Always long for (upgraded) first love: Sonic Frontiers Line 3


I wonder where I can get a decent condition Line 3 and is it worth it compared to preowned newer ones at the same price range. About twenty years ago, I had my first tube preamp which was SF SFL-2/Krell combo and I loved the combination. It’s just the overengineered, neutral (to me), and transparent sound and clean design that I like about it.
Sure, I love the CAT preamp which has similar sonic characteristics (IMO) very very much and can find them in good condition every now and then but then again it was a first love thing with SF....
goldeneardoc
Well, Chris Johnson from Partsconnexion has Line 3 coming in and he offers for $2,500 with full inspection, testing and cleaning with replacement of all age related/sensitive materials and umbilical cord if worn out. With warranty to 1 year at this price, I decided to go for it.
With additonal $500, I can get 10 Siemens 6922 tubes, I might do that later.
SF preamps were great.  Like the remote too.  Only issue I (and others had) was that relays would get stuck sometimes. 
I only wonder how do updated Line 3's sound quality compared to modern tube preamp since I have not listened to new tube preamp in years.
@goldeneardoc, as a former owner of a Line 3 who then had it upgraded all the way to the SE plus status, plus I rolled countless number of tubes in all positions, the Line 3 retains it original character as you follow the upgrade path as a very very neutral preamp.  No one has ever described the Line series of preamps as lush.  If anything they are closer to a SS sound than tube.  

I tried everything to get the Line 3 sound right in my system.  It was a frustrating process which resulted in me selling it. Imho, there are countless number of modern preamp that better the Line 3 based on my listening preference.  YMMV, good luck. 
+1 to BRF's comments.  I also owned a Line 3 with SE+ and Dueland copper foil caps installed as well (they barely fit).  pcX and I coined it the 'Platinum Plus' Line 3 :-).  Still retains the 'too neutral' sound- bass is decent, but missing the organic qualities of top quality competitors.  IMHO, the volume control is a major problem, and is digital-relay in design- likely as a cost-saving design parameter- too bad.  I sold it and won't go back- my current BAT Rex kills it in every parameter.  **However, all this being said, for the price, if you want a fully balanced, quiet and neutral-sounding pre, it's tough to beat.