Who’s up for a $2800 fuse?

[Barry2013]

Astonishing. Complete game changers.
1 violet and 3 yellow QSA fuses arrived late this morning and installed. Violet on the power block, yellow internal on the Vitus 030, ditto MD109 tuner, yellow 13 amp to Entreq Apollo Infinity power cable to the amp power cable and Vitus Andromeda power cable to MD 109. Violet to follow for the amp pc.
They replaced 2 Phonosophie Gold 13 amp fuses, an SR black on the tuner amd a Bussman 13 amp on the Andromeda so already upgraded fuses.
First listened to the MD 109 tuned to Radio 3 FM. First sounds were from the presenter's intro to the programme followed by female soprano. The big difference was there immediately. The voices were so clear and natural with the proverbial inky black back ground.
Next up Abbey Road Half Speed Master of Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. Knopler's voice was so immediate and nuanced from the off. Again that sense of air and space from the absence of any background noise.
Then an SACD SHM compilation from Japan on my three box DCS Scarlatti. More analogue than ever before and started hearing sounds previously unheard.
The latter two benefitting only from the violet on the power block Entreq Challenger pc.
Still coming to terms with the sheer scale of the improvements so will need time to fully descibe the extent and nature of the improvements, but no question about how effective they are.
I am advised that they need about 40 hours to fully settle in so more to come plus the additional violet.
Bottom line (literally and metaphorically) is whatever upgrades you may be considering should go on hold until you can try the QSA fuses.

 

[Barry2013]

Please update tomorrow! I am unlikely to go down this route mainly because I dont know enough about electricity to know how vital the fuse is to electrical safety. I leave what the manufacturer has placed inside and leave it. I could totally believe that everything makes 'a' difference...and understand the Sablon Audio cables have the Synergistic Orange fuses in them because Mark Coles really likes them in his cables. But I leave that to the professionals.

Nevertheless, will be very interested to hear how it goes!

Hi Lloyd
Just a personal added emphasis to the update not long posted.
Forget your previous practice of sticking with the stock fuses and try the QSA fuses. They really do make a huge difference.

 

[LL21]

Hi Lloyd
Just a personal added emphasis to the update not long posted.
Forget your previous practice of sticking with the stock fuses and try the QSA fuses. They really do make a huge difference.

Wow...good to know!!! I will ask the manufacturers (Robert Koda basically) to see if they are happy for this. If so, then game on!

 

[LL21]

Barry, is there is a recommendation for which fuses go where...or is it just go with the best you can? Do these fuses come in 'all values' so that they can be used in pretty much any situation?

 

[Magnuska]

I started with the Black QSA. Bought 5 at once, ( they are pretty cheap). But what I heard was
a very nice upgrade. I have not been able yet to change the 2 fuses in my Vinnie Rossi amp but will soon.

 

[Barry2013]

Barry, is there is a recommendation for which fuses go where...or is it just go with the best you can? Do these fuses come in 'all values' so that they can be used in pretty much any situation?

AFAIK they come in the usual range of values so shouldn't be a problem apart from availability.
Power blocks/mains seem to be first priority followed by power cables and internals. You can upgrade within six months with a full refund on the original so, for example, a yellow pending violet as in my case.

 

[Kingrex]

I bought 4 of the light blue today. An engineer mentor of mine said the 500mA internal fuse are closer to the signal than the main fuse at the power input. I almost got yellow for the internal location. Decided to stick to light blue throughout. They are replacing glass fuses.

I actually looked into small Circuit Breakers. My digital and preamp all have circuit breakers. My amps are the only gear I have with fuses. There was not enough room to fit 2 CB so I went with a supposed better fuse. We shall see.

 

[Tango]

TheThai audio group chat I am in test these fuses and posted video almost every day. They are now up to the Black/Red level already. Crystal series is also compared. Some videos showed QSA even better than Crystal. Yes Differences can be heard through videos. Results were more varied by system and I don't think you can make conclusion across the board. Ask them why like playing fuse, the answer will be "better sound" and "fun". What kind of "better sound" is expected..."Don't know. Just better." If $2000 fuse turn out suck they just laugh it out. Poke fun at each other. They are fun people.

 

[Kingrex]

I don't view it as a $2000 fuse. Its a $75 fuse. Or less for black. I got the light blue.

In my mind, a fuse has to make a sound. We have all discussed how cables, inwall power, capacitors, in equipment wiring all make a difference. Why would a critical link not make a difference. And I say critical as a fuse being sacrificial is extremely delicate and fine in mass. Its choking the #2 awg feeder to 10 AWB branch wire to 10 awg power cord down to a #30 or so choke. Imagine the constriction to electron flow that produces.

It really shocks me any designer uses a fuse. Why not a CB like most all my equipment is designed with. I looked into CB, but there was no room for them. The original manufacturer could have incorporated it into his design and made as such. I actually considered bypassing the internal fuse and instead install a din rail mounted 3A CB inline to the power cord. But my amp has 2 fuses. One on the input and another I believe to the grid heater.

I hope these fuses let the electrons flow in a way that benefits the amps performance. I bought 3 per amp, synergistic white fuses to go in my Altec 1570B. I don't know I heard any difference. The amps I have now are much more resolving and clear than the Altec so maybe they will reveal more.

 

[Kingrex]

I had an interesting conversation with an engineer and audio designer I respect very much today. He was doing some work for me and I told him about the fuses I bought. I said I wish he could fit a CB in the amps I have. He commented that a fuse actually has less impedance than a CB due to the way a CB operate in order to open the contacts during a fault. This left me scratching my head. I'm wondering what the impedence characteristics of a fuse and a CB really are.

 

[Sammy T]

Fancy fuses ??? Spend $$$ big dollars on aftermarket fuses and not change out the El Cheapo, IEC A/C power inlet?

 

[Kingrex]

Fancy fuses ??? Spend $$$ big dollars on aftermarket fuses and not change out the El Cheapo, IEC A/C power inlet?

I did change out the IEC and the speaker binding posts. But what I did requires taking your equipment to a competent technician and having solder work done. And you have now voided your warranty. And if you don't like it, you have to go through a lot of work to change it back. And it may never be the same as you dont know what solder was originally used. A fuse is a 2 second swap. And $75 for a fuse is not a large investment. Especially considering the 2 of them for $150 is 1/10 the cost of the $1500 power cord feeding the amp. Just try a fuse. If you happen to be one of the elite worth hundreds of millions, get a $2800 fuse. I'm sure you have spent more on a bottle of wine.

 

[Barry2013]

An update on my earlier post about my experience with the QSA fuses.
First, however, can I say that I totally understand the scepticism about these fuses and say that I was very much aware of that when posting earlier. My experience is that such understandable caution needs to be put to one side and that you should try them.
So today stage one now completed. Violet internal fuse in the Vitus, violet on the Entreq Apollo Infinity PC to the amp, 2 yellow internal fuses on the MD 109 tuner and one on the tuner pc cable. In addition the pc cable to the power block from the mains has been upgraded to an Entreq Atlantis Infinity with a violet fuse,
So yes the latest set up and the effects of the QSA fuses is enhanced by the Atlantis Infinity pc.
The previous 48 hr experiences confirmed and added to everything I said previously.
The latest upgrades today have yielded another immediately apparent and major upgrade to the sound quality of my system. In essence there is a new ease, clarity and transparency together with a further reduction in any extraneous noise. Bass is better defined and tighter. On both vinyl and analogue FM tuner vocal quality is simply superb. I haven't yet played any CD/SACDs - a pleasure to come.
The Vitus 030 is simply revelling in the new set up and the YG Kipod Signature passives are doing their longstanding job of faithfully delivering whatever signal they are fed, as they have done with every upgrade to my system.
The scale of the improvement is just astonishing.
In short I cannot recommend them more highly.
TRY THEM!

 

[Argonaut]

Might you consider replacing your old power cable and listen again in order to evaluate just the fuses alone in your system Barry.

 

[Cellcbern]

An update on my earlier post about my experience with the QSA fuses.
First, however, can I say that I totally understand the scepticism about these fuses and say that I was very much aware of that when posting earlier. My experience is that such understandable caution needs to be put to one side and that you should try them.
So today stage one now completed. Violet internal fuse in the Vitus, violet on the Entreq Apollo Infinity PC to the amp, 2 yellow internal fuses on the MD 109 tuner and one on the tuner pc cable. In addition the pc cable to the power block from the mains has been upgraded to an Entreq Atlantis Infinity with a violet fuse,
So yes the latest set up and the effects of the QSA fuses is enhanced by the Atlantis Infinity pc.
The previous 48 hr experiences confirmed and added to everything I said previously.
The latest upgrades today have yielded another immediately apparent and major upgrade to the sound quality of my system. In essence there is a new ease, clarity and transparency together with a further reduction in any extraneous noise. Bass is better defined and tighter. On both vinyl and analogue FM tuner vocal quality is simply superb. I haven't yet played any CD/SACDs - a pleasure to come.
The Vitus 030 is simply revelling in the new set up and the YG Kipod Signature passives are doing their longstanding job of faithfully delivering whatever signal they are fed, as they have done with every upgrade to my system.
The scale of the improvement is just astonishing.
In short I cannot recommend them more highly.
TRY THEM!

Can you distinguish/describe any significant sonic differences between the Violet and Yellow QSA fuses based on your experience with them?

 

[Barry2013]

Might you consider replacing your old power cable and listen again in order to evaluate just the fuses alone in your system Barry.

Yes I see your point.
From Monday to today the fuse changes comprise a second yellow internal to the MD109, and violet amp pc. The power block change comprised replacing the Entreq Challenger pc yellow fuse with the Arlantis Infinity violet.
I did consider putting the violet on the Challenger first and then compare with the Atlantis pc violet combination but was basically too lazy to do the two stage process. I was completely satisfied with the first stage fuse improvements and decided just to go straight to the Atlantis Infinty violet.
The resultant improvement was very significant and I am sure that the change to the Atlantis pc did contribute to the improvement but I was already confident enough about the fuses to skip the two stage process.
So not disposed to go back because only of limited utiity to me.

 

[Barry2013]

Can you distinguish/describe any significant sonic differences between the Violet and Yellow QSA fuses based on your experience wit them?

Yes the violets are a clearly noticeable step up in terms of refinement, delicacy, noise reduction and vocal clarity.
I did think that noise was not a problem in my system but both the yellows and the violets taught me otherwise. Listening to a flute on a classical piece on the tuner with the violets I was struck by its new clarity and projection.
The other striking effect is upon voices, spoken words of presenters on FM radio, and on vinyl. I have only had a quiclk play of the Abbey Road Halfspeed Master of Brothers in Arms the vocals are so much clearer, nuanced and in the room.
As we know describing sound is a challenge and I am probably not yet as good at it as others.The oft used term of stripping away veils probably best sums up the improvements wrought by the QSA fuses and the violets do that more effectively.
As people will have noticed I do listen a lot to FM radio. The BBC Radio 3 classical broadcasts are excellent and the MD 109 tuner and external roof mounted FM aerial ensure extremely good sound quality. I realise that not everybody has that luxury in their countries and that we are very fortunate here in the UK. I did for a short while listen earlier today to Radio 2 FM which is the more popular music channel and that sounded great too with the new fuses.

 

[Cellcbern]

Yes the violets are a clearly noticeable step up in terms of refinement, delicacy, noise reduction and vocal clarity.
I did think that noise was not a problem in my system but both the yellows and the violets taught me otherwise. Listening to a flute on a classical piece on the tuner with the violets I was struck by its new clarity and projection.
The other striking effect is upon voices, spoken words of presenters on FM radio, and on vinyl. I have only had a quiclk play of the Abbey Road Halfspeed Master of Brothers in Arms the vocals are so much clearer, nuanced and in the room.
As we know describing sound is a challenge and I am probably not yet as good at it as others.The oft used term of stripping away veils probably best sums up the improvements wrought by the QSA fuses and the violets do that more effectively.
As people will have noticed I do listen a lot to FM radio. The BBC Radio 3 classical broadcasts are excellent and the MD 109 tuner and external roof mounted FM aerial ensure extremely good sound quality. I realise that not everybody has that luxury in their countries and that we are very fortunate here in the UK. I did for a short while listen earlier today to Radio 2 FM which is the more popular music channel and that sounded great too with the new fuses.

Curious to see how the yellow compares with the new Synergistic Purple - they are about the same price.

 

[Barry2013]

Curious to see how the yellow compares with the new Synergistic Purple - they are about the same price.

Yes.
I had two SR Black internal in the MD 109 and the yellows definitely much better.
Can't help you with how they compare with the SR Purple, but if you do get the opportunity to compare them would be interested to know

 

[LL21]

Yes the violets are a clearly noticeable step up in terms of refinement, delicacy, noise reduction and vocal clarity.
I did think that noise was not a problem in my system but both the yellows and the violets taught me otherwise. Listening to a flute on a classical piece on the tuner with the violets I was struck by its new clarity and projection.
The other striking effect is upon voices, spoken words of presenters on FM radio, and on vinyl. I have only had a quiclk play of the Abbey Road Halfspeed Master of Brothers in Arms the vocals are so much clearer, nuanced and in the room.
As we know describing sound is a challenge and I am probably not yet as good at it as others.The oft used term of stripping away veils probably best sums up the improvements wrought by the QSA fuses and the violets do that more effectively.
As people will have noticed I do listen a lot to FM radio. The BBC Radio 3 classical broadcasts are excellent and the MD 109 tuner and external roof mounted FM aerial ensure extremely good sound quality. I realise that not everybody has that luxury in their countries and that we are very fortunate here in the UK. I did for a short while listen earlier today to Radio 2 FM which is the more popular music channel and that sounded great too with the new fuses.

Hi Barry2013,

So based on your experience, where in the UK there are all the components with fuses PLUS all the cables which ALSO have fuses in them...where do you start. At rough count, there are 18 places for fuses in our system if you count from the wall to the 2 power conditioners to the Source, Pre, Amp and Sub.