Synergistic Research Black Box -

Reading the review it actually mirrors my experience with the BB.  What it reads like (and what I heard) is that the BB exaggerates and emphasizes the leading edge of bass notes. Now while this can be quite exciting in a way it is actually a coloration and nothing like real bass. I also found that I could hear the effect of the BB even when it was in the room next door.

The effect of the BB is an amped up version of the ART bass station which I have long used. I have four of these and over time dialed back to only using two, and in a position that minimizes their impact. It seems the BB is a tool that needs to be used carefully and sparingly if at all.

So while I have over $100k in SR components in my rig at present at least for me the BB is one I tried and returned. 

@ folkfreak

Thanks a lot again for your kind input.

I am still wondering how can small passive box could make much difference.

My listening space is open with high vault.

Thus this one may not work.

I am going to take more time before trying that one.

The Black Box is sensitive to placement and
vibration control.  I have brass fishing cones
pushed through the spikes and rosewood blocks
on top of the edge of the unit that is closest
to the wall.  I can hear a difference in the sound
resulting from the smallest adjustment of
proximity to the wall.  For me the Black Box is
indispensable.

@shkong78 it's simply a sympathetic resonance device tuned to bass frequencies -- the ART bass stations are one single small cup and I presume the BB contains many such cups tuned to different frequencies

As @sgordon1 notes the BB is sensitive to mounting and location (personally I never liked the long spikes SR use on this and the ART modules, far too easy to bend and actually rather dangerous) -- I wouldn't be surprised if decoupling also works really well (I love what that does to my FEQs and one day will try it on my Atmosphere as well)

Net net my experience is that this thing does work, it does have an impact but like all bass tuning you need to try it and be careful in how you use it. That's why SR offer the 30 day guarantee and return

I tried the BB for three months (mostly in the box). I use 32 SR HFTs and tried the BB with and without the Atmosphere XL4.

The BB made the sound more warm in the low end; but; unfortunately, it cut off the highs at about 8Khz. The highs just vanished. This was seconded by several friends and a cable manufacturer. Just lopped off the highs. Very dissapointing as my dealer said only 10% are returned.  I placed it behind, in-line, in front, on the sides several locations, on the rear wall, all over.  It's effects were most prominent in front the speakers and in the middle of the room.  

The SR HFTs replaced a slew of absorption panels and nearly eliminated slap echo in a too reverberant room. I will be using them in my new home’s custom $165,000 listening room. The designer said that I could gain 100% more spacious sound with a quad diffusers at $30,000. I’m going to try my SR HFTs instead plus I don’t have the extra funds, don’t want two walls with 17" deep diffusers if I can help it.