This weekend I finally got around to rearranging my equipment to allow easy (well, easier) swapping of speaker cables to complete a review of some new speaker cable I'm trying. That done I decided to try the Isoclean (1A) fuse I'd purchased probably a month ago; the normally tight arrangement of the gear had me putting that off, that and some tube rolling that I probably try today ... Man!, you'd swear this was a job sometimes!

Anyway, the fuse is for the separate power supply (a BCG3.1 MKII) of my BC3000 MKII pre-amp. I started off with a fairly recent thrift shop find that I've really taken to ... Sibelius String Quarter in D minor (Budapest String Quartet, Columbia ML 502).

I listened to the first movement and then swapped the fuse (to the Isoclean) to listen again. First impression was ... Oh well, no difference, no biggie. But the piece is playing so I just listen on and then ... what the heck? I swear I can follow the Viola better.

At that point, more than just a little surprised, I decided to grab a few things I've owned for over a decade to continue the investigation. First up, the Schubert String Quintet in C (London ffrr CS 6441). I started with the stock fuse and had to admire the sound ... I haven't listened to this with my current setup and it's so obvious what I have now dwarfs previous setups. The work still has that first violin (and cellos) dominated sound but the other violin and the viola are making themselves known in a manner better than I ever remember. Switch to the Isoclean and the effect only increases, a better sense of whole, the contribution of the musical lines clearer ... less domination.

I then tried Schubert's Three Piano Pieces Op. Posth. (Evelyne Crochet, Philips PHS 900-178). It's hard to imagine a piano piece that is more lyric , in fact in parts the complex harmonies created by the doubling of certain notes does create the sensation of a hearing an accompanying male voice; it would be hard for me to believe this was unintentional (by Schubert). All I can say is that with the Isoclean this effect is enhanced to the point where the result is almost uncanny and a touch spooky!


I returned to it this morning to have another go at the Sibelius than only confirmed my impression. I also tried one of my favorite evaluation Jazz tracks, Bottoms Up from Ron Carter's 1983 "Etudes" (Elektra); Art Farmer (trumpet and flugelhorn), Bill Evans (tenor and soprano saxophonist), Tony Williams (drums), and Carter (bass). For me this is High Art, excellence via sophisticated subtleties, musically poignant and significant yet at the same time allowing for playfulness and whim, it's got it all! This is a fine example to my mind of why audiophiles sweat the details because anything that gets one closer to such performances is worth it ... and the Isoclean does just that!

Well I'm sold. For $30 this is beyond a no-brainer.

Are you ready for it? There going to come after you telling you its all in your head. Enjoy.

Well I guess hearing differences when changing speakers or other components could also be in the head.

But if you like the difference, thats all that matters. We are talking about $30 here. Actually it costs me $90 cuz I ended up changing it in my amp, pre-amp and cdp. Guess I have eat out one less time to pay for it.

B's,

If you liked the fuse in your pre, you will really like the difference if you put one in your amp as the gains are more compared to the fuse in the pre. I have one in my amp, pre and cdp.

Liked your review!

okay, so i am sold except for the fact that these are slow blow only....and i bet all the fuses you replaced were fast blow, so the level of safety / protection does change....

who did you end up buying from? and was it hassle free?

The luddite airforce will soon be in the sky above you, better man the bunker.

I wouldn't know about the fast/slow blow issue, however the old one does have the same coil looking construction (the conductor). Can't say I'd be much concerned as it goes through a line conditioneer anyway, and besides I like to live on the edge ... of my listening chair being captivated by the sound my system makes.

Got it at Ovation Audio ... no hassle, in fact I always enjoy visiting Ovation, great place, good guys!

Do you mean the redneck contingent who undoubted will read overt challenge in the words "uncanny and spooky"???

How do you know the fuse B replace are fast blow and not slow blow ?

The fuse I replace in my amp, pre, and cdp are all slow blow.
The only fuse that is fast blow is the rail fuse.
The one that protects the equipment at the power switch is usually slow blow (to allow for power on/off "spike").
Thats what I was told.

To be sure, just read the user manual and it tells you whether the fuse are slow or fast blow.

Oh oh....here we go again. Everyone should put up their umbrellas in about 12 hours.....it'll help reduce the fall-out effect.

B# it's about time,I think I told you you would like what it does for the BC gear.Slow blow fuses,in the BC power supply and the only fuse there is.If you have slow blow fuses in your amp don't wait another month,buy them and install them now.What's going on out in British Columbia and the fuse test?

I am also awaiting the fuse test. I am more interested in whether the naysayer report any difference or not.
Like B said, when I first installed it, I also dont hear much difference (the placebo effect should result in me resulting in immediate difference if my head is fooling me.) Upon more time with it, I did notice the improvement.
For me, it makes the biggest difference in amp and pre-amp, cdp the least.
However the difference is more apparent in a system that is properly setup (speaker placement and room acoustic taken care of first.)

Folks, I thought b......'s post was interesting, but I am disappointed in the some of the replies. It's as though some people are hoping that a fight will break out....almost encouraging it to happen.

I don't know what kind of fuses should be used in my ARC SP15 and where to buy the fuses. I would like to try.

Mike at Ovation Audio
www.ovationaudio.ca Phone 1-905-727-2004

Click on the Quinceton banner on the Cam home page to ask for a dealer nearer you in BC