QSA : My take on their expensive products

[Cellcbern]

My experience is of the yellow and the violet.
The violet gives a more rounded sound in my system whereas I found the yellow was more stark. I didn't notice any sheen with the yellow. It's an effect I experienced with some then top of the range Tellurium cables I auditioned and rejected some years ago.

I found the QSA Yellow clinical at best and etched and bright at worst in the Modwright PS 9.0 power supply. Settled on the SR Purple which was just as resolving but much more balanced, natural sounding, and musical. The SR Orange was also superior to the QSA Yellow in this application while being a little veiled in comparison with the SR Purple.

 

[LL21]

I have recently heard a rumor that QSA are used white label in at least 3 super high-end amps designed by manufacturers with very long-standing reputations. I am not sure I should be saying which so I will not. That said, if anyone else happens to know that it is public information, would certainly might be interesting for people to know that manufacturers are putting them into their equipment as stock.

 

[Exocer]

I have recently inserted QSA Yellow into my preamp, the Wyred4Sound STP-SE stage 2. It replaced the blue Furutech Rhodium fuse. Across the board improvements. More clarity, more emotional connection and greater sense of realness were observed. Absolutely no sheen or harshness to report in this particular usecase.

 

[vert]

I should have been more specific with the word "sheen".

It's more of a house sound that permeates all recordings.

I know audiophiles who have gone back to stock fuses after trying after market fuses, and I have done the same.

 

[Sa-dono]

I have recently heard a rumor that QSA are used white label in at least 3 super high-end amps designed by manufacturers with very long-standing reputations. I am not sure I should be saying which so I will not. That said, if anyone else happens to know that it is public information, would certainly might be interesting for people to know that manufacturers are putting them into their equipment as stock.

Why not ask the manufacturers or check new products at a retailer?

 

[LL21]

Why not ask the manufacturers or check new products at a retailer?

Yes, I could but:

- this source is very reliable and I believe him
- since i am personally not pursuing these fuses, I have elected not to bother the manufacturers directly to ask

However, if I were to investigate either the electronics designers or the fuses further, I probably would ask them. From the sounds of it, they all like the QSA fuses.

 

[Sa-dono]

Yes, I could but:

- this source is very reliable and I believe him
- since i am personally not pursuing these fuses, I have elected not to bother the manufacturers directly to ask

However, if I were to investigate either the electronics designers or the fuses further, I probably would ask them. From the sounds of it, they all like the QSA fuses.

What’s the purpose of spreading rumors, then? How does it further the discussion if you won’t say which manufacturers, and you aren’t going to bother fact checking the rumor?

 

[LL21]

What’s the purpose of spreading rumors, then? How does it further the discussion if you won’t say which manufacturers, and you aren’t going to bother fact checking the rumor?

It was a comment to help those who question the use of these fuses (including me) to provide a factoid that 3 major manufacturers are using them in their amplifiers. Sometimes when we are entrusted with this information it is not appropriate for us to reveal names, but I can say the source is real (an industry importer if that is helpful)...and the 3 brands are major high end amplifier labels often reviewed and discussed herein with strong references and commendation.

 

[Sa-dono]

It was a comment to help those who question the use of these fuses (including me) to provide a factoid that 3 major manufacturers are using them in their amplifiers. Sometimes when we are entrusted with this information it is not appropriate for us to reveal names, but I can say the source is real (an industry importer if that is helpful)...and the 3 brands are major high end amplifier labels often reviewed and discussed herein with strong references and commendation.

Yes, but you don’t know they “are using them in their amplifiers.” Even if they are, it‘s not going to change the mind of the vehemently anti-fusers.

 

[Blackmorec]

Yes, but you don’t know they “are using them in their amplifiers.” Even if they are, it‘s not going to change the mind of the vehemently anti-fusers.

I must say I would be extremely pissed if an amp manufacturer tried to charge me serious money in the event a fuse blew without warning me first….like at the point of initial demo or as an alternative left me with inferior sound.

 

[Sa-dono]

I must say I would be extremely pissed if an amp manufacturer tried to charge me serious money in the event a fuse blew without warning me first….like at the point of initial demo or as an alternative left me with inferior sound.

All the more reason their identities should be made available. Then potential buyers or new owners can fact check this rumor, given LL21 is not going to. Previous purchasers could try the fuses to see what is now considered the manufacturer’s spec.

 

[kennyb123]

Yes, but you don’t know they “are using them in their amplifiers.” Even if they are, it‘s not going to change the mind of the vehemently anti-fusers.

If manufacturers don seem inclined to provide better power cords, I think the odds of a QSA fuse are like nil. The only exception would be a very low volume seller.

 

[Ian B]

I'm thinking of trying the QSA yellow or purple fuse. I've very much enjoyed my old SR oranges, but I'm finding the SR purple to be way too colored and tube-like. Dark top end, saturated vocals, bloom and glow, tubby bass and mid bass. Love the dynamics and space, though. It really sounds like my clear SS amp is now a tube hybrid with NOS Mullards. Pretty cool trick, but changes the tonality a bit too much.

 

[LL21]

I'm thinking of trying the QSA yellow or purple fuse. I've very much enjoyed my old SR oranges, but I'm finding the SR purple to be way too colored and tube-like. Dark top end, saturated vocals, bloom and glow, tubby bass and mid bass. Love the dynamics and space, though. It really sounds like my clear SS amp is now a tube hybrid with NOS Mullards. Pretty cool trick, but changes the tonality a bit too much.

Interesting...did you find the SR Oranges also too colored?

 

[Ian B]

Interesting...did you find the SR Oranges also too colored?

No, not at all. They are quite transparent in my gear.

I think I need too be fair though, I haven't put that many hours on the current Purple, and it seems they start out from a very different place than the Oranges (dark, mid and bass heavy vs bright and hazy) before settling down. I'm going to give it more time, esp as QSA Light Violet is hard to get a hold of at this point.

 

[Cellcbern]

No, not at all. They are quite transparent in my gear.

I think I need too be fair though, I haven't put that many hours on the current Purple, and it seems they start out from a very different place than the Oranges (dark, mid and bass heavy vs bright and hazy) before settling down. I'm going to give it more time, esp as QSA Light Violet is hard to get a hold of at this point.

SR Orange is transparent in my system also, as is the superior SR Purple. I did a head to head comparison which I reported on in this forum between the similarly priced SR Purple and QSA Yellow fuses. In the Modwright PS 9.0 power supply (the only place I tried it) the QSA yellow was clinical to bright - almost unlistenable. A number of other posters have found the QSA Yellow (but not the more expensive QSA models) to be analytical sounding. The SR Purple in the PS 9.0 was just as resolving as the QSA Yellow but much more balanced and natural sounding. It is my fuse of choice since I am not willing to pay multiples of its price for the higher level QSA's.

 

[LL21]

No, not at all. They are quite transparent in my gear.

I think I need too be fair though, I haven't put that many hours on the current Purple, and it seems they start out from a very different place than the Oranges (dark, mid and bass heavy vs bright and hazy) before settling down. I'm going to give it more time, esp as QSA Light Violet is hard to get a hold of at this point.

Thanks...look forward to hearing how they sound after you are happy they have settled in...

 

[Kingrex]

@CKKeung
How do I get the MystiJ box with deep receptacle cover?

 

[CKKeung]

@CKKeung
How do I get the MystiJ box with deep receptacle cover?

Please communicate with MYSTJ directly :

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[Ian B]

Thanks...look forward to hearing how they sound after you are happy they have settled in...

I ended up going back to the Orange, though I'm missing the midrange richness of the Purple. The Purple bass and midrange weight was just so much that it congested the whole thing and interfered with musical delivery. The Orange has more speed, punch, dynamics, and space on account of not being so tubby and exaggerated.

That said, Purple has a better sound quality overall, smoother highs, and more rich midrange. The midrange difference is such that going back to Orange was like applying a big midrange scoop with an EQ, but it's the Purple that adds something, and not Orange taking anything away. The Purple added so much weight that the music couldn't breathe and the midrange and bass ate up a lot of the soundstage, though it doesn't sound muddy or unclear.

I'm hoping to try a QSA fuse for improvement in sound quality without the big tonal change.