Do Fuses make a difference ib sound?


Do fuses make a difference in the sound?

chiefsteward1

Funny, but my 2 cents.

I used to own a Bryston BDA3 DAC.  For whatever reason, I decided to try, on promise of a full refund ( not credit ), a Synergistic Research Orange Fuse. I was very skeptical.  The DAC was well broken in, I had used it for years. My wife and I both agreed, that keeping it made sense, as the music sounded better!  It was quite a few years ago, I don't remember the 'details', but, we kept it.
Now, I eventually upgraded to a new DAC, and sold the BDA3 to a guy who used to own 2 of these DACs, BDA3.  He decided to buy mine, with the fuse, to see if it sounded different / better or the same. 
He told me that of the 3 Bryston BDA3 dacs he owned, mine with the SR Orange fuse sounded the best. 
I really don't understand it, but, in my opinion, it made a difference, and we liked it. 

To those whose response is (paraphrasing) I know electronics and circuitry and can tell you they don’t make a difference…. Again, as mentioned in a different thread, you can’t “think” your way through a discussion of audible changes. The only tools appropriate to evaluate are on the sides of your face. If you haven’t listened to a product under discussion, your opinion is less than helpful. 
 

If curious, try the product in your system with your ears.  If you hear and like a change, buy em. If not, don’t. I heard a difference, I bought some. The change didn’t knock my socks off, but I liked it and bought em. 
 

Kent with Pass Labs, I’m aware PL doesn’t support modifications, so I have NOT opened those boxes!  My experience relates to other gear. 🤓

One way of playing with fuse results is used (as I mentioned earlier), but also the QSA black. At $28-30, could be a fun experiment. Start with your pre or amp. I think I heard a difference… but who knows. I then moved to the used SR orange for all my main components and put the QSA in my Aurender, adding one for my sub. All in I have $270 invested in 6 fuses, a relatively low amount. 
Gemini recommendation: 

Because the QSA Black sits at the bottom of their line, it is a relatively low-risk experiment compared to their upper-tier colored fuses, which scale into thousands of dollars.

If your digital front end, source components, or amplification are highly optimized and you enjoy fine-tuning the final fractions of a percent of system performance, it is a fun trial to see if your ears detect a change in the noise floor. However, if you are looking for a massive, undeniable shift in tonal balance or power, investing that money toward room treatment, speaker positioning, or clean power delivery at the wall will always yield a more predictable, measurable return.

Audio magic thier top fuses I find $300 each a bit pricy ,but after 175 hours a more natural presentation and like them better then the $600 synergistic fuses overall 

Alfred gives you 30 days to audition for a full refund .