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(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
zm
119 posts
 
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?
sgordon1
418 posts
 
Very happy with my unit, a definite keeper.  I thought I
would want to "play" with the bass and soundstage knobs, and
I was wrong.  For me, it is "set it and forget it."

The unit is sensitive to vibration control and good cabling.
I have not replaced the tube and leave the unit on for a
few days at a time.

Like Coach said, "They are who we thought they are."
keesue's avatar
keesue OP
42 posts
 
Yep, still going strong and enjoying it immensely. I completely agree with the other posters’ observations: A great addition and frankly I couldn’t see/hear my system or live without it. I did bypass it for a listening session one night and at the end put it back in. Very demonstrable and very satisfying. My Maggie 3.7s sing from bass to treble - deep, rich, airy and very seductive. I consider it the icing on the cake.
zm
119 posts
 
I picked one up a few days ago and am still trying to dial it in.  I find myself fussing with it too much, I can’t leave it alone.  It may be that my OCD psyche can’t deal with a device like this, LOL!
keesue's avatar
keesue OP
42 posts
 
You’ll find yourself doing this initially. I ultimately found one setting great for live acoustic music and another setting for studio recordings. In general however, I leave the setting in the middle of these two settings and leave it until I feel the need.
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