2. amps-preamps
  3. 1109759943

Sonic Frontiers to Conrad Johnson .

I have a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 amp and Line 1 Pre-amp hooked to B&W 801 III. I want tube sound- warm, rich, liquid. I don't care about accuracy, I want the sound to be inviting like I remember from long ago. I don't want the stereo to drive me from the room. I changed the tubes in the Line 1 to Brimmars- it helped but did'nt go far enough for me. I also hook up the PS Power Plant 300 to the Pre-amp and while making it a little more dimensional seems to lean out the sound. The question is what brand of equiptment would you trade the SOnic Frontiers gear for to give me the warm inviting tube sound that I crave? I'm leaning towards a Conrad Johnson LS16II for a pre-amp. And perhaps replace the Power 2 later w/ a CJ amp. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
riceqx2
aball
1,994 posts
 
Sounds like you will enjoy CJ. I heard the Premier 12 amps and was amazed. They are simply killer.
herman
1,974 posts
 
I owned a set of those B&W and would not describe them as "warm and inviting." Far from it. Accurate, dynamic, analytical, revealing, but not warm and inviting. They were the type of component that wows you initially but I found them tiresome after the initial wow wore off. Even with a CJ Premier 12 I tried they still did not warm up.

Even though the Sonice Frontiers is not as warm and lush as the CJ stuff, I would consider other speakers before changing electronics.
newbee
4,093 posts
 
Well, you could always take a step back to the SFM 160's. They are a classic tube amp design. They are not near as cold sounding as the Power 2. The are very resonsive, tonally to tube selection and powerful. I run mine with SED 6550's and EI 6DJ8's and get a full, detailed sound, which errs off neutrality slighly to the warm side. I saw someone advertise a pair on AGon recently for about 1500. I have used these on Paragons, Quad 63's, and most recently Tylers, all to great effect. But, I haven't heard them with your B&W's.
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