Wow, I’ve been finding exactly the opposite. When in my ATC 50 active towers I replaced UP’s with Purples, the former’s aliveness being tantalizing but leaning a little bit more than I prefer toward neutral, after 2+ weeks of burnin the sound was very pleasantly warm and listenable in that sense, sort of in the direction of old RCA rectifiers, but not nearly syrupy. When I then took one of the UP’s and stuck it in the P15 and gave it four days, the live quality is there in spades, but along with it a sense of brightness or what I called above, “pitch elevated.” For example, baritone singers (Andy Bey, Jonny Hartman) sound very clear, but their chesty depth is not quite down there. That’s why I was asking about the M-1. But it seems these fuses are having really widely varying effects depending on the system and perhaps listener’s tastes.
Btw, the M-1 aside, as I haven’t heard it, the QSA Reds are on another level, and they are third or fourth down in QSA’s line. Of course, one pays for it! There’s a thread on What’s Best Forum, “QSA : My take on their expensive products.”
That is an interesting finding, but I am not surprised as different systems may give different results. M-1 matches better with Purple than with U.P. in my case.
I am trying to determine if my 3 M-1 fuses have robbed my system of Bass or if they have made it so clean it just sounds different. When I visit friends with subwoofers I really notice the Bass. But then I remember I always ran my subs a little higher in level because it was more fun. I think everyone except @minnesotafats does this.
M-1 fuse alters the sound more than other fuses, I think. Is it possible the bass level is the same but other frequencies were boosted? You may try to put one stock fuse back into the system to see if you like it better.
What do you mean by you really notice the bass? One shouldn’t hear the subs in a well set up system, but maybe you mean something different. As in the bass notes are really clear and that catches your attention.
Interesting observation. I have M1s in all my components except the mono amps. I find some recordings seem to have less bass. It’s there and articulate but seems to be on a diet. Will have to research some more. I don’t have subs to bump or damper the output. I thought I had enough issues with other tweaks, like tubes. Now fuses are in the mix. God help us.
Most of the people I know who have subs know how to correctly set them up so they do not call attention to themselves. But few choose to stay there. Most of them, and I was long guilty of this choice myself, choose to listen to their inner teenager and turn them up a bit.
When I had subs people would ask me “are the subs up a little over the top?”.
“Yes they are. Would you rather I turned them down a bit?”
I have noted your observations and the M-1 fuse seems to tilt the B&K and FletcherMunson curves, from what I expect to hear. It oddly at times seems upward tilted from another room. But in room volume adjusted it can be incredible and seemingly balanced.
I stated a few days ago that some recordings that are poorer you have to hunt it out for optimum volume more so than before M-1 . Other better SQ recordings have a wide preamp volume band that there is no wrong volume for the room it seems. You can listen softly or push it right of 90 dB and above no unbalanced noted.
I have been tempted to test whether there is a tilt upward by rebalancing my RoomPerfect DSP algorithms with the microphone room measurements procedure. That is about an hours time with HT transducers also being volume optimized. If the fuse is tilting response it will correct bass by not dialing it back. Last measuring was made with Purplesthey had tilted bass upwards. Perhaps it is time to test the hypothesis. Maybe I will like M-1 better with bass DSP auto adjusted to Lyngdorf room perfect room target algorithm curve optimization, maybe not? I do really dig being able to hear everything in the recording. Question is will that stay, if DSP dials the bass back up.
I am curious enough to give it a go and try to determine if the M-1 is truly lowering noise floor or is just EQing the signal or perhaps a combination of the two.
If the M1 could lower the noise floor…how would
it do this?
Have often wondered if indeed the M1s and Purples are
acting as some form of Eqing is taking place…
Originally my thinking was and still is that these fuses simply allow
for a greater and easier current flow feeding our gear…
yet your above post makes me wonder…
The objective side of measurement involves pink noise and analyzing RTA plots at listening position and 3 foot in front of speakers with the room perfect engaged and disengaged.
This could be done with different fuses if you want to get sort of scientific
Roger Russell that designed my speakers used the B&K curve. He was a true sound engineer . Roger was a bass junky and voiced to have roll off of highs but he also voiced my XR290s in a room comparing live instruments to recordings as well as measuring in an anechoic chamber. The Lyngdorf Room Perfect corrects for bass and takes away not adding. Roger was insistent I not use DSP with his masterpiece McIntosh speakers but di appreciate timing correction could be good. Though he also loved bass and treble equalization on his IDS-25. To get them flat Below are some plots about 6 years ago without and with the DSP playing stereo at listening position and before it installed side diffusers or any panels. So there were a few bumps frome side reflection but pretty good compared to the BK plots.
I haven’t done RTA curves in a while. I should see how they look after adding passive diffusers and bass absorbers. Not to mention all the other system and cable tweaks.
My thoughts were to first just rerun room perfect and listen since it was last ran with purple fuses. Then see how it sounds different for bass and details before and after
But Pink noise RTA measuring could show plot differences and if only bass changes with DSP engaged if I measure purple curve compare before DSP filter change to M-1. Then fuses are equalizers perhaps?
For the entire summer I listen to lower volume than normal (daughter working as a summer intern at home, and she does not like loud music anyway), and now I am trained to listen at lower volume as the new normal.
When I turned the volume up occasionally the bass was shaking good. Still, I may not be the best person to judge bass performance of M-1s because I do not remember how they sound without M-1s from a few months ago.
My goal with my subs is to make the bass blend seamless so it sounds like it comes from the electrostats. The CR-1 makes that possible. I’ve been told it’s boomy some time. I also notice every time I make a tweak fuses what not I have to calibrate. Thanks to @aangen for reminding me the test disc work when played and not on the rack!
I just removed my M-1 fuse from my P20 and put a fully broken in Purple in. My first ever Purple experience. I know it is going to need a bit of time to adapt but it sounds swell. I am listening especially for a change in the Bass.
I cannot believe that I am caught up in this fuse game. The Purple is pretty lively sounding…
