Sonic Frontiers SFL-2

Introduced after the success of the modestly priced SFL-1 (1991) and its SFL-1 Signature version (1993), the SFL-2 got a "Class A" Stereophile Recommended Component.

Not that I did ever take magazines' awards as gospel but the SFL-2 really was that good and designed by the original Sonic Frontiers team : Chris Johnson, John Sloan and Joe Curcio.

Spread over two chassis, the all-balanced operation is done by six 6922 Sovteks with 15 regulated power supplies (six discrete and nine IC-based), no NFb circuit and "ultra parts" sourced from the good people :
22 MIT caps, 28 Caddock and 8 Vishay resistors with Holco resistors, Solen p-s and shunt caps, plus Kimber sliver wiring, Kimber RCA and Neutrik silver-plated XLR terminals.

Also split-bobbin trafos, B+ and B- supplies with 280µF of Solen metallized polypropylene caps and a separate transformer / power supply for utility functions such as muting relays and LEDs.

And also single-ended and balanced DIRECT inputs which bypass everything but the mute and attenuator.

Last but not least, and most important, crucial even, the volume attenuator is a 46-position fixed resistance array - only the best so the SFL-2 could be that good.


A nice factory tour with interviews and photos from just before the change of ownership and plans here and a Stereophile news, a year later, about said change of plans and directions here.