Sumo Athena Pre opinion....

Yes, I am posting very late, but as I research different things, its nice to find more opinions. I recently purchased a Sumo Athena. I'm using it with a very highly modified Sumo Nine. Right off the bat the Athena was fairly smooth, detailed and threw a nice three dimensional soundstage. I've heard others call this preamp Warm & Tube like. This is not my experience. There is a warmth, but it isn't a tube warmth. It is a Class a warmth, almost a glow you could call it. At first on some passages, it was nice, buy on poor recordings it came off more like glare. I was a bit alarmed. After another week of leaving it on and another 6 hours or so of listening, I found the glare nearly gone, The bottom was just a touch robust, but still fast, the mids were just a touch forward and 90% of the glare is gone and the top end was very smooth and detailed. Now another week being left on and another 4 or 5 hours of listening has gone by and I find that every aspect has improved. The top end especially is detailed, yet almost laid back, the mid range is still a touch forward, but not as before and the glare is completely gone with the bottom still being forceful, yet musical.... The soundstage is very three dimensional, I need to still play more with speaker placement, but I still havent' been able to dial in pinpoint placement. Height and depth are great, width is good, occasionally passages show outside the speakers, but width is not excellent. Overall imaging is very good, but I've heard better. This is my experience, I've been in this hobby for 32 years, I've owned alot of nice gear... This preamp competes with entry level Classe (Sumo betters the CP35 bottom)is better than the older entry level Musical Fidelity(3A)and simply stomps the Haflers and even handily best the respected early PS Audio's. The B&K 10MC competes, everywhere but the bottom. The Sumo is still slightly better in the upper mid range and top end, but it easily betters the 10MC in bass heft and authority. To you looking at this preamp. Its all in the budgets, compare with the others listed and you will have a good idea of its value.

I own it. Eventhought it is at least 18 years old, it lives up to all sonic claims. I have owned the SFL-2, also other preamps, my latest is the First Sound Paramount MKII HotRod.
The Sumo is on a extended break from audio duties, but it will not be permanently retired anytime soon. It sounds awesome for what it is...especially excellent with a class A output stage. The convenience of double listening and recording knobs are not found very often in newer preamp designs.

Well worth the price, if you can get a used one.

additional info:

My SFL-1 currently runs with Krell KSA80B, Thorens TD124MKII and Dyanaudio 50MKII.

Thanks