$39 gold-plated fuses improve sound quality

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

Isoclean makes audiophile-grade gold-plated fuses. This fuse is a "tweak," an accessory that promises to improve the sound of your hi-fi.

Audiophiles eat this stuff up. We put special cones or pads under our equipment to eliminate bad vibes, plug our electronics into AC power line conditioners, and buy equipment stands to coddle our components.

Isoclean isn't the first company to offer audiophile fuses, and I can't say I'm game for these types of tweaks. They reek of "snake oil" silliness, but an audiophile buddy couldn't stop raving about the difference the Isoclean fuses made to the sound of his hi-fi, so I decided to give them a try.

My Magnepan 3.6R speakers have a total of four fuses (two in each speaker), and the fuses are $39 each.

Each Isoclean fuse is packed separately with a thick cleaning cloth you use before installing the fuses. The gold plating is of a high quality, and with the supplied cloth, I buffed it to a shine.

Also noteworthy is the fuses' glass body, marked with a direction arrow. Isoclean recommends experimenting with reversing the direction of the fuse to see which direction sounds better (turn the gear off when reversing the fuses).

To cut to the chase, yes, the fuses did make a difference. The sound was fuller, weightier, and the stereo imaging was more 3D with the fuses in the speakers. Was it a jaw-dropping improvement? No, but it was there.

Audiophiles looking for a little boost to their sound should check out Isoclean fuses. You can use the fuses in some speakers, CD players, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, and other devices.

[oconnellc]

Couldn't you at least pretend that you did a double blind test so that these kinds of statements would be something other than ridiculous? I'd love to hear the explanation of how gold made these speakers sound better? Somehow they lowered the impedance of the speaker? Ok, just find a different fuse that has a lower resistance... And I love how you should play with the arrow so that they are pointed in the correct direction. Isn't the current AC, meaning that it flows in both directions? How could some directionality affect the sound.

As someone who loves great sound, snake oil like this stuff makes me mad. And, it makes everyone who loves great sound just seem clownish by association.

[papagers]

Read about these fuses. When I told my friend about it, we both had a good laugh. Out of curiosity, he bought a few furutech fuses and swore they changed his sound for the better. Sensing my disbelief, he brought one over and I put it in my preamp. Sorry to say but even if I was prepared to dismiss it as "snake oil", it really did improve my sound. When I put back my stock fuse, the sound clearly shrunk and lost some sparkle. I didn't have to strain to hear the change.

I've read many of the comments explaining why replacing a fuse can't possibly make any difference. They all made sense in theory. I wish I could agree but my (and my friend's) ears didn't lie.

Doesn't it happen that audio equipment that test poorly in the lab, sound great in the listening room? My fuse experience reinforced my belief that there are still many things about our hobby that we don't understand and can't explain. At some point, we just have to stop theorizing and start listening.

[1812dave]

I bet you think Monster cable products are worth the price too!

Dude, If I were to swap out the fuses for you in a blind test, I'd bet you my stereo system you couldn't tell the difference unless the other fuses were defective.

Talk about snake oil!

I spent years frequenting hi end audio salons. Interconnect cable quality, special speaker cables, isolating feet for equipment, et al is all in the mind of the foolish purchaser. Granted, if one uses a grossly inferior cable the sound can be affected, but for all intents and purposes the equipment itself, including amps, preamps, sourcing equipment, speakers, and room acoustics, make up all sonic differences. Tweaky accessories are for fools.

[soundman45]

I sometimes wonder if the definition of Audiophile means Naive Idiot ???
First of all it would have to be assumed that all 1-1/2 to 2" of the fuze is the weakest link in the wiring chain of the loudspeaker. I seriously doubt it is. Besides intantaneous double blind testing which would be very dfficult in this situation, seeing as you have to swap four fuses in and out, did you ever try measuring the resistance of the various fuzes to see if there is a difference ???

[DR.Bod]

I wonder the same thing...

[oconnellc]

This bugged me so much, I had to check out the website for this garbage. If you even read their website, you can see how this is all so much bunk. They state that other fuses can deteriorate because of metal fatigue due to carrying a high current for extended periods. That means that if you compare these fuses to new fuses of some other kind, there would be no difference. It would only be after the other fuses get old and start to experience 'metal fatigue' that you could possibly notice the difference. Even if this isn't total bull, you should then just be able to spend $10 on regular fuses and replace them every once in a while. And, there is no idea how long these fuses will last before they start to experience the same fatigue. It might be longer than regular fuses, but I can't believe that they experience NO fatigue. Won't you still end up having to replace these things as well?

[Surjnarine]

Balanced audio cable and most quality analog cables make a difference. Granted it doesn't have to be a brand name. I like Monoprice.com. The Radioshack's gold cables were a joke, only the connectors were gold and no tought was put into the cables themselves. The were just regular coax cables.

[dennisl59]

I have a Perpetual Motion Machine I'd like to sell you Mr. Steve Guttenberg.

But the best part of the Article is the "Directional Arrows" on the Fuse!

Manufacturer:
TRC Development (HK) Ltd
B-1307 Sea View Estate,
2-8 Watson Road, North Point
Hong Kong
Tel : [phone]
Fax : [phone]
Email : [e-mail]

Sir, you are a complete, utter and total MORON.

Thank You.

[pubmat]

That wasn't necessary sir. You are rude.

[Marcus Westrup]

Gold plated devices are best used in gold plated sockets. Otherwise, DC current may cause gold to diffuse into the contact point with a dissimilar metal.

Here is an excerpt from the literature: "copper and gold tend to undergo solid state diffusion into each other (with copper doing so at a faster rate); the process is accelerated by increased temperature. Copper on a trace surface oxidizes, resulting in increased contact resistance (copper migrating into the gold can cause the gold to tarnish and corrode). "
And note that Brass contacts are mostly copper.

If there was any difference found in this test, it's came from replacing a dirty fuse with a clean fuse.

[minimalist]

So much of this nonsense is snake oil crossed with wishful thinking. If you pay enough for something and it makes you feel like you are part of an elite group then you will find ways to convince yourself that what you hear or see is indeed better. Same thing with wine snobs.

But take away the price tags and the techno-babble and it a different story. In blind tests it seems that many wine snobs can't tell the difference between their hundred dollar bottle and a 12 dollar one. High end cables and coat hangers do the same thing to audiophiles in blind tests as well:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

[one_flat_monkey]

Look, here comes the Emperor now. What a stunning outfit.

xD

[fsck_101]

hahahaha. fuses. gold plated. sure.

[FH1042]

isnt April 4 a little late for an april fools joke?
http://thebestpoweredspeakers.blogspot.com/

[alegr]

Steve,

Here is a wonderful cable you'd want to buy:

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AKDL1-Dedicated-Link-Cable/dp/B000I1X6PM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1238978003&sr=8-1

I bet you'll notice the difference!

[one_flat_monkey]

what's really cool about the link you provided, since it's amazon.com, is that 23% of customers buy that 500 buck Denon enema hose, and 36% buy the $1 HDMI cable (originally $39) from DVI. of course, shipping is $3, but lemme see...

$4 or $500...hmmmmmm. i coulda had a V8 ! ! !

[pubmat]

Hilarious link alegr.....is that thing for real??? The reviews by purchasers are pricelessly funny...are they for real too?? Great stuff.

[alegr]

Pubmat,

Who said those are "purchasers"?

On an unrelated note, once, an amazon item (a furniture thing) was messed up and its SKU ended up as a price (something about 300,000). The "purchasers" didn't miss a chance to have fun with that. Sadly, I forgot how to find it anymore.

[pubmat]

I didn't think they were actual "purchasers". No, I'm not THAT stupid. Maybe you didn't understand the irony.

[Brandonius Maximus]

How do you sleep at night selling snake oil for a living? People who think they can tell the difference in audio quality between two wires of equal current transfer capability are no different that the "psychics" who claim they can see auras around people. It's complete *********.

[anigbrowl]

Unbelievable.

For the last 10 years I've been a recording engineer, production sound mixer for film and TV, and post sound editor or supervisor. I'm used to working on Pro Tools systems that cost as much as a luxury car. We use normal mains cables, audio cables and fuses.

Sorry Mr Guttenberg, but you and your fellow 'audiophiles' are a source of constant amusement to professionals in the sound industry. You're either an idiot or a fraud.

[research1st]

Steve, Steve, Steve....
C'mon on now.... You've been in this business long enough to know that the whole "gold" whatever is just a con to extract money from people wallets. And the whole directionality thing almost made me cough up a lung from laughing so hard!!
I can't believe your falling for this..... Or are you really...?

Enough said about "Gold Fuses".

In some of the earlier posts, people mention cables and quality thereof....
For the most part I agree...
Sound quality and cable performance is not necessarily about the gauge of the wire, gold connectors, or whether it is solid copper. With wiring and cabling it's about the shielding!! Most of the cheaper cables will carry the signal just fine. But mix it in with that rats nest of power cables and other wires behind our systems and that's where you will introduce noise and other interference. I've solved many a noise/interference problem by going to better cables that have better sheilding....

[troyoverton]

I apologize for being late to the party fellas, but it appears that all that needs to be said... has been.

[sixty9y]

It's a shame people are so intolerant to ideas outside their excepted standard norms. It's almost as if you were telling them the earth was round. I may be skeptical when confronted with strange new ideas, but i'm not about to tear people down and bully them. Funny how most people who are so close minded about cables and fuses have never heard a great system (as if Monster cables are even considered hifi equipement).

Seems to me when it comes to audio, people are so biased and always asking for the proof vs listening for the phenomenon for themselves. Why is it when cancer researchers find a link between a certain diet and cancer without being able to explain the link, people are more excepting and tell me not to eat this or that cause it causes cancer.

Personally i don't understand the validity of these blind listening tests that supposed debunk cables and the like. If you put me in a room with a system i never heard before i doubt i could tell you the difference between cables or fuses either. Give me a couple of days with the system to understand it's limits and then let me compare. It's like if you put me into a ferrari, tell me to drive around a track, then change the suspension setting and tell me to drive around again i wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I would just be so overwhelmed with driving a Ferrari!

BTW, furutech fuses are even better,

[minimalist]

Blind tests don't lie. 40 dollar fuses comes with all sorts of mitigating factors that will inevitably color one's judgement: social status, elitism (audiophiles do love their little club) , stubborn optimism (nobody likes getting taken), etc.

Seriously if you want to buy this stuff, knock yourself out. But its voodoo nonsense like this that gives audiophiles a bad name and makes it so easy to not take them seriously.

[oconnellc]

BTW, how can you tell furutech fuses are better? Wouldn't you need to listen to them in your system for several days in order to tell the difference?

[sixty9y]

I've tried different fuses: Hitech, isoclean, and furutech in my system.

Hitech: smalll difference, don't think i could pick it out in a blind test.

isoclean: better, something i did pick out in a blind test (performed by my girlfriend) but not something i had to have.

furutech: Transformed my system. As big a difference as going from crappy Monster cables to actual audiophile cables.

[oconnellc]

sixty9y, you have to be kidding. You mean you are going to compare a scientific study with controls, etc. with you doing a comparison between subjective cases with known changes? You have to be kidding! Even if you did have time to mess with the stereo so you could get used to its characteristics, you would still have to do a blind test when comparing whatever it is you changed. Are you saying that you would get an honest result when doing a test that started out with "First, listen to this system with crummy component X... Now, listen to it with high fidelity component Y. Tell me, which sounded better?"

Snake oil...

[sixty9y]

Can you hear the difference between 128kbps encoded mp3's and cd qualtiy music? Maybe on some cheap headphone you wouldn't be able to, but with better ones you can. In any case I'd consider the difference between a stock fuse and a "snake oil" fuse to be more apparent difference.

[oconnellc]

The difference, sixty9y is that there is some physical explanation for the difference between a 128kb mp3 and some lossless format. There is a mathmatical explanation for the difference. These fuses are advertised as being better because of some quality of the metal knows as fatigue. That means that the difference would only be demonstrated after the inferior fuse has begun to show this symptom. For a new $.30 fuse, they would be exactly the same, no? If not, please try to give me some explanation for why you think this is the case. Also, in the same post, please demonstrate that you know the definition of the phrase 'placebo'. Thanks.

[Aaudio_imports]

THE STOCK FUSE IN ALL ELECTRONICS IS THE WEAKEST LINK.

My name is Brian Ackerman from Aaudio imports. We are the North American reprehensive for Isoclean power products, as well as 8 other high end audio brands from Europe.

You can visit our website at... www.aaudioimports.com

Isoclean was the first company to introduce an Audio Grade Fuse in the market about 5 years ago. Since then several other companies have followed, and there has been millions of high grade fuses sold to audiophiles all over the world.

Other well respected review companies have written about the Isoclean fuses;

check my website at... http://www.aaudioimports.com/ShowProduct.asp?hProduct=37

Isoclean fuses are the only Audio Grade Fuse that has all the safety approvals (UL, SA, PSE, CE). In addition every Isoclean fuse goes through a series of strict testing and measuring before packaging. If the fuse does not meet the proper specifications it's not sold.

I understand why many people who haven't tried these fuses think it's a scam... In fact when Isoclean first introduced them I thought they were crazy... Until I put one in my Einstein preamp and immediately heard the improved clarity, lower noise floor, increased resolution and extended frequency range.

So I started testing them on all my electronics; including amps, preamps, cd, dvd, processors, tv, projectors, line conditioners ect... and the improvements on both sound & video were noticed on every component.

Who can explain why these Audio Grade Fuses make such a difference, except for improving the conductivity in the AC path. But until you have tested them for yourself all your negative comments meaning absolutely nothing! So if you enjoy your Stereo & Home Theater, keep an open mind when it comes to the fine tuning your system.

You may be surprised with the results!

[anon48]

But until you have double-blind tested them for yourself, all your positive comments mean absolutely nothing!

[alegr]

I think it's a great opportunity to start a multi-level marketing operation selling those fuses! That herbalife thing is getting old.

[oconnellc]

You mean your totally subjective comment, coming from someone who sells the product in question, should be taken more seriously than someone who just wants SOME physical explanation for why the circuit in question would be different with these fuses than they would be with some other fuse. Any reasonable physical explanation at all would do...

[ErnieTheBear]

THE STOCK FUSE IN ALL ELECTRONICS IS THE WEAKEST LINK.

My name is Brian Ackerman from Aaudio imports. We are the <i>North American reprehensive</i> for Isoclean power products, as well as 8 other high end audio brands from Europe.


Auto-spell - It cuts both ways, doesn't it?

[zed]

Yes, Brian, what you do is "reprehensive " as you say, even though you misspelled your misspelling, selling overpriced gizmos that do nothing more than a $0.10 replacement would isn't illegal, but it should be. Of course Stupidity should be illegal also, but that's a different story.

[anon48]

Mr. Guttenberg, you have written an absurd article. You have probably experienced the audio equivalent of the placebo effect: http://www.provide.net/~djcarlst/abx_plac.htm.