[TJ-Sully]

hi folks

well...my new (used) Magnepan 3.6R's are set up AND connected to my new Bryston 4Bcubed. I'm a happy camper so far.
Tube pre-amp will be replacing a Bryston BP20 in a few weeks.  Can't wait! 

A question about fuses....where to buy replacement fuses? The Maggie manual says..."Type SAG normal blow fuses (4 amp for midrange; 2-1/2 amp for tweeter". Are these regular or "normal" fuses found at hardware stores?  Or are there other...more audiophile-grade fuses out there?  Thoughts on this anyone?  I have no experience in this regard.

thanks all!

TJ

[SteveFord]

Uh oh, now you've gone and done it!

I'm cheap and just went to Radio Shack when I needed some.

[Elizabeth]

The fuses must be FAST BLOW.
When I bought new Magnepan 3.6 back in 2010... I did not do anything to the fuses for a year. Then I bought some which were on sale, HiFi Tuning. I think I paid well under a hundred bucks for all four. (I do not remember, but I am cheap...) I also used the Sekela tweak, of a small choke in the place of the tweeter resistor.
Somewhere around year five I bypassed the midrange fuse (only) to much better sound.
This past Spring I upgraded to 20.7 Magnepans. I actually took the fuses from the 3.6 and stuck them in the 20.7s. Even though the 20.7 take a 5 amp instead of a 4. I do not care.
You can go to "The Cable Company" website and look at all sorts of fuses. From $30 to $250. (each)
Like I did, I suggest you let your speakers break in, play them for a year.. before you change anything.
Be aware the resistors supplied are dirt cheap, They mainly adjust the midrange TONE way more than the volume of the midrange, and the treble strength more than tone. If you like the one ohm, you can buy better Mundorf MOX 10 watt for a few bucks each. From Madisound https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/index.php?p=home I bought a pile of various values like 0.33 0.5 0.75. 1.0 1.5 and experimented.
Or the best Duelaund Cast for $50 a pop. (Duelund Cast are on sale at Parts Connexion Canada. someat half price Link https://www.partsconnexion.com/
They also sell fuses.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I wasted money on some HiFi tuning fuses, made my 1.6's  sound too bright.  However, I do use Duelund Carbon Cast resistors and they really smoothed out the hi frequencies.  I use 1.2ohm. I also tried Mills resistors and the really warm up the sound at the expense of a narrower sound stage.

[thunderbrick]

+1 on Maggie resistor upgrades! 

[Elizabeth]

The plus of the Mills is you can experiment with different resistor values far cheaper than you can with the Duelund.
One problem I discovered is changing other bits, (for me it has been power cords) may also change the 'most preferred' resistor value.
The best was 0.75 ohms. but now it is back to one ohm. Lucky the Duelund Cast resistors are still half price.
Also. I have found doubling up on the resistors, doubling the ohms (so I am buying (2) two ohm and paralleling them so twice the power capacity but still the circuit sees one ohm to be better than just one resistor. Oddly, better LOW LEVEL DETAIL. Rather than max power carrying is the reason.

[rollo]

   IMO no fuse. We used a polished 1/4" copper tube instead. Got that tweak from one of the best Maggie set up person around Scot Markwell. He made my Maggies sound better than ever.  Resistor value varies with system. Some require more value to tame and others opposite. One must try several values. When you decide on one just buy the Duelund. Worth every penny spent.
   Owned Maggies for years and NEVER did the fuse removal damage a thing.


charles

[Elizabeth]

IF (and only after careful consideration, plus take photos so you can change it all back)
If you might place a piece of copper in place of a fuse.. Why not just bypass the damn cheap junk fuseholder and the cheap connectors 'under' the plate they sit in???

Bypassing the added (several!) connections under the plate really does MORE for the sound than any fuse. Even if you leave the fuse in the circuit and bypass the multiple connections making up the resistor insertion bits (the push on connector from the fuse box to the friction fit ring held down with a mchanical nut and screw, on one side of the resistor holder pair through the resistor holder, jumper, to the other resistor holder, the compression ring held with a nut, to another press on clip with a crimped wire. ALL of that can be bypassed with a clean single wire! (or the resistor of your choice. (be SURE what value you want... Soldered is a lot more putzing to change than not.)
Warning the fuse box may melt if you use a soldering iron on it!!! Plus I HAVE DONE THIS MOD and regretted it when it came time to sell. Since I felt I had to put it all back to stock.
But it really is a great sounding change. Even if you leave the treble fuse in. Taking the midrange fuse out is a no brainer! (aside from warranty concerns, I would have done it on the new 20.7 I now have)

[rollo]

IF (and only after careful consideration, plus take photos so you can change it all back)
If you might place a piece of copper in place of a fuse.. Why not just bypass the damn cheap junk fuseholder and the cheap connectors 'under' the plate they sit in???

Bypassing the added (several!) connections under the plate really does MORE for the sound than any fuse. Even if you leave the fuse in the circuit and bypass the multiple connections making up the resistor insertion bits (the push on connector from the fuse box to the friction fit ring held down with a mchanical nut and screw, on one side of the resistor holder pair through the resistor holder, jumper, to the other resistor holder, the compression ring held with a nut, to another press on clip with a crimped wire. ALL of that can be bypassed with a clean single wire! (or the resistor of your choice. (be SURE what value you want... Soldered is a lot more putzing to change than not.)
Warning the fuse box may melt if you use a soldering iron on it!!! Plus I HAVE DONE THIS MOD and regretted it when it came time to sell. Since I felt I had to put it all back to stock.
But it really is a great sounding change. Even if you leave the treble fuse in. Taking the midrange fuse out is a no brainer! (aside from warranty concerns, I would have done it on the new 20.7 I now have)

   I agree a better tweak just more work. If one is capable take it all out.


charles

[TJ-Sully]

thanks all. I think i'll sit tight for now...

But as a first step (in a little while) I may try bypassing the fuses completely.
However,the Maggie manual suggests fuse bypassing may have damaging effects on the amplifier......

[Elizabeth]

Bypassing the midrange fuse is common. I would advise caution about bypassing the tweeter fuse. The ribbon can die in an instant. If you are prepared to replace the ribbon now and then...
(PS I never once blew a tweeter fuse in 8 years owning my 3.6, but I never blasted to really loud either. My loudest, and rare to do upper 80's dB)
A lot depends on HOW LOUD you like to play music. If in general no blasting the H out of it.. Not a problem. If you "Like to Rock Hard".. I would NOT bypass the fuses...
Just sayin'.

[TJ-Sully]

thanks for sharing Elizabeth. i commonly listen in the mid-80's dB. think i'll leave the fuses alone for a bit - i've got some other fun stuff in the works and the Maggies are sitting idle at the moment. got my big bad Bryston A1's hooked up now and doing some room treatment. tonight just added some thick underlay to the large rugs in the listening room. and a few changes to the furniture and artwork on first reflection - and added a corner bass trap.  big change. haven't had time for a critical listening session yet but really looking forward to it! and i've got a new (used) PS Audio DAC coming in tomorrow - so i'll mess with that and compare to my Bryston rig.   this is FUN!   
But ya...probably a good idea not to mess with the tweeter's fuse!  take care. T