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RE: AC Fuse orientation

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In Reply to: RE: AC Fuse orientation posted by Japesgalore on April 17, 2010 at 19:57:53

As I mentioned below, if ever fuses were directional, if ever it was even audible, the fact that it's AC going through the fuse makes it by definition NOT directional.
But let's say you really hear something. Please do this. Ask you girlfriend/wife (or do it yourself with your eyes closed) to choose the fuse direction and put it in.
Listen, for however long you need, even if it's three days. Then have her reverse the fuse, listen for however long you need, and choose which one was which.
Repeat the experience say, 5 times, 10 if you can, but maybe only 3 will be enough.
Based on your description of what you're hearing, (harsh and uncomfortable sound) you should be right about 9 times out of 10.
Except you probably won't be. Then you will have learnt something. On the other hand, if you are right 8 or 9 times out of 10, I will have learnt something.
I think a lot of people lack the intellectual honesty, or more simply the patience, to perform such a test. I've started doing it and believe me, it's enlightening. When I blind-tested myself, and chose the right fuse on my first try, I almost stopped the test right then because the differences were soooo obvious.
On the second try I attributed those exact same amazing differences, which I heard again... to the wrong fuse, the stock one.
As I said, we can HEAR things that don't exist. We don't "imagine" them, our brain actually creates them, so we HEAR them. I'll always remember buying Totem Beaks for a pair of Mani2s years ago. The salesman demonstrated them in the shop and Wow! I bought them immediately.
I came home, installed them, nothing. I tested them with friends, nothing. That taught me a lot about perception and psycho acoustics.
I don't think the answer "lies in some aspects of the science and electricity humans have yet to touch on", but mostly on matters of perception.
So please do a blind-test, it's the only way to judge these things and make our hobby move forward.
JB

Edits: 04/18/10 04/18/10

Follow Ups:

RE: AC Fuse orientation - Japesgalore 08:29:13 04/18/10 (2)
It's probably more to do with patience and certainly nothing to do with being 'intellectually honest'. What, it's my duty to prove something to people here?! For me it's more about not allowing anyone to tinker with my shit - it's paranoia. I've tested the phenomenon sufficiently for me to asert that I have chosen the direction which helps me to enjoy the music more. I wish for others to experience the same joy of enlightenment, it's why I post, but I know that in some cases the results won't be repeatable, and for all sorts of reasons.
This from a post I wrote somewhere below, it's apt in reply to your comments about perception (should you use quotation marks when quoting yourself?):
"Perceptions are a fascinating subject and something I wrestle with all the time to try to get through to the objective truth. I've got better at it with practice. The method is a most important life lesson and is what makes this hobby particularly 'deep', in my view."
In the case of the orientation of my fuse, I know that I know what I know. In fact there was a moment during the swapping where I dropped the fuse and lost track of which way round it was. I continued the process a little while longer and was able to conclude that one way *seemed* to offer a better presentation of sound.
The litmus test really is listening over several days and not actually focusing too much on the sound, but being aware how your body grooves to the music. Not enough audiophiles seem to do that, IMHO. It's quite different to listening while swapping sth. back and forth - I'm totally unsure of the conclusions I draw under such conditions.

Edits: 04/18/10
- RE: AC Fuse orientation - Sebrof 14:52:09 04/18/10 (0)
  Japesgalore - Just to clarify my points.
  What I read into your posts is that you made a change, you think it made a positive difference, you like what you hear, you're moving on. I certainly have no problem with that and you're right that you don't need to prove anything.
  I just offered another reason that might be causing your experience.
- RE: AC Fuse orientation - jbcortes 09:19:22 04/18/10 (0)
  The "intellectual honesty" bit wasn't directed at you, just a general remark. You seem to me perfectly honest and moderate in the way you share your experience.
  
  I do agree that listening over a few days is better as it removes stree from the equation, that's exactly what I suggested.
  
  If you're happy obviously that's perfectly fine, I'm not saying you should absolutely tinker any more.
  
  It's just that since we're on the subject of fuses, and even more precisely, their so-called orientation, and since I've been going that route myself two weeks ago, I'd like somebody to volunteer for a proper blind-test and share the results. :)
  
  For me, and in MY system, it was obvious that "audiophile" fuses are total waste of time and money. But I would not have reached that conclusion had had not done a blind-test. Had I not done one, I like you would've settled for one direction which would've killed the nervosa.
  
  My latest experiment with tweaks have led me to think that vibration control is where huge benefits can be reaped. Unfortunately, it's usually more expensive than fuses! ;)
  
  JB

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