(Jolida) Black Ice Audio Foz SS-X Sound Enhancement


I could find only a few reviews of this device and a few forum entries here. They were all favorable. I sorely needed the bass enhancement circuit for my Maggie 3.7s. I have a Marchand X.26 crossover handling them and the sub but the integration was not ideal. The pre and amps are Cary Audio Class A mono blocs. The source is transparent and very revealing. I did not want anything to upset the glorious sound of the tubes. I also needed something to offset my small-ish listening room. The Maggies ’stand watch’ but I can’t get the distance I need for them to bloom. The SS-X seemed to fit the bill - tube driven, clean specs and a solid designer pedigree. I respect Jim Fosgate.

I ordered the SS-X on the strength of his engineering expertise, particularly in tubes, viz-a-viz Jolida. Not having heard the device it could be considered a leap of faith or a plunge into disappointment. I held my breath.

Straight to the chase: Maggies now have a sweet bottom end, the sub has been dialed back and has disappeared and the top to bottom synergy is spot on and very satisfying.

But wait, there’s more...

The spatial imaging adjustment: Well, I listened to several of my favorite studio recordings. Clean, thankfully. I then put on a nightclub recording of the late Ben Webster live in Amsterdam. I nearly fell out of my chair. The speakers disappeared and I was looking around for the cocktail waitress. The drum kit, the piano, the double bass were all present in the venue with all of its ambiance and Mr. Webster was doing what he did so incredibly well: swinging the audience ala Ellington with that big smooth sax. You could hear everyone present as if you were sitting there.

I’m still waiting for the cocktail server. Incredible device and worth every penny and the anticipation.





128x128keesue
Mine is very well burned in as it was an ex demo unit before I got it.
I have tried several different tubes and I cannot say as sibilance was ever noticeable at any time.

Keep piling hours on it!
Oh and as per an earlier Post of mine I suggest leaving it powered on all the time,I definitely saw a large improvement that way.

After all its only one little tube.....
I’ve been wanting to try one of these for a while and I finally was able to find a used one for a great price. Here’s my experience with it:
The purpose of purchasing was mostly out of curiosity and I had low expectations because the unit seemed gimmicky. I have the SS-X in between my McIntosh MP-100 Phonostage and my Yamaha A-S2100. Having two sets of outputs on the back of the MP-100, I was able to instantly a/b with/without the SS-X.
Two things immediately stood out: First the SS-X pulled out bass detail that I have not been able to extract with tone controls or my sub. This alone, makes the unit worth it for me. It’s interesting because, as others have stated, it adds "weight" to certain low frequencies without changing the tone. This translates to low frequency detail I haven’t experienced from my speakers before.

Second, was what someone else described as removing "glare" off the top end. I totally agree with this. It’s hard to describe, and I would also say it removed harshness from some recordings, but I definitely don’t consider it a high-end roll off. Detail and presence are still there. When I bypass the SS-X, my original system just sounds drier. With the SS-X the top end is more pleasing and delicate.

The soundstage expander section is incredibly useful and fun. I already have a very wide soundstage with my system, so I was curious what this would do. I found the the expander neither added width nor narrowed it, but rather pulled depth from the center or pushed it back. For me, it was more like, how close to the sound do you want to be? To the narrow side, anything that was mixed to be center was pulled forward while the width of the stage remained the same. Imagine stretching a rubber band between your speakers and grabbing the center of it and pulling it toward you. It gives you a more intimate feel. To the wide side, the center is pushed back, giving the impression you are sitting farther back. I found this particularly useful for tracks where vocals or instruments are mixed too forward or too hot. I found my sweet spot to be about 1 o’clock for general use. On Nora Jones’ Come Away With Me album from Analog Productions, where I find the vocals to be too hot, it was particularly beneficial at 3 o clock and really tamed her voice. No fatigue now. At max "wide" settings, my speakers completely vanish. This extreme setting was neat, but it made it harder to pinpoint sounds whose location my ears wanted to know. I think moderation is key with this unit.

Wrapping up, I find that removing the SS-X from my system makes me sad. In a world where I am often trying to convince myself something is good or doing something positive for my system, this one was an obvious and relieving yes. I’m not a purist and don’t care what was "intended to be heard". I want to hear what I want to hear. I realize that I am adding coloration to my sound and the SS-X makes me really happy to do so. I am also happy to report that the unit did not take away from the things my system already did very well, like the general imaging or dynamics.
Checking in on this thread to see if those of you who had this device in your systems more than a year ago - keesue, @4krow - have stuck with it?  Or has it moved on, as another commenter above thought might happen?

Any long-term observations to share?