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Furutech plugs with hifi Tuning supreme fuses... the result not as expected


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Hi, I am after opinions and then will experiemnt.

 

I changed a few components for power in to my Hegel H590 amp some went great others not as well as thought. I have a DIY Supra 2.5mm power cable for the amp (which although not super premium I like the sound) it has a MCRU silver plated UK plug (great plating quality) with a silver plated Bussman fuse (Obviously standard quality) and a Kaiser Silver plated IEC connector.

 

https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/mcru-ref-uk-mains-plug-selector/

https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/martin-kaiser-iec-connector-2/

 

1) I changed the amplifier internal fuse next to the IEC inlet from standard glass fuse 6.5amp to a HiFiTining Supreme fuse 8amp slow blow (I know going up in amp value is not under warranty but I thought the fuse level would be OK) - sound quality went up! a good upgrade straight away without much burn in but with burn in of a few days it was very very slightly better again. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293888856937

 

2) A few days later I changed the Kaiser silver plated IEC connector for FURUTECH FI-12L (R) Angled IEC Connector Rhodium Plated - tiny tiny bit improved sound quality, maybe so small it was a placebo effect. https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/fiches-secteur-connecteurs-iec/furutech-fi-12l-r-angled-iec-connector-rhodium-plated-o18mm-p-10612.html

 

3) 5 days later I changed the MCRU silver UK plug and Silver plated bussman 13amp fuse for Furutech FI-1363G Gold-Plated Mains Plug  and HIFI TUNING Supreme³ UK MAINS PLUG FUSE 13 amp. https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/hifi-tuning-supreme³-uk-mains-plug-fuse/

https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/furutech-fi-1363-g-gold-plated-mains-plug/

 

With step 3 initially I thought sound quality decreased slightly, so I thought "OK it  needs to burn in" I have used the system for background music for a week plus its used for TV a few hours extra every night. Tonight I sat down to listen properly and I find the music (tracks I am familiar with in my system) having more weight and a little constrained, warmth has increased but "air" has decreased, vocals are smooth but some life is missing, tracks that used to have a little of a harsh edge on the recording are reduced but losing some breadth. Trumpet is smooth and round but again closed a little, guitar notes end slightly sooner..... I feel like I am missing something. Bass has increased slightly.

 

How long should a fuse and socket really take to burn in??? has anyone ever had a disappointent going to a gold plated plug from silver of Rhodium (Furutech gold plating is maybe not the quality issue but the compatibility with sound I like?) I never really read negative things about Furutech plug quality so I assume its the effect of change in my system not the quality of component.

 

With the IEC I changed from silver plated to Rhodium (pure copper underneath) and not much change to SQ but the UK plug to gold plating  with the fuse seemed to be a big change is it the gold vs silver (or rhodium) that is closing in the air around the notes and adding a weight to the tone?

 

I read this article and maybe its something to consider?

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/furutech-ncf-ac-plugs-gold-vs-rhodium-reviewed.31220/

 

I am trying to change components one by one so I understand the impact, but here I did 2 at once.

 

The HiFiTuning Supreme fuse was a great upgrade for the amplifier (£40 well spent and I was pleased!) so I I thought the wall plug & 13 amp fuse was a no brainer but I am disappointed with the plug fuse combination.

 

A £12 plug (polished pins with great quality silver plating) with a cheap fuse to a £90 highly rated gold plated plug with £40 well rated fuse seems a sensible path as long as the component quality is good it makes sense but here something is off and not quite right.

 

I was trying got go through the power supply piece by piece from IEC to plug and later to cable but I hit a bump already.

 

I will try tomorrow switching the fuse out to the silver plated bussman and then switching the plug back to the MCRU silver plated with the hifi tuning fuse and see what changes (annoying as I had to shorten the earth section to go from the first to second plug.

 

What are your experiences with a similar change to mine?

 

 

 

 

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Today I changed the fuse in the gold Fururech to a silver plated busman and the weight lifted a bit but it shows the higher edges of notes a bit bright but still a little constrained. Then I switched the socket back to the MRCU silver plated with the silver busman (back to my original) and although the leading edges were bright and some vocals a little uncontrolled it’s the sound I  know.

 

then I put the HIFI tuning supreme 3 in the silver plated plug and the bass increased, vocals smooth and guitar / piano notes very well pronounced but still a bit constrained. This is the best combination so far. I will

order another plug maybe rhodium and another fuse to try.

 

think I could go down a rabbit hole for a few weeks with this!

 

any recommendations for 13amp U.K. HIFI fuses. SR orange would be great but seems a big step in price... if it’s worth it it’s ok but any other suggestions?

 

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On 5/13/2021 at 2:02 PM, LondonDan said:

How long should a fuse and socket really take to burn in??? has anyone ever had a disappointent going to a gold plated plug from silver of Rhodium (Furutech gold plating is maybe not the quality issue but the compatibility with sound I like?) I never really read negative things about Furutech plug quality so I assume its the effect of change in my system not the quality of component.

It can take a few weeks to burn in.  

 

In addition, sometimes dissimilar metals put in direct contact with each other don’t play nicely with each other.  I’ve always aimed for keeping all metal parts the same material as best as possible.  I use Shunyata power cord and they have recommended avoiding rhodium and I think that’s the right call.  But with other brands that use rhodium, matching this with other rhodium pieces is a good way to go.

 

As far as the HiFi Tuning fuses, the SR Orange and Blue are a lot better to my ears.  And yeah the Orange is better than the Blue.

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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Thanks Kenny, I took the leap with the Orange and its on order from MCRU along with a MS HD Power MS328Rh BLUE 13A UK mains plug, Cryo`ed, Rhodium Plated. Going from silver plated UK Plug, Silver plater IEC with copper cable in between to Rhodium IEC and then Rhodium Plug seems more sensible than the gold. If I don't like the Rhodium sound I can put the silver back on and use that plug on one of the LPS instead (its where I plan to put the Hifi Tuning Supreme fuse if the Orange works out best)

 

The Fuse thing is really interesting though, such a change (not quite right yet but still), in some ways more change than my previous speaker cable swaps. Very interested to hear the shift in sound for the orange fuse in the current cable socket combo. Then I will make up a new cable using the MS Blue Cryo and Furutech IEC with a new cable length of Neotech NEP-3002 MKIII UP-OCC 2.7mm per core, its a hybrid of OCC copper and Silver plated OCC copper (pic below)

 

@kennyb123 - Shunyata has pure silver on their power chords as well as copper right? I read great things about their products! you have many cables from them in your equipment list... can I ask how did things change in your system having many cables from the same company? do you think matching cables across the whole set up as much as possible brought you the right result?

 

I have a new component on the way I need a power cable for so as I'm changing the plug and fuse for the mains amp cable then thought why not try another cable there instead and use the Supra elsewhere. I have been trying out the Neotech OCC copper in my Linear power supplies 12v cables and I like them so lets see what the power cable is like.

 

 

 

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You are paying great attention to your chain of connections and the fuse in my experience, is a great way to start. After discovering the staggering difference in fuse quality on my AS1200 class D amp, I went ahead and changed out the cheap tin fuse holder as well (at least I think it's tin). I started changing out fuses in all of my equipment, eventually settling on Synergistic orange. Not every component that I installed an expensive fuse in gained as much clarity as the AS1200 class D amp. I have a Nord class D as well but it already had a quality fuse in it.

 

I might add that for years I do not make any connection in my electronic chain without taking a brush and some Furutech Nanoliquid. Every fuse, plug, interconnect, speaker wire, tube sockets, even my cats paws (she's well grounded now). I'm OCD when it comes to connectivity of my expensive electronic gear and it always seemed to my that the better connectivity, the better the flow of music. Even when I DIY power cables, the Nanoliquid is part of the build.

 

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The Orange fuse arrived and its in a day settling in on my original cable, the difference is really nice so far vs Hifi Tuning Supreme. little less bass (so far but not by much) the best change is the notes of piano and guitar complete themselves with the gentle resonance of the strings you would hear live. (this was subdued with the HiFi tuning supreme and a little closed) the top end harshness from some vocals is now gone, the fuse is extremely capable so far, very pleased with it, big thumbs up SR Orange fuse.

 

I have to say though the Hifi tuning supreme fuse really excelled with double bass and also trumpet become super smooth, really gave a feel of that small underground jazz bar. 

 

In the meantime while the fuse burns in I am burning in the new DIY power cable with MS Power Cryo plug (the polishing and plating quality on this socket is truly incredible) the Neotech 2.7mm OCC cable looks super cool with the spirals of OCC copper and OCC siler plated copper. I have plugged it on a fan heater to burn in with the MS Power “audiophile” silver plated fuse in for now. I did try that fuse in my original power cable for the amp too, not burnt in, but seemed very similar to silver platted busman (maybe a little lees harshness on treble and vocals than the busman, I think the fuse itself is silver plated inside vs the Bussmann but I am not entirely sure as I can only find info on the MS power Cryo fuses not what they label as “Audiophile”

 

Anyway in a couple days time I will put the SR Orange fuse in the new Neotech, Furutech and MS Poer Cryo DIY cable and see how it goes! All this cable change came in the middle of me doing a network upgrade using some EdisCreation componants and Edgerouter X so I think I will for the power cable to settle before I carry on with that.

 

@MichaelHIFI yes I agree with your approach (no cat to ground here LOL but they always sit on warm things so grounding not a bad idea haha) while I don't have Nanoliquid I do have a different type of cleaner called Blue Horizon and it seems to work as I can see the dirt/ manufacturing compounds coming off even new sockets and cable ends, every tiny bit helps ;)

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I’m not sure it’s a rivet (assuming 2 points are joined together by something) it seems more like the top tip of the prong (pin that goes in the wall) went through a hole in the section connecting to screw terminals and was either forced with high pressure or cold welded to join the two parts. 
 

great question though Ralph, anyone have option on the MS power plugs either DIY or on a pre made cable?

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The quick answer is that the combination of Neotech NEP-3002 MKIII UP-OCC 2.7mm per core blend of OCC copper and OCC silver plated copper  along with the MS Rhodium cry plug and the Furuteck Rhodium plated IEC works really great together! Once the SR Orange fuze is in the plug I can't find a single complaint with the sound changes, matches my system wonderfully and really nice to assemble the cable using high quality parts... especially pleased with the cable which is basically £1 per cm but I feel it was a good investment, I am sure some more burning in to do but all the "air" around notes I felt was missing with the previous plug / fuse is present, vocals are clear and detailed but not harsh in any way. Love it!! Think now to experiment with some other Neotech cabling ;)

 

back to the network changes in the meantime....

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