Tweakers' Asylum

RE: Rega Apollo/Saturn isolation

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This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: Rega Apollo/Saturn isolation posted by doobie on November 28, 2010 at 14:06:07

If you are a Rega Saturn owner you have to try this combo tweak- three Boston Audio TuneBlocks and a Furutech 500ma 20mm Fuse. Together. Wow! What a combo.
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As per Coolhands advice I tried the TuneBlocks. Great air in upper treble, tightened lower treble. But for me they killed the midrange and bass. Hard to overlook the wonderful effect on treble though. For days I tried different arrangements even swapping to Herbies Tenderfeet and the stock footers for reference. The stock footers returned the bass but it was a little muddy and no clean treble.
On the side I had a Furutech 500ma fuse which I bought for the Rega but I am very familiar with the long rhodium burn-in time of the Furutechs, so have abstained from putting it in the Rega until I am prepared for the long burn-in wait. However I do know that the Furutechs add great bass bloom despite the 800 hour burn-in where he lower treble has a wet metallic twang. Could the Furutechs compliment the TuneBlocks 'deficiencies'
Since I am unhappy with the effect of the TuneBlocks alone I figured maybe it's time to try the Furutech fuse.
Installed it in the Saturn. Hmm great midrange but still lacking in bass and a little lower treble forward. But some promise. Maybe after that frustrating 800 hour burn-in?
Recalling a recent thread where Jihad got put in the 'cooler' after crying heresy about fuse directionality, I thought I would, on a whim, swap the fuse direction.
Now I've tried this with fuses before and noticed no difference with a change in direction. And the Furutech fuses are not supposed to be directional. Regardless, I carefully swapped it's direction making sure not to touch the fuse end contacts.
Turned the Rega back on to try out the combo with reversed fuse direction.
Wow! Everything has fallen into place!
It doesn't even have that rough non-burned-in sound!
The treble is clean, the midrange and bass are present, detailed and fleshy in proper proportion.
I can't believe the synergy and improved sound of the TuneBlocks - Furutech fuse combo. I'm shocked that this combo tweak (and a fuse direction swap?!) could work so well together.
Now I'm hoping that burn-in doesn't change this now as it's almost perfect improvement, as-is.
For someone aready using the TuneBlocks and tuned to that sound, the fuse may upset the balance. But for people still using the stock feet and happy with that general tonal balance, this combo is ideal as the overall frequency response is generally preserved but with an improved clarity from top to bottom. I would love to hear if any other Saturnians and Appolites benefit from this combo.
Oh and as per Boston Audios advice, I started with 4 TuneBlocks, but currently the best 'grip' on the played seems to be with two TuneBlocks on the left hand side (heavy transformer side) and one Tunblock under the right side. (3 total)

Edits: 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10 12/23/10

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