Advisable or not, cannot(do not want to) comment. Sound improvement, yes for me, I use Synergistic Research Orange.
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Agreed. In high-end audio, just about everything matters, including fuses. One of the most surprisingly effective upgrades for me was replacing my stock wall outlet with a Furutech GTX Rhodium outlet. Crazy!
You can try Synergistic fuses for 30 days and see if they make a difference in your system.
I think that may only apply in the USA and/or from certain dealers. I have never seen a similar offer in the UK.
The answer to the first part of your question is already answered in the above postings. It should have the same value as the one already supplied by dCS . If you do nor know what this is your user manual will tell you in the section dealing with replacing fuses.
As for directionality ( if such a thing exists) the fuse holder with dCS equipment makes it hard to judge which way round the fuse is in relation to the actual circuit when inserted as you cannot see. So try it both ways.
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Hi Erno,
Apologies is this is a dim question but is it likely to be the case that the fuse should be inserted into a fuse holder in the same direction with other manufacturer’s equipment I.e. the current generally flows in the same direction with respect to the fuse holder? I’m talking specifically about fuses that can be accessed via a fuse holder from outside the component, not where you have to take the lid off.
Thanks, Mike.
Synergistic Research has a 30 day money-back policy for purchases through any dealer, world-wide.
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Sorry, I have no idea.
In general the advice is to break in the fuse, 200+ hours of listening. Then try it in both directions to see which is best.
Also, see the thread that Ermos linked to that discussed the Synergistic fuse direction for dCS:
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I haven’t alteed the specification of any internal equipment fuses but I’ve fitted a cardas shuko wall outlet feeding an EU specification Denali, thus eliminating numerous mains fuses.
I cannot advise how suitable or safe this setup is for anyone else but I understand that all my mains leads are protected by the type b mcb feeding my dedicated HiFi ring.
I Just spoke with a dealer here for SR fuses and he was far more keen on Quantum Science Audio ones. These go up to £2200 per fuse which seems reasonable to me. Given that in the UK there is a fuse in the mains plug as well as the component itself I need 24 fuses . So that is only £ 52800 .This must be the right way to spend my money for the biggest audio improvement. It is clear to me that the Apex upgrade could not be as significant. I understand that they make Florence Foster Jenkins sound like Jessye Norman. So, unless anyone dissuades me, I shall order two complete sets as I like to keep spares in case they blow.
for anyome not appreciating heavy irony.
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David, do I deduce from your post that you are based in the UK or Ireland?
I like the idea of substituting the UK fused plugs with Shuko where there is a dedicated mains circuit i.e not part of a ring main. In fact when we were part of the EU there was a move ( later abandoned) to make Shuko legitimate here. However without being authorised for UK use I have to point out that there is a risk regarding insurance cover.
I read that the use of Schuko sockets is allowed within the UK regs as long as the circuit is fused accordingly. Of course, this may disappear now we’ve left the EU and, perhaps more significantly, many electricians won’t have delved this far into the more obscure reaches of the regs, so would probably say ‘nah, mate’.
It’s not electricians that we need be concerned about but loss adjusters.
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Agreed, but if it is in the regs, I can’t see how a loss adjuster could complain.
My point about the electricians was more that, if you can’t find one to fit such a socket, the loss adjuster becomes a moot point (unless you attempt it yourself, which I wouldn’t recommend).
It is NOT in the regs as far as I can find out. That is not to say that it may not be hidden away somewhere but all references I am able to come across state without further ado that unfused plugs are illegal in the UK. The reason is straightforward. All opinions ( in brief) are based upon the UK use of a ring main and the maximum load it can cope with.
Loss adjusters are not expert electricians. They are just as “expert” in judging the replacement value of your carpets or freezer contents after an electrical fire .What you said about the average sparks applies equally to loss adjusters :
The same goes for the loss adjuster. Given a fire where you have to move into a hotel or other temporary accommodation maybe you could argue and win your case about the use of Schuko plugs. However it may take months including a reference to the Financial Services Ombudsman. The insurance company is not going to be paying for your hotel meanwhile.
I have not said don’t do it but the possibility of insurance difficulties cannot be overlooked.
Of course as you say, if you can’t get it fitted in the first place…
BTW, ever tried instructing a local British electrician that you want a dedicated circuit for your audio system? You may as well have asked him to write 3,000 words on the Edo culture in 17th century Japan.
…all references I am able to come across state without further ado that unfused plugs are illegal in the UK
This was certainly not someone that understood the regs and they shouldn’t be so hasty in making such a proclamation! Older round pin sockets are still allowed (and used for lighting), the appropriate plugs don’t have fuses
As I say, I seem to recall the regs did have a clause in there that allowed for this, but the section was a little obscure and dependant on the same level of safety provided as a UK socket (which could be open to interpretation).
I’ve haven’t revisited this subject recently as putting in a dedicated line with such sockets is not something we have planned in the immediate future. However, I would make sure I understood the regs very clearly before wiring in a Schuko socket into the ring mains.
I can’t answer what an insurance company would do. Some would undoubtably do anything to get out of a claim…
I love the comment about getting a local UK electrician to install a dedicated fuse box - exactly the experience I had when asking for a dedicated fuse box, although he was friendly and professional so still fitted it for me, after telling me it was a total waste of my money……