Sonic Frontiers Line 2 SE with Bryston 7B-STs,

Pbb, I currently have the Line 3 and I had both the Bryston 3bst and 4bst in my system. The SF Line preamps are all very neutral, so I'd probably worry about the potential for other system synergies - the preamp will likely not be a cause of any problems. Just to mention though, the SF Line 1 and Line 2 sound very similar, while the SF Line 3 is really in a different league.

If you haven't yet purchased the Line 2 SE, you may want to consider the Line 3. It would surely outperform the Line 2 SE. The upgrades from stock to SE level are relatively minor, and you can always retube a Line 3 with NOS tubes to take it up a notch. Just a thought. Good luck.
John.

I have the SF line 3 with Bryston 7B-ST. Cdp is the Sony XA7ES. The speakers are Dynaudio Confidence 5. This combination gives me a headache with any listening session longer than 5 minutes. The sound is just not that good. I can't figure it out! Anyone with any suggestion?
Jim

Qtips, your system looks awesome - I'm surprised it doesn't sound so good. You could try some new cabling - not sure what you're using now. Also, the problem may be your CD player or your preamp tubes. Some CD players (especially Krell) are very detailed, but somehow there is so much detail, the sound is a bit overwhelming. You may want to switch in a player with a warmer or more analog sound like Audio Aero Capitole, Meridian 508.24 or YBA. Also, make sure your speakers are set up appropriately - Check the Cardas or Audio Physic/ Inmedia website for great speaker placement tips. Finally, you could try switching the tubes in your preamp. Good luck.
John.