Audiophile fuses and breaking capacity

Accessories and Tweaks
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Hi all,

Please forgive me if this has been definitively addressed before. If it has, my powers of internet search have failed me and I’d welcome discussion links.

Looking to give audiophile fuses a try. (More specifically Hifi Tuning Supreme 3 because they’re relatively inexpensive for this experiment; have been recommended by a variety of sources; and I’d read they’re ISO certified but am not sure if that’s true.) I’ve owned a PowerPlant 3 for a number of years and it will never leave my system unless it dies or I upgrade to a bigger PowerPlant. So, I’ve read of folks using audiophile fuses for their PowerPlants but here’s the thing that I don’t get: The PowerPlants designate that the fuse must be a high breaking capacity fuse - the “H” that you see on the back of your PowerPlant next to the fuse - but it appears that not all PowerPlant owners have chosen to upgrade to an audiophile high breaking capacity fuse.

For US usage, the PP3 shows “120V:T250V - 2AH” so 2 amp, slow blow, 250 max voltage rating. Also we know it’s a 5x20mm fuse. And of course, the amperage will vary based on which PowerPlant one owns. From my limited understanding at this point, there’s a very important difference between engineering an audio device to require the “H” high breaking capacity version of that fuse and the “L” low breaking capacity version of that fuse.

According to my contact at Analogue Seduction, who sells a variety of audiophile fuse brands, the low breaking capacity type is “typical for most audiophile fuses made for home use. They’re built to handle standard inrush currents in audio gear, but they are not designed for the kinds of serious fault protection that high breaking capacity fuses offer. If a piece of equipment like your PS Audio PowerPlant 3 specifically calls for a high breaking capacity fuse, it’s best to stick with that. A low breaking capacity fuse might physically fit, and even function day to day, but it could be a safety issue in a short circuit or serious failure.” He further clarified that Hifi Tuning fuses are low breaking capacity.

I am not an electrical engineer and again, am just beginning to learn about fuses, so if someone is using a low breaking capacity fuse in their PowerPlant, or has evidence as to why there’s no danger in using a low breaking capacity fuse in a device requiring a high breaking capacity one, or is an engineer at PS Audio, I’d like to hear their thoughts. I also wonder how high and low breaking capacity relates to a device like the Swiss Digital Fuse Box if anyone has something to share there, too.

Thanks very much for your time,
David

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Based on a Google search in AI mode (so take it with a grain of salt):

“HiFi Tuning is a brand known for its audiophile-grade fuses, with their Supreme line being a prominent example. One key characteristic of these fuses, particularly relevant in high-performance audio systems, is their high breaking capacity.”

Over the years I’ve used most of their fuses (Gold, SilverStar, Supreme and Supreme3) with the exception of their new Diamond fuse. They also seem to have differentiated the Supreme3 line into the original 99% copper/1% gold and a pure copper version using Cardas Grade 1 copper.

I’m not sure about the new Supreme Diamond line.

Also, because my integrated can be problematic due to current inrush, I use their Supreme3 XT which is an extra slow blow version of the standard Supreme3. I purchased it from Kemp Elecktroniks which is located in the Netherlands.

You might find this review in Positive Feedback on the new Supreme3 Diamond fuse of interest.

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Thank you, Joe. Yes, I’m familiar with the Supreme 3 Diamond fuse. I’ve read about a number of few fuses from makers such as Hifi Tuning, Audio Magic, SR, etc. No discussion about making high breaking capacity versions, however. While extra slow blow is not the same as high breaking capacity, it’s still very interesting as I didn’t know that “extra slow” or an “XT” version of the Supreme 3 existed. Thanks again.

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You’re welcome, David. I hadn’t realized there were high and low breaking fuse types until I read your post so I guess I learned something, too.

There’s a shot below of the Supreme3 XT packaging just for your reference. I had forgotten/didn’t notice before that the one Kemp Elektroniks sent me was the Cardas Grade1 fuse and not the 99% copper/1% gold version.

IMG_20250809_093217403
IMG_20250809_0932174031356×1809 194 KB

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I put Hifi Tuning Supreme 3 copper in both DAC, preamp and amplifier. For the money spent < 100 CAD each fuse, it might be the best value upgrade I done. I have tested to return to original fuses, to validate the change one more time, and by going back I loose many aspects of what I value in the sound. The upgraded fuses gives me less harsh sound, more organic sound, more instrument separation in sound stage, larger sound stage and last deeper more controlled bass. I think for any system > 5 000 USD it should be audible. Happy listening :slight_smile:

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