SFL-2 vs Linn Kairin & EAR834L Deluxe

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Sonic frontiers SL-2 vs Linn Kairin & EAR/Yoshino 834L Deluxe

Reference System
Source Analog; 25th Ann. Linn LP12, Lingo, Ekos, Arkive"A" & Trampoline Serial# 95409
Digital; NAD 5000, MacIntosh G4 400 (recording & gaming)

Pre Amp; Linn Kairin Brilliant Slim Line Power Supply serial #007620
Phono Stage; Linn Linto serial#001213

Power Amplifiers; 3x Linn AV5105 100watts/channel@8ohms serial #'s 04200 to 4400 (too lazy to look)

Speakers; Aktive Linn Kabers serials# 014867 & 014868

Speaker Cables & Interconnects; Linn K600 speaker cable, Linn silver interconnects throughout. 3 to the amps & 1each from phono stage & CD player.
It may look to every one that i stacked the deck against the other two preamps by having to go against the Linn on home turf but Linn gear actually works well with most anything just a common miss conception usually created by Linn haters.

Fit & Finish; SFL-2 Kairin 834L
9 8 8
The SFL-2 is stunningly beautiful 2 chassie design ( gold face plate) & well built gets the edge for beauty on contrast the Kairin is modern industrial design is well built but has no wow factor the 834L is well built nice looking chrome front but doesnt come close to the beauty of the SFL-2
Ergonomics ; SFL-2 Kairin 834L
7 9 6
The Linn & its remote control ability to record one source & listen to another combined with 6 inputs & 3 outputs match source volumes & a plethora of other useful programable features puts it miles ahead of its compition. Both the SFL-2 & the 834L are layed out well have useful tape monitors the SFL-2 gets a better grade due to a mute & standby switch.

Sound Quality; SFL-2 Kairin 834L
highs 9 8 7
mids 9 6 7
bass 7 8 7
sound stage 9 6 7
presentation 9 8 6

The SFL-2 just kicked butt ecept in the bass department it had to be boosted by 1db on my aktive cross over. The bass was accurate tune full & had good rythym & pace but did not go as low as the the Kairin. The sound stage was huge the highs & mids were liquid its presentation was never brash or too forward it was confident & just seemed natural to me.
The Kairin has excellent highs but a fat & not very detailed mid range which hurt its soundstage it just couldnt get 3 dimensional its bass was fast accurate very tune full.
The EAR/Yoshino 834L just didn't inegrate well at all it was forward brash & very aggresive at times I changed the tubes to NOS Mullard military grade dropped my aktive treble .5db & my tone arm all which made an improvement. It has great potential & will probably mate well with a amp or speakers that are laid back. I really wanted to like this pre but until I find what it mates with Ill have to part with it.

Conclusion; The SFL-2 is now my reference preamp it matched excellent with all my other equiptment I can live with its bronze age ergonomics because it SOUNDS SO RIGHT. I sold the Kairin & I will miss its fexiblity but it never had that clean mid range or 3d soundstage it is a great preamp dont get me wrong Linnies & Ill buy another in a heart beat for a secondary system but it just didnt cut the mustard as compared to the SFL-2.
The 834L I guess is the odd man out like a first round draft pick it has lots of potential but just couldnt deliver the goods. It did every thing good but nothing great & its brash aggressive style made it fatiguing to listen to. Im going to try it on a few friends sytems to see what it mates better with will keep everyone posted.

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The Cable Cooker

Topic - SFL-2 vs Linn Kairin & EAR834L Deluxe - quasijr 08:05:47 07/13/02 (0)

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