LITTLE COUNTRY III
6922 Heaphone Amp/
Pre Amp

Worth the Wait

A while back the Firestone engineers sat down with a major goal in mind; to improve on one of their Flagship Products, the Little Country 2. Owners and reviewers alike raved about the outstanding performance of the LC2 and called it an outstanding value at $499.00. Talk about a tough act to follow.

Even though the task looked daunting and there was constant pressure to get the new model to market, they would not be rushed. The circuitry wizards at Firestone Audio left no stone unturned in their efforts to tweak and massage the LC3 until it performed just right.

Well, by all accounts it’s been well worth the wait.

The improvement is evident the first time you sit down with the Little Country III.

Beautifully Detailed Sound 

The Little Country III turns every listening session into an lush Audiophile experience. It features a rich, beautifully detailed sound from top to bottom and a superb soundstage. You’ll find yourself lost in the hypnotic, musical experience. 

Every once in a while an audio product comes along that exceeds the expectations of even the most demanding listener, and so it is with the LC3.

Compatible with the world’s best headphones

As you would expect the LC3 is compatible with the worlds best headphones and you’ll definitely want premium quality headphones or earbuds to fully enjoy the LC3. Those “throw away” ear buds you got with your MP3 player won’t cut it here.  I’ve listened to the LC3 with Grado RS1 (32ohms), AKG K701 (62 ohms), and Sennheiser HD600’s (300 ohms). They all sound superb but to my ear the LC3 tends to favor the lower impedance units just a tad.

The external gain switch lets you adjust for any brand or model of headphones from 28 ohms to 300 ohms.

  Meet the Amazing Little Country III

The three sets of gold plated RCA plugs are for Input, Bypass and Preamp output. The LC3 accepts its input from any source component including CD/DVD players, phono stage, Tuner, DAC, and even your iPod or other portable player.

To make sure the power transfers safely and efficiently between modules the LC3s power cable is equipped with threaded connectors. Gone is the push in S video style cable from the LC2.

On the rear panel you’ll  find the gain switch and AC power connection.

 
Lets take a look under the hood

Why all this fuss about power conditioning?

In high-end audio the power supply and power conditioning sections make up a large percentage of the cost of every component. Most Audiophiles understand that a source of clean, consistent, regulated power is essential for great sound and a low noise floor. This fact was not lost on the Firestone engineers who paid special attention to this section. As we constantly preach here at Audiophile Products;

Better power = better sound.

The Power Supply Module houses a large toroidal transformer. It easily switches between 110 - 220Vac. You'll also find the power switch on the back of this module
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A Serenly Quiet Tube Headphone Amp?

You won't find that old TUBE AMP HUM with the LC3. The Firestone designers successfully engineered the LC3 to run very quiet. This helps reveal more of the low level detail in your music, detail you may not have been hearing, detail that was previously veiled by noise. You don't need me to remind you that Low Level Detail is where you really discover the magic in your music.

The main audio section features a pair of 6922 tubes. The 6922 in its various forms remains the long established standard for Preamp and Headphone Amplifier tubes.

A Brief Note on the 6922 Tubes
The LC3 is shipped standard with Electro Harmonix 6922EH tubes, I enjoy the EH tubes but being an insatiable tweaker I couldn't resist rolling in a few NOS (new old stock) 6922's into the LC3. I tried about 4 or 5 different tubes - my current favorites are the Amperex 7308 USN-CEP. The 7308 is a premium version of the 6922 and Amperex appears to have really gotten this tube right. To my ear they bring out more soul in the music, with a more fully resolved midrange. Of course your mileage may vary; this is one of the fun aspects of tube audio. You can tailor the sound to your liking with the various tube brands and models.

Specifications:

Tubes: 2 X 6922 (Electro Harmonix)
Opamps: Burr Brown OPA2604
Frequency Response: 15Hz ~ 80KHz ; -1dB ( 100 ohms load )
Max. Output: Voltage -7Vrms Current -90mA
Output Impedance: < 0.1 ohms
lnput Impedance: 10K ohms
Inputs: 1 RCA
Outputs 2 RCA (1 preamp out and 1 bypass out) 1 – 1/8" headphone jack
Input Voltage: 110 or 220 VAC (switchable)

Additional features:

• Power Supply easily switches between 110 or 220 VAC
• High-end stepped potentiometer
• The shunt/series switch, changes how the circuit “sees” the volume control. Adjust to suit your taste, default setting is series 
• 1/8” to 1/4” headphone jack adaptor cable included

The Little Country III Package Includes:

• The Little Country III Headphone Amp / Preamp with 6922 tubes installed
  
• Power Supply Module
• Power transfer cable with threaded connectors
• AC power cable
• 1/8" to 1/4" gold plated headphone jack adaptor cable
• Allen Key
  
• Owners Manual
• Warranty  card

What about the Warranty?

The Little Country III comes with a full two year parts and labor warranty. If you suspect a problem, you deal directly with us, not an anonymous middleman. We are the authorized warranty center for Firestone Audio in North America.

Our toll free phone line (1 888 283 4631) ensures you get help right away with any question or problem. 

Our Ironclad, No BS, No Risk Guarantee

We understand that Audio can be very subjective and we all hear things with a slightly different ear.
So we make it really simple.
We're SO confident you'll love your Little Country III we make you the following promise:
Purchase the Little Country III and enjoy it for 30 days. If for any reason you dont feel the LC3 is right for you we'll take it back, refund your purchase and thank you for giving it a listen.
 

And the price?

After a year in development the Little Country III emerges as the new gold standard for a headphone amp / preamp in this class. Rarely does a product undergo such a major redesign and upgrade without a corresponding major price increase to match. One would certainly expect a significant price boost over the $499.00 previously charged for the LC2.

But surprisingly with all of the extra features and obvious increased costs, the Little Country III is priced LOWER. 

Right now you can own the Little Country III for the low price of just $447.00! This is not a typo, the Little Country III with numerous changes and upgrades is priced  $50.00 less than the LC2!

To order your very own Little Country III click on the "Add to Shopping Cart" button below.

Here's a recap of the changes and upgrades for the LC3

• New Power Regulation Module for smooth power and sound
• New soft start circuit provides protection to the tubes and audio circuts at power up.
• New Headphone and speaker protection circuit
• New Separate power supply module (This by itself is a $117.00 upgrade)
  
• New Twin 6922 tubes
• New External Gain switch, makes it easy to adjust for different headphone impedances, also adjusts the preamp gain.
• Upgraded components used throughout (Exactly what would you expect after a year in development)
• New Threaded power transfer cable
• New Gold plated RCA connectors
  

The Little Country III is featured in the August 2009 Robb Report. Robb Report Article

To order the Little Country III click the "Add to Shopping Cart" button and we'll get yours sent out right away!

PS.
OK, so take a minute, close your eyes and imagine how good your favorite music will sound with your very own Little Country III. That’s right, let that silky smooth tube sound fill the air with the music you love. When you own the Little Country III you’ll be enjoying your favorite music that way all of the time.

And remember if for any reason in the first 30 days you don’t feel the LC3 is right for you; we’ll take it back - and thank you for giving it a try.

My bet is once you’ve heard it; you’ll never want to part with your Little Country III.

So don't wait another minute, get your Little Country today!

Enjoy!