[mclsound]

Hi guys...
My first tube preamp in a long long time. . It came  from original owner and had Chris Johnson do $600 worth of upgrades. .not sure what that got him...but Parts Connections upgrade starts around $2000 Canadian and uses $500usd for 4 V-CAPS and I was wondering if anyone has tried Mundorf or simular....also tubes...
Just curious gents...
I always  seem to go against the grain a little...lol

[thorman]

I just received a Sonic Frontiers Signature Phono with the same upgrades ( with CUTF V/Caps ) and it sounds superb...I have tried Mundorf Caps before and in my opinion they are not in the same league as V/Caps......If you have the V/Caps I would focus on tubes....At this point the tubes you chose will have the best benefit ( depending on picking the right tubes )........Possibly 6922 Telefunken pair and Mullard ( or Siemens )......

[WireNut]

I own a Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 preamp. There are very FEW caps that will fit in the same space as the original multicaps due to there size.
V-cap OIMP's are some that DO fit and are probably the best bet. In the case of the SFL-2, some of the caps are bi-passed under the circuit board with smaller caps.
Chris may have done this with yours. I was told the SE+ mod for the SFL-2 was around $850.00 but I never had it done due to the high shipping cost to Canada and back.
Maybe Chris used V-cap Oimp's by-passed under the board with V-cap TFTF, that would be a great combo.

Find out which tubes are the gain positions, those are the most critical spots. Put your best sounding tubes in those spots and cheaper tubes in all the other spots.
Chris recommended Amperex to me for the gain tubes but I already had Siemens 6922’s.

The SFL-2 runs really hot, both power supply and preamp. I like to leave the hoods off of mine.  It will be hard to beat those V-caps. Put your money on the gain tubes and enjoy your preamp for years to come. Chris makes solid equipment.

If you don't know which locations are for the gain tubes just email Chris Johnson at Parts Connexion, he'll tell you.

[SteveFord]

Congratulations, that's a really nice piece.
I really like my old SFL-2, it's got some real pop to the transients!

[Ericus Rex]

What happened to that company?  They were getting solidly positive reviews on nearly everything they released and then they disappeared.  Anybody know the insides?

[SteveFord]

Yes, they went into crazy expansion mode, quality control went kaput and they went under.

[mclsound]

Thanks for the replies....
I just got it home and was in the cold all day so I will wait for room temperature before powering it up.
I am sure the v caps are superior but at $600 + 13% tax and 15% currency exchange =$ 778 Canadian for 4 caps only is not in my moral budget...
I was thinking about $400 Canadian installed and say $100 for a couple good preamp tubes...total

I am not sure what happened to the company but a gentleman on Canuck audio mart said he used to work there and it seems like it would be a interesting little story. ...

[WireNut]

I found out that shipping my SFL-2 with the power supply (2 boxes) was going to cost me $800.00 just for shipping alone from Ohio to Canada and back, That's why I never had the SE+ upgrade done. By the time I paid for shipping and the mod it would have been around 2k.

[kngale1]

I found out that shipping my SFL-2 with the power supply (2 boxes) was going to cost me $800.00 just for shipping alone from Ohio to Canada and back, That's why I never had the SE+ upgrade done. By the time I paid for shipping and the mod it would have been around 2k.

Shipping from MA to Canada for Line 3 for SE+ mod was ~$100 via UPS or FedEx ground.   I also shipped Power 3 for SE+ mod and shipping cost per mono was ~$120 via UPS or FedEx ground. 

I also had a SFL-2 and NO idea how you got $800 for shipping.  A LITTLE exaggeration

Both units are long gone.  Chris use Audio Notes caps in the SE+ mods and was a nice upgrade from stock.

[WireNut]

I tryed Fedex, UPS, and DHL. They all quoted me close to $200.00 per box, each way, for ground, insured for $1000.00 per box.
I gave up on it.

[mclsound]

Finally got it open and as per usual before putting on a shelf and powering up...I always open for pics and cleaning and I must say that considing this was a 9/10 I believe not..
It was called recently updated by PC for $600..I think not..its got dust baked on the caps and tube rings melted..
PS is scratched up and umbilical cord is coming apart...
I donnot even want to power up. Im new to tubes but......

[kngale1]

Finally got it open and as per usual before putting on a shelf and powering up...I always open for pics and cleaning and I must say that considing this was a 9/10 I believe not..
It was called recently updated by PC for $600..I think not..its got dust baked on the caps and tube rings melted..
PS is scratched up and umbilical cord is coming apart...
I donnot even want to power up. Im new to tubes but......

Where was it purchased? 

[mclsound]

He got it from original owner 6wks ago as I just missed it..we met during a snow storm at his work so I was not able to hear or see it but he had good feedback. .
I am very disappointed in this 9/10 transaction

[WireNut]

Yeah the 9/10 rating was not accurate at all.
Hopefully it all works fine. If so, you have a nice preamp, 12 tubes can get very expensive however.
If I had the money I'd own one. My SFL-2 is a solid piece.

On the plus side, if it works okay at least you didn't have to fork out the dow for the mod and shipping.
Hopefully you got a decent price for it.

If you can, use the balanced ins/outs, they will give you more gain and authority.

Let us know if it works okay when you plug it in. I'm hoping for the best.

[kngale1]

He got it from original owner 6wks ago as I just missed it..we met during a snow storm at his work so I was not able to hear or see it but he had good feedback. .
I am very disappointed in this 9/10 transaction

I would rate it 6/10 if I was selling it.   Next time, at least get some pictures before purchase.  Sometimes his 9/10 is your 6/10 but I think he's just dishonest in this transaction.  It's a small world, so what goes around ALWAYS come around.   

Contact Chris Johnson and see if can replace the worn parts.   GL!

[PRELUDE]

I am a very happy owner of the sonic frontiers line 2. I bought it brand new back in 1998 which was the 10Th year anniversary edition and it came with a medium box whip cream and a mid 40s French Canadian lady.
Any way after 16 years of use, it never broke dawn and all I did was change the tubes. No mods or upgrade. Even if I buy another pre I won't sell this. When I bought this, the line 3 was not in the market yet but when it came out and they send the unit for review, the reviewer bought the line 3 to use it for his reference pre amp. I also have the phono one brand new in the box in hope that one day I will enjoy analog as well.
Chris Johnson was the founder of parts Connexion first before anything. He just had it in mind to supply the DIYers with high quality parts then decided to get in kits and that was the ASSEMBLAGE then production line For Anthem and finally Sonic Frontiers and bankrupt. (I do not know why!?) At that time Paradigm became interested in their Anthem line to go with their speakers to use it for home theater and they bought the company from Chris and they had no interest in sonic frontiers and basically that brand died right there which is sad.
About 4 years ago when I was in Montreal show, I walked in this room that said BFA on the door. There were more then 10 people inside the room that they were impressed by sound. It was nothing but a cd player, integrated amp and a pair speakers. They had the BFA integrated amp in silver which was playing and the black one with the top removed next to the door on the table. I started  looking inside and wow! I never saw a nice integrated amp like this before with top and highest quality parts. Tube pre and solid state power in one box machined from Swedish aircraft grade aluminum.
I wanted to buy one even I do not need it. Then I was about to ask the guy who was standing next to it about the brand because I never herd the name before and it was the first time they were showing it in Canada when my eye catch the very small writing inside the amp on the left hand corner said BEYOND FRONTIERS AUDIO (BFA).I asked the guy why it said beyond frontiers on that corner? Is this has something to do with the old sonic frontiers that is no longer in the business? He smiled and said yes and told me you have very good eyes that you can read that.
Then I told him that I have the original line 2 pre amp and would never want to sell it because it does what pre amp should do. He shook my hand with smile  and told me I am  Zdenko Zivkovic the original designer of all the line series sonic frontiers pre amps and now I design for BFA.
 http://www.beyondfrontiersaudio.com/
BTW, man I am sorry to see that pre in that condition! That is not fair for 9/10 rating but a very good pre amp.
Good luck with that.

[WireNut]

mclsound,

Is it working okay?

[lestuan]

I used to owned the Line 3 couple years ago, very good preamp, but the power supply failed once, cost $500 to fix, luckily I didn't have to send it to Canada, as a guy in my local has very good knowledge on Sonic Frontiers product.

[lestuan]

I own a Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 preamp. There are very FEW caps that will fit in the same space as the original multicaps due to there size.
V-cap OIMP's are some that DO fit and are probably the best bet. In the case of the SFL-2, some of the caps are bi-passed under the circuit board with smaller caps.
Chris may have done this with yours. I was told the SE+ mod for the SFL-2 was around $850.00 but I never had it done due to the high shipping cost to Canada and back.
Maybe Chris used V-cap Oimp's by-passed under the board with V-cap TFTF, that would be a great combo.

Find out which tubes are the gain positions, those are the most critical spots. Put your best sounding tubes in those spots and cheaper tubes in all the other spots.
Chris recommended Amperex to me for the gain tubes but I already had Siemens 6922’s.

The SFL-2 runs really hot, both power supply and preamp. I like to leave the hoods off of mine.  It will be hard to beat those V-caps. Put your money on the gain tubes and enjoy your preamp for years to come. Chris makes solid equipment.

If you don't know which locations are for the gain tubes just email Chris Johnson at Parts Connexion, he'll tell you.

Have you ever compared the sound of the SFL-2 to the Line 3 ? Please share your idea.

[mclsound]

I tried it quickly. ..good bass but mid/hi was way to metallic ..
I was looking at all new tubes and obviously some caps for what was supposed to be a 9 condition unit but was more like a 5-6 condition. .
I fought to have my funds returned and finally got it but what a Fn nightmare. ..
He currently has a Sonic frontiers phono unit on canuck audio mart. . his handle   xr4ti
Beware