I plan on starting a separate thread but I have spent enough time on them now to tell you I am happy with both amps. Time permitting I will be opening up the VTV, take some photos and may try and tidy the wiring up
if there is a need.
I did open up the case for the Buckeye amp because I have to install a standby switch myself. Buckeye was nice enough to drill out the hole I need for the switch. At first he didn't seem to want to drill the Ghent case that is specifically designed for the NC502MP. After I explained to him that it would be much easier to drill the back plate before the it gets assembled, then he agreed to do it for me.
Overall the Buckeye amp's workmanship is very good. The only minor "issue" is the upside down XLR connector mounts, but it's really a non issue unless you have to move the amp around often. Even then it would just be a minor nuisance rather than a real issue as such.
The Nord and Apollon amps may be better looking and built better (workmanship), other than that I see no reasons for them to perform better. If you looked at their measurements on ASR, they all performed similarly good. Some manufacturers, such as Nord, Apollon, and VTV do offer the options to use different input buffers. To me those are just profit margin added features, though I would agree that they could be a win win for not only the manufacturers but also the buyers who believe such things do offer audibly different sound quality. I know they don't but for those who believe in them, they will likely hear the difference that they anticipated, and hopefully for the better. If not, they could and probably would keep trying for different buffers, until they think they found the sweet one for them.