For sure, LAB12 has already created its own design identity, a distinct signature that characterizes their products and some basic choices consistently made by their people. The company's fondness for the tube-based amp circuits is not kept in secret, but, at least in my opinion, this is not the most interesting of LAB12's design traits. More important is the way that nearly all of their products manage to integrate the merits of an audiophile circuit within a control structure that is modern, functional and makes the user feel comfortable with it. We had the opportunity to confirm this ability during our review of the Gordian, a power filter and power quality analyzer and we were excited not only by its efficiency but also by its user interface and ease of use. In the long run, it appears that this is a proven modus operandi in which the Greek company relies upon, on an ongoing basis, and is an important part of their identity.

That being said, it is no wonder that melto2, the first LAB12 phono preamplifier, is a fully adjustable device in all of its basic parameters, based on the familiar, simple and comprehensible menu structure we have seen on other products. From the moment of its original announcement, we eagerly waited for the review sample, to discover how they decided to approach the not-at-all-easy design challenges of such a device.
Indeed, we were not disappointed at all, at least on principle. On arrival, Melto2 proved to be a fully tube-based design, with a clear focus on high quality and high precision components, offering the versatility often required by hard to please vinyl lovers and a user interface that even provides real-time parameter switching through a remote control.

Dimitris Stamatakos

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Original Publilcation: 2019/05/08	Last Follow Up: 2019/05/08

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