Rowans Creek is great stuff in the $30 ish range, as is it's big brother "Noah's Mill". The Weller's are great, but it's near impossible to find the 12 year recently in the states. Lately I've been enjoying Old Forester 1920, along with Blantons, Willett Rye 3 &4 yr., and Michters Barrel...

Agreed!

I agree with that statement, it truly is a chameleon with different phones. It's one of those amps that doesn't blow you away, but always sounds excellent.

I'm with your grizzlybeast, whenever I play this amp it makes me smile. It's not as lush as some other tube amps, and maybe doesn't have the air, but otherwise it checks all the boxes.   The stock tubes sound good. I currently have some vintage Amperex in that are sounding great.

That Lanikai porter looks great! Nice label art too.

Here are a few cell pic's from a cast and crew screening I attended last week.        

Yes, both are transformer balanced, not true balanced amplifiers. I was just clarifying my particular setup, so people have context for my comments.   My particular Head 2 has balanced XLR inputs, but only 1/4" output. The Stratus has single ended inputs and transformer balanced 4 pin XLR...

Well, take my critique with a grain of salt, partly because I'm going on audio memory. The are both satisfying to my ears, but I wouldn't say they are equal. With Stratus you get the extra richness and air. 2 completely different tube designs(DHT vs push-pull) each with their own benefit.  ...

I listened for a bit last night with the new Amperex in place and my T1's. The Head 2 is fast, musical, and balanced. The Stratus on the other hand is more romantic and lush, which was part of Donald's design goal. The Head 2 seems to be more linear and has less tube bloom. Bottom line is that I...

WyWires makes a great headphone cable at a reasonable price.

Now that vc1187 has my old Stratus, I guess I should sell the U52 that I never got around to trying. If any Stratus owners are interested, let me know.

The glass can definitely help. I bought mine when I was coming off Scotch and just getting into Bourbon. Works for both. I usually use the Glencairn glass for lower proof spirits and a low ball style glass for higher proof. Sometimes the smaller neck on the Glencairn can make the aroma just a...

I definitely love my WyWires Reds and really like the Bryston with certain phones. It's definitely an underrated amp with Audeze's, and I also dig it wish my Fostex TH900's.

Ha, I'm very content with my Auralic Vega DAC. Stopped looking for DAC's....always looking for Bourbon......   My drinking technique is similar to yours. Try it straight out of a Glencairn type glass. If the whiskey is too strong add some spring water or a cube or two of good ice. Lately I've...

Sorry grizzlybeast, I snagged the Head 2 from Stereo Desk. Very pleased with the purchase and excellent service from Stereo Desk. This amp is exactly as the reviews describe. Great tone, great dynamics, and plays well with my HD800 and T1's. I've had less then an hour of head time, but can tell...

The LC is a excellent amp in the <1K range. That said, the Stratus is a reference amp that won't disappoint.

I bought my LC to pair with my TH900's as a bed side rig. After burn in I feel like the LC is a great amp, but not the perfect match with the TH900's. Since those are the only phones I can use in my bedroom setup, I will probably search for a different amp or go back to my Bryston. Like...

Hmmm, there is a chance I might sell mine. It's a fantastic amp, but I slightly prefer my Bryston. This setup is for my bed side rig, so I'm stuck with using my TH900's. With those phones the Bryston just seems to have a touch better control of those particular phones. Honestly, if I didn't...

The first batch shipped from California even though the return label said TX. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I think that is the case with the second batch too.

I think a friend might have been lucky enough to grab one. I'll have to stop by over the holidays for a taste. Cheers!

I think everyone is taking burn-in too seriously. Play tunes and enjoy your new amp. Yes, it will change, but isn't it fun to hear how it might change and improve? There's no reason to not use the amp while you are running music through it. My 2 lame cents.

I picked up 2 at my local BevBlo today. I had a few small pours and they it was tasty. A little too light in body, but excellent overall profile. I think if they bottled it in the 90's or low 100's it would have been dynamite. Finally a new bourbon that actually is worth the money paid. Cheers!

My local store has "Straight Edge" for $54. Would you recommend this one?

That's sad news. I figured it's because I'm in Los Angeles and all the pirates seem to be buying to resell, leaving true fans empty handed. Bummer.   What's the word on the Slaughter House? I don't believe I have seen that locally, but will keep an eye out.

How are you guys finding the amp in the bass department? The first day I thought it was a bit sloppy, but haven't thought about it much since, which means it's improving. Hopefully the TH900's will match well after burn in, if not, back to my Bryston. I do love how musical this LC is though.