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
david12
1,398 posts
 
CJ 17 LS 1 or 2, little difference and you will be happy, listen to Brainwater. It's all you'll need unless you get into very rarified megabucks systems. I use one and could'nt be happier, the last item I can see myself changing
athens
5 posts
 
Conrad Johnson against Sonic Frontiers?
No,it's not fair...
I had Premier 14 and a frend of mine had Line 3,Power 2 and Wilson WITT mkII.
We had a comparisation side by side
The results...?I sold my Premier 14 and bought what else...?
I had 802 Matrix in the past.These are monitors and nothing but monitors.It doesn't mean bad speaker or good too!!!
My opinion is buy a Line 3 and buy a more musical pair of speakers and you'll remember me!
Find a JMLAB pair and better from the Utopia line.
Put also a Linn lp12 or an Oracle Delphi and SF Phono1 !!!
Then,HEAVEN can wait for sure...
brainwater
520 posts
 
Athens , youre kidding......... right?
riceqx2 OP
5 posts
 
I want to thank eveybody who responded. For now I'll keep the B&W 801's. Some have said go with the CJ 17 and forget about it. Someone said the phrase 'tonally cold' in describing the SF Line1. I could'nt have described it better. I have the upgrade bug bad, and have my eye on a CJ 16 MKII, but it is $4K. Sonic Frontiers went from a tube sound to SS sound with their products. I'm wondering if CJ did the same thing after they came out with the ART. I see PV10's cheap and wonder if I'll be as happy with a $4 thousand dollar purchase as I would be with a $700 dollar PV10. Does the more you spend get you further away from the classic tube sound that I crave, or does it get you tube sound that has better air, depth, bass and richness? Any takers?
bemopti123
303 posts
 
Hell, want to experiment with the lushness and see if you actually like the CJ sound? Get the affordable tubed preamp from them, the PV10 should you wish, and play with it. Then, when you are sure, get the bigger, larger, badder brother up the line and be happy with your gear.

I once had the SF Power 2 amplifier, the sound was not really cold or anything, it had slamm, but the bass was not as I shall say, under tight control. Your preamp will make or break the system as this point.

To advocate selling the speaker is too much to ask, toy with the preamp and for sure, you will end up with something you will like in the sound.

IC can also be used to add some lushness to the sound, pure, continuous copper wire, like the Analysis Plus Solo Crystal and even the rare Chimera Labs might set you in the right path. Supposedly silver wires are not too smooth.
More to discover