of technology that is audible. A fuse is a thin wire. A CB has contacts that may have carbon in them. As well as a variety of welded contact berween wires and plates. A Swiss Digital fuse box probably has a current transformer wrapped around some or all of the wires and a latching contactor that again, may have carbon in the contacts as well as welds and plates of metal and wire. Heck, you can even hear the slugs in the swiss fuse box.
A CB is different, not better than a fuse. The CB only real advantage is it can be reset. And you have no choice but to use it. So you don't spend money on high quality fuses. Outside that, it starts becoming system dependent as well as user preference.
I have substituted a Hifi Supreme Cartridge fuse for a CB in a Sq D panel. I was shocked how apparent the difference was. The owner of the system loved it and wanted it. But its not legal so I had to remove it before I left. I don't know if it was better or worse. All I know is it was very sonically audible. I would not be so quick to.toss out a fuse.
Every form of overload protection has some form of technology that is audible. A fuse is a thin wire. A CB has contacts that may have carbon in them. As well as a variety of welded contact berween wires and plates. A Swiss Digital fuse box probably has a current transformer wrapped around some or all of the wires and a latching contactor that again, may have carbon in the contacts as well as welds and plates of metal and wire. Heck, you can even hear the slugs in the swiss fuse box.
A CB is different, not better than a fuse. The CB only real advantage is it can be reset. And you have no choice but to use it. So you don't spend money on high quality fuses. Outside that, it starts becoming system dependent as well as user preference.
My DAC, Server, Preamp, Phono Preamp and Tape direct out IEC/NAB are all a CB. Amy amps are the only fuse. They have a Hifi Supreme in them.. I hear it over the glass fuse.
it definitely rounded out a little but it's still forward sounding with voices, need to give it more time. I'd say this fuse offers a very 3d-like sound stage but it pushes things a little bit in the upper octaves. More burn in needed, I am still undecided on it, likely will stay with it but need to go back to the old fuse to see the difference before I give up on it. So far I like it overall but still a little luke warm in my opinion of the voices. Hoping things balance out over time
Hello skids929! The original fuse from my PSAudio BHK Preamp just blown and I replaced it with a SR Pink last week. I’m experiencing exactly the same as you. The tube and relaxed sound was now replaced by an analytical and extra detailed sound that at first sight was impressive but after some hours i feel like my ears are bleeding with this fatiguing highs. How was your SR Pink burn in journey? Did you end up replacing it or it settled down?
Hello skids929! The original fuse from my PSAudio BHK Preamp just blown and I replaced it with a SR Pink last week. I’m experiencing exactly the same as you. The tube and relaxed sound was now replaced by an analytical and extra detailed sound that at first sight was impressive but after some hours i feel like my ears are bleeding with this fatiguing highs. How was your SR Pink burn in journey? Did you end up replacing it or it settled down?
Hi all, despite starting this thread I have now converted. I can no longer recommend any fuse upgrade despite being a happy user of SR fuses for years.
For me, its now Swiss Digital Fuse Box all the way. Its another level.... and no more money going pop on current surges
I find the pink fuse a nice upgrade for someone with a too warm sound lacking some detail. For me, fuse still burning in, but after 150hr I don’t think the body and punch I had before will come back. I already orderer an original PS Audio stock ceramic fuse for final decision in one week.
Wow strangely my reply got deleted :-o
Anyway I just can say having tried a lot in that regard over the years it’s interesting how different fuse brands need vastly different time for burn-in/sound their best.
SR Master in a streamer is amazing and the SR Pink in various other too. Tried them recently in a Network Acoustics Tempus and still improved things another bit.
Seems strangely SDFB is allowed to be mentioned but not when talking about another brand like Farad.
Wow strangely my reply got deleted :-o
Anyway I just can say having tried a lot in that regard over the years it’s interesting how different fuse brands need vastly different time for burn-in/sound their best.
SR Master in a streamer is amazing and the SR Pink in various other too. Tried them recently in a Network Acoustics Tempus and still improved things another bit.
Seems strangely SDFB is allowed to be mentioned but not when talking about another brand like Farad.
That's why I was so surprised, shocked to see. It was about a new approach used in the Farad power supplies - which are absolutely great for testing fuses as they very much showcase the different performances being used. Did so with the Super3 and many SR and other fuses for many years now like a lot of others too. And the new Super6 is replacing the classic fuse with a TMCB (thermal magnetic circuit breaker), and they compared that to fuses that cost a few thousand Euros (which many here on WBF also use), and decided that even the best ones didn't come up to that level.
So what I was referring too is that vendors are also trying to avoid the bottleneck of the "classic fuse" approach and come up with an innovative way is to the advantage of customers. So if it's SR, QSA etc. maybe we will see quite a "fuse less" HiFi setup coming up in the not too distant future.
I'm curious how others burn-in journey went with this fuse. I just put one in the PSU for my network devices, and one in my headphone amp. Initially I am feeling that it might be too much noise reduction, to the point that things are a little flat. I've encountered this with some other recent UEF tweaks, heavy-handed noise reduction takes some of the life.
I'm not sure I would trust an external magnetic breaker in place of a real fuse. If it fails...Also, no doubt there is more current, but no more noise reduction.
Hi Ian. I don't have any Pink fuses. But my two Master and 4 Purple fuses needed a good 100 hours to reach their sonic potential. I know SR sets the break-in period at more than that, but after 100 hours the improvement seems very subtle.
