2. amps-preamps
  3. 1085429342

Help me choose a new preamp please?

Well here I go again. After three years of relative happiness with my system I couldn't let well enough alone. I had to sell my great sounding and reliable Air Tight ATC-1 preamp just because I had it too long and was getting bored. A terrible excuse I know. Anyway, I'm now a man without a plan, looking for a preamp, used, under $2K. Tubes are preferable but not essential, a balanced input would be nice (again not a dealbreaker), I don't need remote, an integral phono stage would be a bonus, and I guess that's it. I value a moderate amount of warmth but I also crave transparency. My system as it stands now is I think fairly warm, a Cary 303/200, Cary 300B Sig monos, and Alon Lotus speakers. A few thoughts, a Cary 98P would give me system synergy, BATs and CATs are also appealing, and I'm open to all other suggestions, fire away. And as always, thanks for taking an interest.
128x128jond

Showing 2 responses by sutts

sutts
700 posts
 
Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 meets all your criteria.
sutts
700 posts
 
...because you mentioned wanting a touch of warmth. The SFL-2 will be (slightly) warmer, and in my experience a bit more 'organic' sounding than the Line 2, which is more neutral, although nowhere near as good as a fully modded Line 3 IMO, which is the most neutral of all, yet with proper modifications, extremely full-bodied, and with a jet-black background, quieter, and yielding much deeper bass than a Line 2.

Re: the SFL-2, I find the overbuilt full outboard power supply contributes to the excellent detail retrieval as well. This is why I recommended it as a great 'balance' to suit your needs, plus it is fully balanced if you have a balanced source and/or amplifier.

I have a modified SFL-2 and a modified SF Line 3 as well, and they are both superb, but for different reasons, one using greater negative feedback than the other, giving a slightly different sonic signature. I have owned and heard many preamps, and have settled on Sonic Frontiers (but only the highly modified versions, done by an Electrical Engineer friend of mine who knows the SF gear inside and out).
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