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Positive Feedback ISSUE 54
hifi-tuning Supreme3 Fuses as reviewed by Greg Weaver
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You are reading the older HTML site
Positive Feedback ISSUE 54
hifi-tuning Supreme3 Fuses as reviewed by Greg Weaver
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In September of 2010, HiFi-Tuning of Berlin, Germany, announced the release of their new Supreme3 Fuse line, a new, higher performing version of their well-received fuse products. What distinguishes the new Supreme3 product is its choice of conductive material. They are constructed from an alloy of 99% Silver impregnated with 1% 24 Karat Gold, very similar to the mixture used in the Mundorf Supreme Silver/Gold Capacitors. Mundorf has said that the Supreme silver/gold products consist of pure silver with a mixture of 1% pure gold. The Gold alters the crystalline structure of the silver and contributes to maximizing its, already, very good electrical conductivity. The wire drawing process results in micro cracks in the conductor's surface, while the cooling process further contributes more imperfections in the resultant crystal structures of conductors. The addition of gold to the silver allows for substantial filling of both the micro cracks and the empty spaces between the crystal boundaries. This more uniform crystal structure contributes greatly to improved transmission properties, additionally curtailing surface oxidation and the tarnishing that occur over time. Available in both .75" length GMA (5 x 20 mm ) and 1.25" 3AG (6 x 32 mm) sizes, this new line of fuses are the next logical step up from HiFi-Tuning's US-GoldČ fuses, previously reviewed by Myles Astor in Issue 51. The Gold2 and Supreme3 share a number of commonalties, including low in-circuit resistance, a ceramic (rather than a glass) body, and both lines are cryo treated by Cryogenics International for further stabilization of the conductive materials. These fuses are further resonance optimized by sheathing the internal fuse filament inside a Polyolefin tube, as well as encasing the conductive materials within black ceramics rather than the more common glass. HiFi-Tuning settled on the Polyolefin tube approach once they had exhausted other methods, including filling the fuse body with sand or glass beads. The thermal properties of this ultra-pure conductive material don't lend itself well to the use of sand, and the glass bead process made the production cost prohibitive. The final process applied to all the Supreme3 fuses is that of a proprietary quantum level treatment.
When I
reached out to HiFi-Tuning to inquire about a closer examination of
these new devices, principal Bernd Ahne responded that he would happily
send some along to appease my curiosity.
After a
brief bout of quite to install all eight fuses, I re-fired all my
components to let everything have some time to "run in." Over the next
three to three and a half weeks, I heard some exemplary, if subtle,
improvements. What stood out from the first was the notable enhancement in overall timbre, especially through the lower to mid bass, and the upper midrange through lower treble regions. Bass runs, from the thundering electric bass licks of the "Ox" Entwistle, to the engaging and often nuanced cello efforts of Janos Starker, were weightier, "woodier" sounding, and more tonally balanced. Strings, horns, and cymbals further shed most remnants of that "white-ish" sonic tinge and were rendered in a more fluid and coherent manner. Transparency enjoyed a wholesale improvement; slight, granted, but bettered without question. This comes in two forms as I heard it. First, through the reduction of a miniscule yet inclusive fine graining, offering a more liquid texture overall, and secondly, by contributing to a slight reduction of the noise floor. Spatial recreation enjoys special attention. Dimensionality takes on a slightly more focused nature, and at the same time, instrumental lines are recreated with better delineation and seemingly more accurate and appropriate size.
Both
microdynamic events and microdynamic shadings are more readily revealed,
unleashing enhanced detail and offering enhanced perception of physical
and emotional involvement. The overall result with the HiFi-Tuning Supreme3 fuses in place is an enriched clarity to the entire audio spectrum, advancing resolution in an involving manner, becoming crisper without adding glare, grain, or edginess, combined with a more natural presentation of tonality, texture, and soundstaging. They afford a heightened sense of reality, with the music being at once much more natural sounding and open, flowing with more dynamic involvement and greater vibrancy. They nudge the entire system toward a slightly more organic, authentic nature. In general, the resultant sonic effect of their installation is very similar to that experienced when replacing a component's decent AC cable (≈$150) with an excellent one (≈$1500-$2000). The total retail cost for the eight HiFi-Tuning Supreme3 fuses I installed was $540. That represents less than four tenths of one percent (0.0039%) of my overall system investment. This kind of inclusive sonic enhancement, for an outlay of only $55 or $75 each, is not only hard to replicate by any other manner I know, but reveals what a bargain they actually represent. I suppose your individual results may vary. For me, even the slight, delicate aural benefit gained by dropping $110 worth of fuses into my $4000 universal disc player, is unprecedented, and as of this writing, I honestly know of no other way to spend so little, so effectively. In my system, the enhanced clarity, focus, and transparency, the enriched, more natural and organic tonality, combined with the reduced grain and noise floor, make them a no brainer. These fuses may just afford the highest musical return on your investment available in today's market.
I've no way
to test how effective they may be with more modestly priced players or
electronics. If you step up to the plate with more affordable gear, drop
me a line with your findings; I'd love to learn what you discover. Most
musically and enthusiastically recommended!
Greg Weaver
3AG = 1.25'' (6.3 x 32 mm)
Bernd
Ahne - HiFi-Tuning Canada & USA-Distribution
Ultra
System
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