[freethetree]

Yep, Sonic Frontiers, Audio Alchemy, and there might have been one more manufacture but Im not sure, all licencsed the crossfeed tech from HeadRoom.

 

[Zebra]

Counterpoint supposedly also licensed the technology from Headroom, but I have yet to see any Counterpoint's with it in place.

 

[scottpaul_iu]

Quote:

Originally posted by Zebra Counterpoint supposedly also licensed the technology from Headroom, but I have yet to see any Counterpoint's with it in place.

That is because Counterpoint is no longer in business.

 

[duetta]

As I've mentioned elsewhere in the site, I had a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 at the same time that I was auditioning the circa '99 MOH and an original Airhead, all with Etymotics ER-4S and Beyer DT-990 Pros. I generally prefered the Line 1 to the MOH, and the hockey puck remote is a natural for headphone listening. The irony was that, at least with the stock Sovtek 6922s, I couldn't live with the midrange performance of the preamp through my main audio rig -- which is why I returned it to my local dealer (although the bass was awesome, and nothing like anything I had come to expect from a "tube" preamp). Since I had the opportunity to return the unit with no questions asked, I didn't bother attempting to tweak the sound via tube rolling -- which apparently can significantly alter the overall sound of the piece, and which SF themselves addressed in the SE series. Once my cash situations improves, I may go hunting for a pre-owned Line 1 or 2, stock or SE, get around to some tube rolling, and maybe just keep it as a dedicated headphone amp.

Matt C

 

[20nickels]

I was Thinking of one of these.

http://www.wwlholsters.com/order-now...CH&size=UBHR-4

Anybody ever use one?

 

[20nickels]

Ha! wrong forum. too many open windows.

 

[rsv1k]

wow , what a great search engine. I get an email that someone has (mistakenly) commented to a thread I was part of over 4 years ago! I don't do as much with HeadFi as I should, but I'll do a brief follow-up after looking over all I wrote years ago.

Even though much of the rest of my system has changed, the SFI Line1 has remained, though now much improved -- BB volume control chips, the perfect tube combination, new AC power cord and conditioning, hifi tuning fuse, a full SE factory upgrade of all signal path passive components to the best available, pearl tube coolers, various vibration damping and isolation, etc. And I just recently picked up a 2003 stepped -attenuator Headroom Max now being upgraded with their 2007 Max modules and HEXFRED power supply diodes.

But the Max -- even with its 2003 reference modules -- definitely had the upper hand over the greatly-upgraded Line1 with headphones. Subtle improvements, but consistent. Remember the Line1 headphone amp board is unchanged from its 1997 design, but it's getting a cleaner input signal from the upgraded preamp section. Comparing the Max and Line1 as preamps was more surprising: they sounded damn-near-identical, surprising for any 2 preamps, much less the totally differing design approaches between these two. When I get my Max back next week, it might even sound better

So with all the headphone amps that are available now vs 2002, buying the Line 1/2/3 for headphone duty only would be a monumental waste of space, money and electricity. I still think it remains one of the best designed and flexible preamps out there anywhere near its used price. I often DO listen to headphones with it when I want a more relaxed less clinically revealing music experience than the best headphone amps -- it certainly doesn't suck, but probably any HP amp over $500 will sound better...

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Talk about resurecting the dead! Just wanted to mention that the cross feed circuit in the SF preamp is identical to the HeadRoom crossfeed circuit of the day. The output stage is significantly different, using two parallel 604s to drive the cans.

 

[Rotijon]

Talk about resurecting the dead! Just wanted to mention that the cross feed circuit in the SF preamp is identical to the HeadRoom crossfeed circuit of the day. The output stage is significantly different, using two parallel 604s to drive the cans.

To necro this. i just found a SFL-2 in my house, but i cant seem to find a headphone jack. Are they 3pin balanced jacks? 

 

[defguy]

If I remember correctly the SFL-2 doesn't have a headphone output. I think the headphone circuit was one of the added features in the Line series. I had an SFL-1 back in the day which I replaced with a Line-1.