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Your Best Tweak Lately

My latest, and perhaps best tweak, is a continuation of fuse upgrades, first using HiFi Tuning, two types, then Furutech, and finally, Synergistic Research Reds. Now, you may not believe in fuses, and that's ok---not here to convert anyone, just to report that these SR Reds are so far ahead of the others listed--to my ears, at least. If you have Maggies that you want to easily improve, put these in. I also have them as the mains fuses in ARC 210s and 861GNSC. If you have confidence in your power supply as stable and plentiful--another tweak in itself--no worries about the safety of these fuses--I even push the ratings a bit to match my big-gauge power cord capabilities. In the Maggies, I push them to 8A and 16A (stock is 2.5A and 5A) for a more "straight wire" effect by way of the bigger elements--incredible upgrade without molesting the speakers. With potentials in power supply, cords, cables, isolation schemes, room tricks, etc, this is a tweaker's paradise--I'm stealing the term back--just for audio.
128x128jafreeman

Showing 6 responses by jafreeman

jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
Yeah, how could fuses make such a difference? Just take them out and then listen--you won't hear a thing. You're welcome, Bojack. Again, these SR Reds are a nice addition over the others. What's your best tweak lately?
jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
Nice system, and room, PM. Now you have me interested in the HFTs, small metal cups that do something like cancel/reorganize stray sound waves? I am reading some reviews on these. Along with your testimony, these items are to be taken seriously. Can you describe the function of your Plasmatron and its effects on your sound? I get the impression you have discovered the additive benefits of many tweaks, each lifting a revealing system to a new plateau that is only exceeded by the next.
jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
Very nice system and room, Brownsfan. As you have found, the value of a Maggie fuse upgrade is irrefutable. Yes, I have sacrificed the fuse protection for a bigger signal path--or so I like to believe. I also like to think I have addressed the usual anemic, noisy power supply with something that also provides stable, plentiful current the system can safely operate in, as you have. There is just no substitute for providing the right power supply at the components---more than a tweak.
jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
Lak,
I haven't turned the fuses around yet--wanted to listen for awhile, then decide. I like the improvement so much, not sure if I will turn them--probably will try it, though. The other brands did show some difference when turned around, but these SR Reds are such an improvement in clarity and sound stage--instruments and percussion parts are appearing to the far sides of the sound stage that before were a dull tapping or clipped ringing--sounds I always suspected should have been more than what I was hearing are finally defined, and this is just from the 'main' fuses, next to the IEC areas. Yes, it seems crazy.......
jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
I remain vey impressed with the SR Red fuses I have placed in the "mains" AC banks of amps and CDP. These fuses complete a trio of external power tweaks, along with an isolation transformer for plenty of quiet energy and DIY AC cables using Ohno Continuous Cast copper wire by Furutech. Make your own AC cables for an easy upgrade--with the quality of DIY materials on the market, there's no need to spend on the "big brands". Save a fortune there and buy a real isolation transformer, e.g. Torus, RGPC, with outlets right there at your gear. Power supply is, IMHO, the most important external tweak to make your good system a great one at any price point.
jafreeman's avatar
jafreeman OP
689 posts
 
Oregonpapa, thanks for your testimony on the SR Red in a component.  It's not easy to believe these things until tried--glad you did.  

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