We just heard the sad news of the passing of Jim “Foz” Fosgate, inventor of the legendary Fozgometer. The Fozgometer remains one of the best and most convenient devices for setting optimal azimuth during turntable set-up, and Musical Surroundings has been selling the latest version for the last few years. Ye olde Editors have, and have used, Fozgometers for many years. Great kit.
Here’s the press release from Musical Surroundings:
The holidays are a time of joy and celebration. Today, with great sorrow, we celebrate the life of Jim “Foz” Fosgate.
Foz became a friend of Musical Surroundings in the 2000s, purchasing many cartridges and turntables, for his personal enjoyment and audio component development.
We started manufacturing his designs including the Fosgate Signature Tube Phono Stage and Signature Tube Headphone amplifier. Industrial design was done by Foz’s close friend Fred Hulen.
In 2009, as Foz told the story, one night he had the idea of applying his logic steering circuit, developed for surround sound, to a cartridge azimuth measuring device. He went down to his lab and created the Fozgometer meter. His wife Norma “recalls seeing sparks of genius coming from the top of his head and hearing his brain work even while he was sleeping.”
Today, over 5000 Fozgometers and Fozgometer v2s have been sold worldwide, providing music lovers with the most accessible tool to ensure proper cartridge azimuth for the best sound from LP records.
The Fozgometer v2, introduced in 2021, won Stereophile’s Product of the Year Editor’s Choice award.
Thank you, Foz for all of your contributions to creating the perfect sound.
You can read his obituary over at Musical Surroundings.
Godspeed, Foz. May your memory be a blessing.
