If your system sound is complete, and revealing, fuses absolutely make a difference. It can be subtler or more notable depending on weak links that truncate some part of the spectrum, on system/room balance and transparency overall, and our perception. If you consider that all your component power goes through that little thing, it is easier to imagine how it can effect the sound.

Throughout, the power quality and flow is a determinant in how all the parts are "adjusted" by the power. If there is more or less noise, more or less clarity, more or less easy flow, each part or wire responds in kind....better power allowing all the parts that make our sound to be at their best... individually and collectively. So a fuse, in a sense, "conditions" the power based on the materials used and design qualities. Like different wires sound different, and different cables, depending on the type of metals used and the qualities of metals...purity and drawing methods, gauge, the dielectric used, damping, geometry, ends used, finally it all matters to whatever the wires are carrying.

Not sure where, but if you run some searches for audio fuses, or audiophile fuse, or the like, there have been discussions on this forum about them. Personally, I prefer the search button under the Decware banner rather than the box at the top...There is a pull down for when posts were made. I might set it for all.

Here, the fuse you linked to was one of my less favorite audio fuses. In my system it was a little veiled and dark, preferring the silver from the same company over that one. But this preference, like it all, starts with my particular system balance, the basis for how the  tonal balance of a fuse sounds to me. If my system is near the darker edges of "warmth," a fuse that is biased that way may not be as beneficial as a clearer one, or visa versa. And none I have tried are just alike.

It matters which direction you use the fuse also, in many cases, more notable than others, but especially after settling in a few days, I have heard a difference with all I have tried. Check around the forum though and see what you can find.

Will and GroovySauce

Thank you both for sharing your knowledge, and I appreciate the search tip!  
I will check out the audio magic fuses.

Looks like a nice fuse Pal. Thanks for the tip.

Craig,

Not sure what you are considering a fuse for. But in my early edition Torii IV, and CSP3 both (where there is only one fuse in the IEC inlet, and no additional fuses inside), the times I have blown fuses are when a rectifier goes bad. For me anyway, the few times it happened were when I put in a "new" NOS rectifier that failed on starting up. After losing a pretty costly Synergistic Research Red fuse to that, I usually remember to replace the fuse with stock when trying a suspect rectifier. Luckily I had gotten a lot of enjoyment from that fuse before I blew it .

I had no idea fuses were a thing (why am I so surprised given it's audio and EVERYTHING is a thing) until they came up during a conversation about interconnects.

What are some of your favorite fuses? It'd be great to get some recommendations to roll 2-3 and see if my ears can hear the difference.

Thanks,
Richard

Based on my limited research, the Audio Magic and Synergistic Research fuses seem to be the most highly regarded. I installed SR Orange (their latest & best) in my ZMA, CSP3+ and ZRock last year. A very noticable mprovement.

SR is running it's annual sale now, buy two and get a third free. Makes it a little less painful. These fuses are directional too.

Good luck.

HK

I recently installed two more Audio Magic fuses in my system, making them the predominant brand with only one Furutech remaining (in my ZBOX in the headphone system.)

The new ones are about completely broken in--one is in the PS Audio "Ultimate Outlet" I use in my main system, the other in the CSP2+ in my audio/visual system (a Super in exchange for an earlier "blackout" model). The subtle change they have made is to add a bit more depth to the sound and sound stage, and a bit more body to the imaging in a smoothening way (that is not obscuring any details).

In the audio/visual system it is a nice complimentary change to the other changes I made before that: a Wyred 4 Sound "Remedy" reclocker (used) with a new iFi power supply. Wow, did that help my DVR sound! I'd recommend that to anyone who is using a DVR into a DAC in their main system (in my case I run the DVR into my Oppo UDP-205 via Toslink, the only digital output on the DVR).

I can understand that. Ceramic fuses are an improvement, I've tried them.. . a good start . . .

Which component Master? I would myself not go up to the 8 amp and think that the lower one might well be safe in the component, but Steve would have the best answer (but I don't think he reads about replacement fuses on the forum).

Thanks. You know it's possible that 6.8 is a typo for 6.3. The 6.3 value seems to be a common one, 6.8 not so much.

Thanks!

I don't think so. Steve would have the best answer but I think you'll be fine.

Exactly right. No risk to your gear, just your wallet.

Paul from PS Audio does a nice job explaining the "why" behind fast v slow fuses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFlnQ1chBno

Does anyone else recall, somewhere and sometime, Steve saying that slow-blow and fast blow are both fine for his amps? I think I do, but can't imagine where to look to verify, or if I happen to be remembering this correctly, if things have changed since.... @#$%^&

I always chose slow blow for new fuses, especially audiophile ones, thinking they might be a little less vulnerable to blowing while being safe for the amp, but the fuses I have gotten with decware components in the past have all been fast blow glass.

That said, I use all slow blow.

I personally can't confirm this, as my amps were made before Steve started using those rectifier setups with fuses. In the amps I have, there is one fuse in the IEC inlet only.

I hope others with these fuses will comment, but if not, and if it is glass, I think you can usually tell fast or slow by looking at the fuse element. If it is a really thin/smooth wire throughout, it is probably fast blow. And if coiled, thickish, segmented thick and thinner, or has one or more little wide metal "bumps" on thinner wire, then I think it is likely slow.

I don't think your new fuse will blow...I would think about it as being like the one you have been using, the same amperage and voltage ratings, and both fast blow. But the new one, made for better sound, it is very likely more stable in support of vibration mitigation, and made with better materials and design, so made better! Also the power inrush people talk about at startup with big solid state amps is different than your Taboo I think!



If your amp is newer, and has the internal fuses, might be in some thread somewhere, but on the fuse threads I have seen, I am not aware of them having been experimented with and talked about yet.

But as my amps are, with no internal fuses, the IEC fuse makes a notable difference....effecting the power to everything in the amp, and therefore the sound coming out. Conceptually, the beginning of your power, seems to me it should help all the power, including that feeding internal fuses if they are part of the amp circuit.

That's all you need to do. After a while try the fuse in the other direction. Odds are one way will sound better.

Thanks Lon! Even I can't screw that up.. much

Very thorough as always, thanks will.

In my case, I havent installed mine yet in my Taboo MK 4. Im still waiting on Steve to tell me more about the 3 fuses underneath that protect the amp in the event a rectifier fails.

That said, I'm not into the idea of populating thosr 3 with more Telos quantum x2 fuses at $80 a pop.....then another for the ZRock2.

Thanks Lon, that is interesting. Maybe Ill install that Telos, but I want to wait another several hundred hours or so.

Hopefull at some point Steve will make good on your request.

Richard,

Thanks for the update on your tube use and preferences, and I too find fuses I like quite helpful.

But I am afraid I am behind, having become pretty satisfied with a Synergistic Research SR20 Quantum fuse in the CSP3, many generations old at this point, and Synergistic Reds for the PS Audio P5 and Torii, also a quite old model. In the CSP3 I like the pretty clear but somewhat richer tone of the SE20, and in the Torii and P5, both tending to warm, I like the cleaner, more "not there," Reds. I can't recall what I have in the Syngxer, but possibly a HiFi tuning silver, also pretty clean....I have WE fuse stickers taped on most of these to a nice effect, bringing out subtler micro detail and space in a fairly neutral way, and easily changed if a fuse fails.

Less concerned, not having rectifiers that could blow out the fuse if they go, I use a copper ground wire the diameter of a fuse, smoothed up and cut to fit the fuse holder for my DAC, big and complete sounding.

I almost always remember to change nicer fuses back to simple glass ones before trying questionable rectifiers. But I lost a costly SR Red one time, so came up with a good alternative I use in the Torii now. I found a slow blow glass fuse, one with a heavier, wider, smooth element, figuring it might be less prone to vibration than thin wire. Experimenting, I ended up with a 1/2+ WA fuse sticker (clean and nuanced) and 1/2 of a small Telos sticker (denser, less extended, darker and smoother than the WA) taped on. I figured the tape around the glass damped it a little too. This combination, both smoothed and clarified the sound from the fuse. It sounds clean like glass fuses, but without edginess, pleasantly a bit fuller, and subtly smooth with good fine detail. I quite like it in the Torii, and I just have to move the stickers if I blow one, something that has not happened since I found this solution due to a faulty pair of Telefunken GZ32s some years ago.

... and I just found a SR Black for $45 so that may actually be the first fuse tested. Made sure I didn't screw up and got the right Slow Blow this time

That's right Richard. The square holder is for a spare fuse if you want. When the fuse is mounted in the "hook" thing, when you press the fuse holder into place, it locks the fuse into the electrical contacts at the bottom of the of the IEC inlet.

I am glad you were able to get the SR Black at such a good price, as it uses the newer UEF technology where I don't think the Red does, the UEF being something that can be pretty impressive for bringing out nuances, space and finer resolution in general.

I suspect the fuse will smooth out some with more play. And don't forget to trade directions to see which you like best. In your setup, now would probably show enough to prefer it one way or the other, but especially once you are used to the sound and the fuse is settled in, I find it is worth checking again.

Glad it turned out to make a significant difference for you! These components are so revealing that it seems we hear every little change.

Amen. A permanent convert here! I am Enlightened  :)