Build Quality Look and Feel

Lack of remote switching capability, Lack of "memory" settings

I have to agree with the previous reviewers that the Line 3
is one incredible preamp. Increasingly, I find that I am
just listening to the music, not the "system" attempting to
reproduce music. Of course this applies to the system as a
whole, Line 3, 2 Power 3's, Genesis 200 speakers, front end
of either Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 and MSB LinkDAC, Tjoeb, or
Kenwood KD650 with Grace 747 arm and Dynavector DV20. This
system exceeds my ability to resolve all those adjectives
with which professional reviewers wax rhapsodic. And there
is the drawback that the system is utterly and completely
unforgiving of source material -- flaws are mercilessly
exposed, there is no hiding behind the inability of the
system to extract all the information present in the
original recording media. But with good (yea, even great)
source material, what liquid ("smooth", "effortless",
"neutral", "uncolored", "taut", "detailed", "svelte", etc.)
reproduction. What bliss, just to lose yourself in the
music, to be swept up totally (and without recourse to any
recreational pharmaceuticals needed).

This system is a direct upgrade from Crown DL-2, 2 PSA-2s,
and Infinity 4.5 speakers (which I'd had for about 15 years
or so). The difference was immediately audible, almost
breath-taking (and the older system was a damn good system).
The only component(s) to survive the upgrade was my KD650/
747/DV20 turntable, and the SFT-1.

The Line 3 is a joy to use (and a joy to behold too!), al-
though I really wish it had full remote switching capabilty
by which I mean both the ability of the remote to switch the
"main" power on/off, and the ability to switch other equip-
ment on/off. The one wimpy and almost completely useless
"switched" connection is only rated 30ma (as I recall),
which is not even enough to switch 99.8% of all *relays*
readily available on the market (which seem to typically
pull 80-120ma coil current). Come on SF, you've got a
power supply that outweighs most 5-channel power amps,
surely you manage to squeeze a switched 12V output (or a real relay internally) out of that sucker. I might also
wish for larger display readout so I can actually read it
from my listening chair... I also wish the Line 3 would
remember it's settings across a power-cycle event, both
selections and levels selected. Oh well, just an excuse
to push more of their nice buttons every power-on

Sonic Frontier's physical build quality is outstanding,
their apparent attention to detail is to be applauded.
I just "love" the "look and feel" of the SF gear. The
volume control knob is one of the smoothest I have ever
had the pleasure of using; the push buttons wonderfully
precise in feel, both on the main unit and the remote
control as well. Although I am not a fan of the hockey
puck school of architecture, the remote control itself
works flawlessly, from a distance and a considerable
off-angle approach.

Unfortunately, I am forced to severely downgrade my overall
rating of the Sonic Frontiers equipment on the basis of its
demonstrated reliability. The Line 3 was DOA (bad voltage
regulator -- one of the drawbacks of having a thousand
separate regulators to regulate everything perfectly is
that you have a thousand things any one of which can take
the whole shebang down); there was 3 weeks shipping the
unit internationally (just Canada, but still) while my
system was down. After 5 months one of the Power 3's blew up
(when a Power 3 blows, it's a memorable -- adrenaline-
producing -- event as it attempts to throw the speaker
drivers at you, and fills the air with vaporized component).
There's another 3 weeks shipping and waiting with the system
down. Got it back, about 5 months later it blew again. I'm
at 3 weeks and waiting -- SF doesn't even have the component
(cathode resister) in stock, and can't get any. So in the
year I've had the SF gear, I've accumulated over 2 months
downtime (not to mention shipping charges and hernia repair
bills -- those Power 3's are *heavy*). Rather ironically,
the SFT-1 CD that I bought used over the net has worked
flawlessly for almost 2 years now. So as much as I am en-
raptured by the overall gestaldt of the Line3/Power3/Genesis
200 system, I am forced to say the weeks of downtime every
few months ruins it for me. It's five (possibly even six)
star equipment when it works.

Similar Products Used:

Crown DL-2, Apt Holman

Incredible sound, neutralily, soundstage.

Unforgiving to source components and recordings

Simply the best sounding pre amp in the market. No flaws whatsoever. You have to listen to really understand it's potential.
Well done SF

Similar Products Used:

Sonic Frontiers SFL-2, Classe CP-50

Neutral, accurate, well build

none so far

I thought the LS-15 was very good, certainly better than the LS-2B and Audible Illusion. I was not prepared for the improvement I heard. Actually, I was expecting an outstanding pre-amp that is under price and not appreciated by many because of it's neutrality. I owned the Power 3 and I prefered them much more than ARC VT-100 and 200. Same strength like the Line-3, but many owners are dumping them because they don't trust their own ears and instead worship Stereophile's bias opinions.

So how does it sound. Much more transparent, more details, more focus, wider and deeper soundstage, and less euphonic like the others. Imagine the best of solid state and tube, but not those hybrid crab. The control unit is already heavier than ARC's unit alone, and power supply is even heavier. Pound per pound, this is the best bang for the buck, or maybe the best there is?

Similar Products Used:

ARC LS-15, LS-2B, Audible Illusion 3A, and many solid states

Utterly transparent and natural sounding pre-amp.

Unit may run rather hot. Some reliability issue. Unforgiving with bad material/component.

I agree with all the positives that other users have discussed. I listen to classical music exclusively and I cannot be happier with the LINE-3. There are several pre-amps that I know are better than the LINE-3 but the additional cost for that small amount of improvement is not quite justified.

One feature I like a lot is the MONO option. I have many historic recordings that sound much better with the MONO option selected.

Be forewarned that LINE-3 is very unforgiving about lesser quality records and components. But that's what a reference quality component like LINE-3 is supposed to perform.

I did encountered several problems with the brand new unit that I got right from the beginning. But the dealer and the SF factory promptly resolve them in the best possible ways one could ever ask for. I could not stress enough that one should always buy SF gear brand-new from *authorized* dealers since the warranty is not transferrable in any way (not even a blank warranty card could help you get around this). If the unit ever malfunctioned (a very rare possibility for any SF gear but you'd never know...) you may be burned bad without any factory warranty.

Watch out for questionable sellers on the internet: Some of them are not SF authorized dealers so even if you buy the unit brand-new there may be no factory warranty.

My setup:
Newform Research R645 ribbon-hybrid speakers
Conrad Johnson MF2300 power-amp
SF LINE-3 pre-amp
SF SFD1-MkII tube D/A
Theta Univeral Transport II
Audiotruth Dragon/Sterling bi-wire speaker cables
Audiotruth Diamond interconnects

Incredible sound....cooool remote

non

This is the best Pre-amp I have ever heard. Yes that is a period.I had a Conrad Johnson....and I wanted remote control, So was hoping to find a pre-amp that I liked as well. Suprise, suprise, this think smokes the other pre-amp. I was amazed at the quality of the unit....and the soundstage is phenomenal. nothing can touch it....at any price.

Similar Products Used:

Levinson,Conrad Johnson tube

Transparency, sound staging, neutrality

Unit runs VERY hot

System: SF Line 3, SFD-2MKII, SFT-1, AR VT100MKII, Genesis APM-1s, MD102, Audio Magic Sorcerer SC, AudioQuest Diamond ICs

Comparisons:

Line 2 - Excellent pre-amp. I owned this unit for 2 years before I upgraded to the Line 3. Oddly enough, the Line 3 doesn't sound that much to me like the Line 2. The Line 1 and Line 2 are almost indistinguishable, but the Line 3 is quite a bit better, most definitely a level above.

SFL-2 - Closer sounding then the Line 2, a little colored compared to the Line 3. Slightly "warmer" sounding, less detailed highs, similiar imaging and soundstaging. Adds a sonic character to the music - whereas the Line 3 does not.

AR LS3/LS25 - More in the league of the SFL-2, yet I felt the SFL-2 walked all over the LS3/LS25. AR pre-amps IMHO lack a level of resolving power that sonic units possess due to their extensive power supplies. AR units also sound too colored in comparison.

Passive Pre - This is a hard one to judge, you need precisely match output levels to fairly compare. I did blind a/b testing with my g/f switching signals - 50% of the time I prefered the Line-3 sound to the passive, the other 50% of the time they were indistiguishable. Go figure.

I love this pre-amp, if only it didn't run so *damn* hot, I'd say it's as close to flawless as I've heard.

Similar Products Used:

SFL-2, SF Line-2, Audio Research LS3, AR LS25, Custom Passive pre-amp wired w/ Audioquest Dragon, more...

Transparency, build quality, flexibility

I did a blind test between the SF line 3 and KRC-HR at a dealer. My intention was to get the HR, but no way not after hearing the Line 3!!!!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Audioresearch sL3 preamp

Build Quality Look and Feel, cooool remote.

none!!!!!!

I have to agree with the previous reviewers that the Line 3
is one incredible preamp. Increasingly, I find that I am just listening to the music, not the "system" attempting to
reproduce music. With good (yea, even great)source material, what liquid ("smooth", "effortless","neutral", "uncolored", "taut", "detailed", "svelte", etc.)reproduction. The Line 3 is a joy to use,and a joy to behold too!

Similar Products Used:

Levinson, Counterpoint