Sonic Frontiers Line 2, Heaven or Hell?

Didn't like the SFL2 at first. Swapped the stock Sovteks to ECC88's and it improved but still a little rolled off on cymbals. Went to XLR cables, both out "direct" in, sacrificing balance control, ... much better. Tried balanced AC, through a centre-tapped, step-down industrial transformer and "Holy $#%@", it's a different animal. It loved balanced AC, more than any component I've tried. Not quite as transparent as TVC and just a little bloated in the bass. Didn't require the gain it provided with a high voltage source along with sensitive amps and speakers.

Ngjockey, could you elaborate on balanced AC? What is that?
My first foray into a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 began alittle less than stellar as well, which i briefly described in a previous posting. BUT.......my recent discovery in how I accidentally connected it to the two pairs of inputs on my Parasound A21 amp with BOTH RCA (Syn. Res.) and XLR (Audio Metallurgy) cables have yield such an open, airy and deep soundstage, it was the moment I decided to keep this preamp as opposed to sell it. It might not have the comparative wamrth of a CJ or Audio Research, but for the type of music I listen to (technical metal/prog rock), its a small trade-off for the amount of detail and instrument placement/depth that this preamp extracs from the music (thanks to its black background). And I haven't done the Parts ConneXion upgrade to this yet. I will be trying that later this year, just to see what more this can do. I am curious to hear what tubes people have had luck with on their SF preamps.

My favorite 6922 tube for SF is the Amperex Holland SQ E88CC.

I've own 3 different SF preamps and 1 amp. I find stock SF sound is a little thin, lean, mechanical and dry. The PCX SE+ mod addresses all the weaknesses and much more. IMHO, PCX SE+ mod is a no brainer for all SF owners.

Blueskiespbd,

What tubes are in the middle and back row of the Line 2 now?

I am listening but not hearing what I must in order to keep this preamp. It sounds as though it plays best when fed a diet of heavy metal not bluegrass. I have uncovered a volume attentuator problem that PCX can fix for $300, then if you add the upgrades and shipping I would have maybe almost $3000 in a machine over 10 years old. I want a tube amp that doesnt sound like SS. Any ideas?