Audiophiles spend thousands for a 39" (1 meter) power cord, only to follow it with an inch of conductor that costs around $3 at a local hardware store. That power cord may be highly rated, but current flow and sound quality will be constrained by the cheap fuse element at its tip. Surely, we can all agree the fuse is a bottleneck.
This presents an opportunity for tweakers, as there's nothing they enjoy more than replacing weak parts. Designers seized this opportunity by experimenting with various metal alloys for the fuse element; upgrading terminal contacts on both ends of the fuse; replacing the ceramic or glass housing with a non-resonant material; sometimes incorporating damping within the housing. Along the way, a battery of proprietary processes were applied to optimize the spigot, including cryogenics, high-voltage conditioning, and quantum treatments. Soon a niche industry emerged with a ready consumer base.
The fuse under review incorporates cryogenics and possibly other processes. When I inquired about these, Bernd Ahne, the proprietor of HiFi-Tuning, simply replied, "A magician never reveals his tricks." However, there's one outlandish feature of his new SUPREME³ Diamond Fuse he's quite open about: A high-quality, specially selected, natural diamond is embedded in its ceramic housing. Does this activate your tweaker's antenna—in counter-rotation?
The Rationale for Using Diamonds
Mine were agitated for the better part of a day, as I mulled it over. I recalled that HiFi-Tuning has been retailing audiophile fuses for over two decades and enjoys a strong reputation in the industry. Moreover, the referral came from a reliable source. But still: Other than a tweeter or phono stylus, what do diamonds have to do with Hi-end audio gear? The rationale for their use is laid out on the product webpage (lightly edited):
In the hi-fi industry, people have been experimenting with the effect of crystals on current-carrying conductors for many years… It is claimed that the spatial proximity of crystals has an effect on the conductivity of metals, but no clear documentation can be found on this.
Bernd Ahne placed a series of precious stones in mini format on his fine fuses. The stone is in the immediate vicinity of a sound-relevant electrical conductor, but does not touch it because it is positioned on the ceramic middle part of the fuse. The result: almost all of the test pieces do indeed affect the reproduction in some way. In the end, it was a small diamond that gave the feeling of a more open sound space with extended dynamics without causing unwanted side effects in tonality.
More extensive experiments showed that a gem with a high degree of purity has a better effect than a less pure one, even if the latter is larger. And the further away the stone was from the electrical conductor, the larger it had to be to have an effect. These findings led to the Supreme³ diamond fuses.
Testing Methodology
I confess, I've never gotten around to aftermarket audiophile fuses. I've only used what came with the components. So, the first step was ear-time with a good model to establish a benchmark. HiFi-Tuning offers a fuse model below the Supreme³ Diamond simply called the Supreme³, which they've been selling since 2011 (MSRP $95 and up, depending on size). The Supreme³ is available in two versions: one made of 99% silver and 1% gold, and the other made of oxygen-free, 99.9999% pure Grade One low eddy copper sourced from Cardas Audio. I requested a few for my CH Precision D1 CD Transport. I say "a few" because the fuse holder on CH Precision front-end components contains two fuses and both are active. I burned-in one set of each Supreme³ metal. (Allow three days for this. Having a signal playing is not necessary, but will hasten the process.)
Caution: Always power down and disconnect the power cord when changing a fuse.
A Little Music
I selected John Williams' Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter, and the composer conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra (DG B0035442-02). Considering Williams' long career in the film industry, I was pleasantly surprised that it engaged me right off. The short introduction, scored for low strings and harp, swiftly sets the tone, a dark and brooding atmosphere that will test the heft and grip of your low-frequencies.
Benchmarking the Supreme³ Copper in my CD Transport
With the Supreme³ Copper in my CD transport, I was eager to hear what all the buzz was about. The evidence came quickly as I listened to the harp's low strings. The previously soft and blurry notes began to separate into distinct sounds. As the first violins swept up to a mini-crescendo, they had attractive bloom and warmth—you could feel their intensity—and the transient had a little more bite.
In the following Prologue section, the soloist performs a quasi-improvisation. When the OEM fuses were in place, I had to make excuses for the violin's tone, because I knew Anne-Sophie Mutter wouldn't sound like that. I chalked it up to the recording's engineering. Her tone improved with the Copper fuse, it partially cleaned the smudged soundstage and was audible in many ways, if a little subtle. My reservations began to fall away.
Benchmarking the Supreme³ Silver/Gold in my CD Transport
I replaced the Supreme³ Copper with the Supreme³ Silver/Gold. OMG—Anne-Sophie's instrument nudged closer to a decent violin facsimile! The Silver/Gold was slippery fast and limber; the top-end was extended and still sweet; the timbral palette expanded. As image outlines firmed up, fresh low-level information emerged, helping the instrument reveal itself. The mini-crescendo of the first violins was cleaner.
The Silver/Gold eliminated the Copper's lower midrange prominence, giving the upper midrange more room in its place. Lynn and I both missed the longer sustain, warmth, and rich, burnished tone of the Copper. However, I thought the Silver/Gold's added detail, expanded timbres, and improved transients more than compensated for it. With either metal, there was a complete absence of abrasive or grating high frequencies. Both versions of the Supreme³ clearly outclassed the OEM fuses.
the Supreme³ Silver/Gold Diamond in my CD Transport
There's an audiophile concept called "truth of timbre." A low score indicates that the instruments share a lot in common and sound similar, making it challenging to distinguish which one is playing. Conversely, a high score signifies that each instrument has a distinct sound. It serves as a measure of fidelity. As I progressed through the HiFi-Tuning Fuses, the gauge was moving up.
Anne-Sophie's violin really appreciated the Silver/Gold Diamond. A shimmering aura enveloped the strings, as the image of the instrument seemed to vibrate with a palpable "in the room" presence on the John Williams Violin Concerto. This was an unprecedented experience for me: It had to be the diamonds doing something with low-level details thrown off by the instrument.
I cued up Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije, the Golden Age RCA recording featuring Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony (Analogue Productions SACD reissue of LSC 2150). A wide, deep, sculptural space unfolded, with height reaching the ceiling. The soundstage began to fill up the available real estate around the speakers with easy to read, rather large images. This 3-D molding of the soundstage became a recurring theme, growing more explicit with each addition of HiFi-Tuning fuses.
The Silver/Gold Diamond builds upon the Silver/Gold's foundation, refining every aspect: soundstage focus; resolution; speed; tonal density. The dynamic range expands, while the low-end tightens up and delivers more energy. The top-end is less soft, but still sweet.The Silver/Gold Diamond is a superior version of the Silver/Gold. (Allow six days for burn-in. The Silver/Gold Diamond takes longer to fully settle in.)
the Supreme³ Copper Diamond in my CD Transport
The Supreme³ Copper Diamond is, of course, similar to the Supreme³ Copper, only not as resonant or bloomy, and less tubey sounding. It moves away from the relaxed Copper signature and hones your view of the stage with sharper focus and greater detail. You'll enjoy its agile, hard-hitting macro dynamics.
On the other hand, when compared to the Silver/Gold Diamond, all of the copper characteristics are present. It's softer and more forgiving, lacking the speed and excitement of the Silver/Gold Diamond and the detail in the violin.
In many ways, what I heard was the classic signatures of silver and copper. The Silver/Gold Diamond's insights and high truth quotient may be your preference, while others may find its tonal balance on the bright side. Personally, I enjoy the Copper Diamond's warmth and weight, but some may perceive it as less neutral. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your definition of the grail. But it's good to have options, it gives you room to maneuver and fine tune. Keep in mind you can mix and match, i.e. Silver/Gold in the preamp, Copper in the DAC, for example.
Soundstage Fireworks with Diamonds in All Front-End Components
So far, I've used a single component to take the measure of the four fuse options. Now I graced the entire front-end with Diamonds. To cut to the chase, upgrading one component with either of the Supreme³ Diamond metals was clearly worthwhile, although a little subtle. Implementing the Diamonds throughout the front-end was transformative.
At one point, while waiting for burn-in to complete, I picked up the newspaper and thought I'd listen in the background. I didn't get past the first paragraph. Wow! It sounds big! In the nighttime atmosphere of the John Williams Concerto, the instruments in the mid and treble bands stand out as if illuminated by a stage spotlight. The strings on the violins and harp shimmer, their timbral colors vibrate instead of being monochromatic. It's that diamond effect again, much magnified. I guess Bernd would say they are adding their "natural vibration."
Depth cues on Lieutenant Kije are almost absurdly defined. It begins with an offstage bugle call. The orchestra plays softly. Then comes the rat-a-tat-tat of a snare drum from deep upstage left. Each tap leaves a lingering decay. Meanwhile, the piccolo is heard a few rows in front of the drum. Its sharp, staccato bursts have virtually no decay trail. A brass chorus arrayed across the back wall is heard next, and you can sense the players restraining their breath to keep the volume level low.
Now the Full System with the CH M1.1 Monoblocks
What happens when the entire system, including the CH M1.1 Monoblocks, is equipped with Diamonds? The overriding impression is smooth and relaxed, particularly during piano or moderato passages. There is no harshness on top; the large images have soft outlines; the soundstage is locked-in, but not at all tightly drawn. It will lull you to sit back and lower your guard.
As SPL builds up towards a crescendo, you find yourself leaning forward, as your eyes begin to open wide. The ascent is fluid and the gradations are indiscernible, rather like the second hand of an analog clock. A quartz (or digital) timepiece makes a ratchet-like motion as it advances. It wasn't piano one second, then forte the next. The illusion up front is becoming bigger. At fff, dynamics surpass what you thought possible. Massive, heavy objects are spread out, between, and behind the speakers. The front of the room has been occupied by an extreme audiophile soundstage.
This wasn't the case with all the music I listened to. Average Redbook CDs showed some of the gains described above. On a subjective scale, if these had been a 4, post-fuse upgrade they were a 5. Still worthwhile, but not huge. With higher quality discs the improvements accelerated. SACDs from my stash of BIS recordings or Japanese SHM CDs began at 6 or 7 and moved up to 8 or 9, well into demonstration quality.
And then with select SACDs from labels like SFS Media, the record imprint of the San Francisco Symphony, the mountain top was breached. The attainment of level 10 has never happened before at home. It was so engagingly different that I had to consider maybe it trespassed into sensational, beyond natural, like the wide-screen Cinerama movie experiment in the 1950's. I turned to my musical partner and asked Lynn what she thought. Although she's not an audiophile and doesn't speak the language, her musician's ears are remarkably attuned to what sounds natural. "What else do you want it to do? It sounds like an orchestra. It gives you the whole score." With that, I cast aside my reservations and succumbed to this pinnacle of at-home sound. And time has proven her right.
Sculptural Objects in an Art Gallery
There's a short scherzo by Henry Litolff on Masterpieces in Miniature, featuring Yuja Wang on piano and Michael Tilson Thomas on the podium (SFS Media SACD).
The dimensional aspect of the soundstage has always been impressive with these SFS Media discs. Now, it's like a sculpture exhibit in an art gallery. The instruments hang large and downright heavy, taking up space. Their 3D coordinates are unwavering, but they don't disturb the illusion with etched borders…after all, these are virtual objects made of air. The finest timbral shadings and details are presented passively, enough to assist credibility without seeming exaggerated.
To make sure this wasn't a one-off, I put on American Mavericks, another SFS Media SACD. While I might have quibbles about the program selection, the level 10 sonics on these discs held me transfixed on the couch.
How Does It Happen?
"How can an inch of conductor make such a difference?" I asked Bernd. Below is his email reply (lightly edited):
ALL fuse manufacturers use inferior fusible conductors made of cheap copper alloys and nickel-plated brass caps. We use the best conductive materials without shying away from costs! That's why we manufacture the entire fuse from the same high-quality material. We even go so far as to use a solder specially developed for us that has a high proportion of silver, copper and gold to connect the caps to the fusible conductors.
HiFi-Tuning is the only manufacturer in the world that makes fuses by hand!
Sometimes fuse directionality can be a factor. Bernd advised, "Normally the Supreme³'s have no direction, BUT in some installations it can happen, that the sound is improved by turning it around and listening to it again…" Like any audio wire, once you've settled on a direction, stick with it.
Conclusion
I've been aware of aftermarket audiophile fuses for the longest time, but never got around to trying them. It's not that I doubted their effectiveness, or was hesitant to try new things. I've always been an avid tweaker, as long as the product comes from a reputable source.
Well, this was a shocker. How does an inch of conductor filament have so much impact? For the kind of advance I heard, I can only assume proprietary processes—cryogenics, quantum treatments and, uniquely, the natural diamond embedded in the ceramic housing—are optimizing and amplifying the effects. Installing HiFi-Tuning Supreme³ Diamond Fuses in one component will give you a taste of what's in store, you'll know where it's going. Doing the entire system is transformative. A major upgrade comparable to installing expensive after-market component footers. Even the Supreme³ Fuses without the diamond brought gains well worth their small cost.
How do these HiFi-Tuning fuses compare to other brands? Given my lack of exposure to them, I can't say. What's for sure is audiophile fuses might be the best value in the accessory/tweak marketplace.
Supreme³ Diamond Fuses, Supreme³ Copper Diamond
Retail: from $150 and up
Supreme³ Silver/Gold Diamond
Retail: from $150 and up
Available in: 5 x 20mm and 6.3 x 32mm sizes; Slo-Blow and Fast-Blow types; a wide variety of amperage, depending on size and type.
HiFi-Tuning
Distributor information
Aaudio Imports
