Sonic Frontier Line 3 vs McIntosh C2500

Beautiful system! I really think that you would love the McIntosh....But I would give another one a look... the Manley Labs Jumbo Shrimp is great for injecting a lot of rich organic earthy quality with a real palpable sense and a huge soundstage with plenty of rise and decay, I say this because you currently have a Chinook and the combo is amazing! Its what I use over a Mac pre amp. My brother has the C2500 with the exact same system as mine, and it sounds very accurate warm and detailed as hell. I have a Project Xtension 10 and I spin a lot of vinyl, and I wanted something special sounding. You would not be making a bad choice either way. IMO.



Matt M                                P.S. never heard the SF pre amps

Thanks for your input Matt... It is really helpful!
I'm not sure if it's ok to connect the chinook to the phono inputs on the Mac, or should it be connected to one of the auxiliary. The C2500 has imputs for both MM & MC, so my mental debate is whether I will still need the Chinook.!

Have you thought of some upgrades for your SF L3? Ask at PartsConnexion. The owner was a founder of SF. :)

I'd ask around though, I loved the SF preamps I heard, but have not kept up with tubes at all.  I'm just mentioning it as a way to go, without necessarily championing it. :)

Be well,

Erik

Erik ...I did speak to them, and that's exactly my quandary ... Upgrade or trade?? I really love the neutrality of my SF3 and the Chinook seems to have made a perfect marriage to it. I listen mostly to vinyl and the combination is pristine. I think that I just answered  my own question...? 

Hehe.  If I wasn't still unpacking I would have told you that your pre-amplifer was absolutely garbage but for $50 I would help take it off your hands..... :D :D :D