September 2024

World Premiere Review!
Synergistic Research Pink Fuses Review
Gentlemen, start your engines!
Review By Rick Becker

   First, let's dispose of all the Barbie jokes about Synergistic Research's new Pink fuses. Aftermarket fuses have been a legitimate category for years now and the Pink fuse is a lot closer to Oppenheimer than Barbie. Coming only a year after the release of the Master fuse, this new fuse caught me by surprise.

Usually, technology trickles down, and this time Ted Denney, fuse maestro extraordinaire, borrowed some tricks learned in the development of the Master fuse and his Voodoo Server – namely, a new high-voltage conditioning process that claims to improve texture and resolution. Another improvement comes from a new conductivity treatment developed for what is likely his new, yet-to-be-released, Reference power conditioner that is said to improve low-level detail retrieval, yield improved tonal color, and deliver greater dynamic performance. I suspect this latter treatment was also used on the new PowerCell 8 SX which I recently reviewed and awarded a Blue Note Award. The PowerCell 8 SX certainly exhibited those very same improved qualities.

I've reviewed all their fuses since the Black and found each one to be superior to its predecessor, so I jumped in line for the Pink as soon as word about it came through the grapevine. Andy Wiederspahn sent me a full set of Pinks for my rig just as Synergistic Research has done with their cable reviews by sending a full loom of cables. Both my DAC and phono stage were already equipped with a Master fuse.

The fuses arrived during a time of prolific changes to my system. In addition to three major show reports, I've reviewed eleven products over the past year. Nine of them now reside in my rig and four of those have received Blue Note Awards elsewhere in this September issue. There could easily have been a few more Blue Notes, these fuses among them. My rig has catapulted into the big league not through lavish spending, but through selective upgrades and synergistic tweaking.

Amid all these changes, I decided to install all the Pink fuses at once as experience has shown they take about 200 hours to satisfactorily burn-in. I ran the rig 24/7 for nine days. Periodic checking over that time confirmed this, though I must note that they sounded pretty good during the first few hours. Sound quality plummeted the next day but eventually, it superseded even my initial impression. Don't be hasty to judge these fuses. Rapid burn-in also has the advantage of staying well within the 30-day warranty period in the outside chance you want to return them. It's not likely.

The Critical Listening
The Master fuse had been reinstalled in my DAC during my previous reviews so I took a spin through my compilation CD to establish a baseline at a comfortable level with most peaks dancing around 92dB at the listening chair. I then installed the previously burned in Pink fuse, being careful to orient the label in the same direction as the Master fuse. The direction of the circuitry in your component is likely unknown, so you need to verify proper orientation by trial and error. Usually, a difference in resolution gives you a clue, especially when the fuse has not been burned in, but listen carefully. If the fuse has already been burned in, you may have to listen more carefully to get it right since both directions may sound better than your generic OEM fuse. This is inconvenient, I know, but it pays off.

Differences in tweaks and components are often more easily detected when stepping down from a superior product to a lesser one and this was the case in going from the Master to the Pink fuse. The Pink was slightly warmer, more liquid, and had slightly less resolution. However, it also seemed more dynamic with better PRAT (pace, rhythm, and timing) as evidenced by my toe-tapping. The Pink was almost as transparent as the Master but the musicians and singers were not quite as firmly planted on the soundstage. There was also a touch of glare when the volume peaked. The bass drum on the Chinese drum cut was a little more bloated, but also a little more "musical." Appropriate instruments such as the electric guitar had more bloom and cymbals had a touch of smear. If this sounds pretty terrible to you, relax. These were very small differences and overall, the music was still eminently enjoyable. This comparison, remember, was with the extraordinarily detailed Master fuse.

To put the above in perspective, I then installed the OEM fuse in the DAC. There was a much larger drop in resolution but there was still lots of transparency and dynamics. Cymbals were very smeared and became irritating after a short while, making me want to turn the volume down. Electric guitar notes had a lot more bloom. Bruce Springsteen's distant refrain in "57 Channels" was still discernable but that was due to the outstanding resolution of the MacoMacaria speakers (review forthcoming) that were equipped with Stack Audio Auva footers. When I reinstalled the Master fuse the music snapped back into focus with a solidity akin to live music with no glare. Also, keep in mind that both the preamp and monoblocks were equipped with Pink fuses during this session, so little sound quality was lost as the music moved through the system.

Pink Versus Purple Comparison
From the comparisons above, the superiority of the Pink fuse over the OEM fuse was very evident. But what if you already have a Purple fuse in a component? Is the move to Pink really much of an upgrade?

To address this question I turned to my vintage Sony ES CD player which I have used primarily as a transport since the early 1990s. At over 37 pounds, it's a tank. I recently had this re-capped and a new belt put in, along with having the digital and analog signal side of the player disconnected. Only the transport and the dashboard were operational. It also has an IEC inlet installed, allowing me to use a Synergistic Research Atmosphere Excite SX power cord. The $500 for the re-cap, belt, and disconnect of the digital and analog side of the player saved me thousands of dollars over upgrading to a new transport. The mods dramatically improved the sound quality of the transport and kept this war horse out of the landfill. Plus, my fingers know where all the buttons are and I can operate it in the dark. A sheet of ERS paper inside and a trio of Stack Audio Auva EQ footers have also helped tweak this beast to the max. The addition of a Purple fuse when I wrote that review in 2021 (before the recap) also made a very significant contribution.

Caution: Whenever changing a fuse inside a component like this, be sure to turn it off, unplug the unit, and wait at least 15 minutes for the capacitors to discharge as the voltage can be lethal. 

Always turn off the unit and disconnect the power cord when changing a fuse. Many components today have fuse holders built into the IEC power inlet or in a separate compartment with a screw-off cap accessible without opening up the unit.

After listening again with the Pink fuse installed I swapped in the Purple, being careful to maintain the direction of the fuse. I found the Purple to be grainier – the "57 Channels" refrain, in particular. Transparency and dynamics were still good, but resolution was down and the images were not as solid on the soundstage. The edges of sustained notes such as electric guitar or trumpet were a bit ragged and cymbals were splashy. The Purple fuse still has a lot of that "You are there" feeling, but the venue of "There" didn't have as good a sound system as when listening with the Pink fuse. The tonal balance was still the same; the bass was still strong. Yet there were minor differences in the way some notes landed and in the way some instruments and voices sounded.

This is not to say the Purple fuse is now garbage. Ted Denney's R&D has consistently improved the Synergistic fuses over the years, though the Purple, Master, and now the Pink have been particularly notable. Re-installing the Pink fuse assured me that Pink is the way to go – at least for my preference which is to recreate the live experience of being there at a live event or present in the mixing studio. There was no need to go back and forth with the Pink and the Purple. The difference and the preference were both obvious.

In principle, it is better to improve fuses in your sources first and then work down through your system to the amplifiers. As Ivor Tiefenbrun, founder of Linn, postulated in the 1970s, you have to start with a great signal at the source if you want a great outcome from your speakers. This also underscores a strategy for upgrading fuses starting with your source if you can only afford to do one component at a time. But keep in mind, Synergistic also makes special offers from time to time such as during The Cable Company's Annual Summer Against Hunger Charity Drive which Synergistic honorably supports every year. Such sales have been an opportunity to pick up multiple fuses at a discount.

The question arises, once again, whether I should have a Master fuse in the transport, rather than, or in addition to the DAC, as this is the true starting point of my digital signal path. Likewise, in my analog rig, would I be better off with a Master fuse in the power supply of my turntable? Those shall remain a question for another time, but from my previous review of the Master fuse, I found using two Master fuses (in the source and preamp, for example) can take the music over the top. It is also not a burning question for me as both the analog and digital sources (including my tuner, which does not have a fuse) sound far superior with the new Pink fuses replacing the Purple in the other components (transport, preamp and monoblocks.)

A Question Of Degree And Value
As I stated above, the difference between the Purple and the Pink was obvious. But this was under close scrutiny and obviously not a blind comparison. In the past, I have tripped myself up by forgetting which tweak was in the system when I returned to reviewing the next day – sometimes with surprising results. As with other tweaks, the difference is significant, but not really game-changing. The accumulation of tweaks, however, can be very significant. Hold this thought for a moment.

Synergistic Research cables rely heavily on the use of silver strands, along with a lot of additional technology as you move up the line. The results lean toward being at a live event with increasing transparency, resolution, and dynamics, along with byproducts such as inner detail, microdynamics, and tonal accuracy. The music has a lot of presence in the room. The experience of live music is typically an engaging and often physically and mentally demanding endeavor. While I may want my stereo system to replicate this feeling, not everybody does. Some prefer a warmer, more mellow presentation for relaxation rather than stimulation… or perhaps something in between.

Well, there's good news. You can dial in your system with a careful selection of tweaks without having to throw around tens of thousands of dollars. I've often said tweaks that apply directly to the signal path are the most effective (and cost-effective), and fuses would certainly fall in that category. So would contact enhancers and tube dampers. Cables themselves have a very significant impact, though most would consider them a component category rather than a tweak as you can run up some serious money for good cables.

Just for fun, I decided to dial back the immediacy of the music I had achieved with the new Pink fuses. First, I replaced the Synergistic Research Atmosphere Excite SX power cord feeding my Lamizator DAC with a copper power cord from Audio Sensibility – their Signature SE flagship model. The result with the copper cord was a warmer presentation with slightly less transparency and resolution, but still a very fine sound. The rest of my components were still using Excite SX power cords and a variety of footers. Then I removed the Stack Audio Auva EQ footers from beneath the DAC. The music lost a bit more resolution and transparency, as well as a noticeable drop in dynamics. The music was now in the "easy listening" category. These were just two changes to a single component, albeit at the source. Had I replaced the Master fuse in the DAC with the OEM fuse, the loss of sound quality would have been very significant, bordering on unacceptable to many audiophiles. When I reinstalled the Synergistic power cord and the Stack footers, I was once again a happy camper.

While each of these changes was somewhat comparable to moving up from Purple to Pink fuses, I'm not from California so I can't tell the difference between a 2.0 and a 3.0 earthquake on the Richter scale. Nor can I measure the differences in these tweaks. I can suggest that the change in fuse from Purple to Pink, being directly in line with the signal path would be my first choice to implement over adding footers. (A set of Auva EQ footers is close to the cost of a Pink fuse.) If I were starting with an OEM fuse and OEM power cord, the improvement from upgrading either one would be roughly comparable, although the fuse costs considerably less than the Synergistic power cord I am using. ($249 vs $2495.) That said, do not ignore the importance of a good power cord.

Keep in mind, too, that Synergistic fuses have value in the used market. I see them sold individually or mentioned as a value-added feature of used components on USAudiomart all the time. If you decide to upgrade a component in the future and the fuse is not transferable due to size, amperage, or speed, all is not lost.

The more significant value of adding fuses (and footers) is in comparison with purchasing a new component altogether. A reviewer of the High End show in Munich this year reported that "$90k is the new $50k" as new introductions were skyrocketing in price. My components (aside from speakers) are in the $10k or less range. And in this range, I can tell you that spending $500 for a Pink fuse and a set of footers is a lot less than spending $20k, $30k, or $50k on a new component. No calculator needed. The result might not be quite as sublime as the new component, but a gain of say 90% in sound quality for even 5% of the cost of a new component is what I'd call winning. Even if you can afford a $50k component, I'd still recommend a Pink fuse and a set of footers.

Fantasy System Review
If you're a newbie to the high-end, maybe even still in high school, think about this: I grabbed a vintage Yamaha CR-600 receiver and had a guy install an IEC inlet so I could use an outdated Synergistic power cord. Next, I ordered some banana-to-pin cable adapters so I could use the Synergistic Foundation speaker cables hanging in my closet. I'm running the audio signal from the headphone output of my Sony TV to the receiver. You could also run music from your phone to the receiver. Now think what that might sound like if I added a Pink fuse to the receiver and even a set of footers. Next, pick up some decent headphones and used speakers on Facebook Marketplace. Bingo! You're firmly planted at the entry-level with the money you've made mowing lawns this summer. We welcome all budding audiophiles.

The Finish Line
There's nothing stock about a stock car – in NASCAR racing, that is. And high-end audio isn't a lot different. At the manufacturing level, designers seek advantageous circuit designs and layouts, peppering them with the hottest capacitors and what-nots in search of the most realistic reproduction of music. Fuses, somewhat understandably, are left out of the race. What manufacturer would want to tie his reputation to a consumer with faulty house wiring, careless hands, or frequent thunderstorms? A blown OEM fuse, whether it costs $0.10 or a dollar is an inconvenience, not a hit to the wallet.

On the consumer side of the game, audiophiles are all about upgrading expensive components, cables, and now, even fuses, in pursuit of an ideal listening experience. Ted Denney has a proven track record of success in developing this category. He has taken the fuse not just as a part designed to save your component from destruction but as an opportunity to enhance your listening experience.

We discard the $6.00 OEM power cords that come with our gear and replace them with ones that cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The same approach should be taken with OEM fuses. Synergistic Research's 30-day money-back guarantee removes the risk of trying something new to make your music sound better.

I've followed Synergistic's development of fuses (and duplex outlets) since 2016 when the Black was introduced. The sound quality has improved with each new color as you might expect. I may not know the science behind this progress, but critical listening tells me it's there. I hear the lyrics with less effort and distraction. The inner detail reveals more of the passion and creativity of the players. My toes move with the rhythm unconsciously and I delve more deeply into the fantasies the music and the memories provoke. Synergistic has taken the checkered flag once again with the new Pink fuse. Gentlemen, start your engines! We're going racing in the streets.

Specifications
Type: High-performance fuse
Available in 5 x 20mm and 6.3 x 32mm sizes
Available in both Slo-Blow and Fast-Blow types
Available in a wide variety of Amperage, depending on size and type
Price: $249.95 each

Company Information
Synergistic Research Inc.
11208 Young River Ave.
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Voice: (949) 476-0000
Website: SynergisticResearch.com