Any Thoughts on the Sonic Frontiers power 1?

I owned a Sonic Frontiers Power 1 many years ago. It was my first tube amp. I loved it, and eventually upgraded to a Power 2 because my Sonus Faber speakers needed a litte more power to be at their best.

The sound can be best described as full-bodied, and not especially tubey sounding. The bass produced by it is very good. Not what you would normally expect from a tube amp. Tube amps tend to have a lean, but natural sounding bass. The Power 1 has intense bass. Many have described it as a solid-state sounding tube amp, but not in a bad way.

It doesn't have the glorious midrange of a SET amp, but I found the sound to be very satisfying, overall.

I especially liked that it could rock out with my rock and roll records, and play acoustic music (classical) very capably.

If you listen PRIMARILY to classical or unamplified jazz, I would suggest that the 6550/KT88 push-pull design of the Power 1 is not the best you can do. You will be better served with an amp that uses a different tube type, such as EL34, EL84, or 300B, for example.

I currently use a 2A3 SET amp, but I still have the Power 2 and hook it up from time to time, and still enjoy it for what it can offer that a 2A3 can't.

I hope this helps you out. If you have any other specific questions, ask.

Cheers.

Tom

I owned the Power 2....briefly.

I didn't warm up to it (no pun intended). It had an upper midrange glare and a upper midbass hump that completely disappeared when inserting any other amp. I thougt the DNA-1 deuluxe monoblocks I also had at the time sounded more like a good tube amp than the Power 2 did. It would not get my recommendation.

Shakey

Shakey's experience is similar to mine EXCEPT with other tube amps, I thought SF Power 2/3 were too neutral overall and took me a while to "warm up" to them. but once did, I could not listen to most tube amps where were too colored.

Power 1, if similar in sonic to Power 2/3, should be quite neutral for a tube amp. of course you can roll tubes and tune it to sound more romantic. overall, I do recommend SF Power amps highly and will take them over ARC or VTL any day.

if budget allowed, also consider BAT amps, I found BAT SE tube amps to have few rivals on earth.

I have 2 SF power 1's & find them very comparable to arc tube amps of similar vintage; neutral without a "tubey" signature. I think the bass is a little "on steroids" side of neutral. Compensates for usual bass deficent 50 watters x2. I use them in a multi-channel system with powered subs, driving rear & center channels. So been awhile since I've heard them "naked" on their own. Excellent reliability & build quality. Good biaing scheme & not hard to re-tube. Still advice & parts available via parts connexion. Not a "romantic" SE amp often paired with high-eff. spkrs though...

Sorry, cyclone, was in a hurry. I've just never liked them. A friend has the popular preamp, never liked it, and has the bigger 2 amp. I think they were audiophile products, not music makers. If you can get one cheap and like it, then go for it. As already advised, you can still get it repaired through parts connextion of canada...
I'd search elsewhere...