Lab12 Melto 1 phono preamplifier

Greek brand Lab12 is renowned for its high-quality tube amplifiers and preamplifiers. To round off its range, founder Stratos Vichos is offering a new high-end phono preamplifier. This Melto 2 offers a simpler, less expensive circuit than the famous Melto 2, but with remarkable musicality.


Lab12 Melto1: case

The Melto1 phono preamplifier comes in a sober case with rather imposing dimensions, since it could easily house a power unit of several hundred watts!

The 5 mm aluminum front panel is absolutely sober! It features only three red LEDs. One indicates power on, and the other two indicate left and right channel power.

On the rear of the unit, you'll find a pair of RCA inputs and a pair of RCA outputs, plus a ground knob. There are also 4 dip switches for parameter setting.

There's also an IEC mains socket for the power cable.


Lab12 Melto1: Technology


The Ria circuit and gain are based on the use of double triode tubes. They incorporate MM and RIAA EQ stages after a switchable low-noise boost stage. The PCB is perfectly symmetrical, and the grounding path is totally separate for both channels. SRSG® technology offers exceptional signal-to-noise ratio and channel separation.

General power supply is provided by a generous toroidal transformer with 4 secondary windings. The circuit shows 3 regulated power supplies dedicated to audio and tube heating. It should also be noted that the signal path receives no feedback.

Manufacturing quality is beyond reproach, as is the quality and choice of components.


Lab12 Melto1: Parameterization


The Melto1 is designed to work with any cartridge, offering a variety of set-up options.

The Melto1 can be precisely parameterized according to the associated cartridge. These settings are made on the back of the unit by moving 4 dip switches.

For MM cartridges, you can choose a resistive load of 100 or 50 KOhms. To these can be added capacitive loads of 100, 200, 300 and LOW (below 100).

MC cartridges are available with resistive loads of 32, 34, 42, 47, 100, 130, 390 and high impedance.

Lab12 Melto1: Restitution


After a few minutes of warm-up, we immediately noticed that this Lab12 preamplifier totally sublimates the “analog” parameter of restitution.

This phono preamplifier handles small signals extremely sensitively and with remarkable finesse. But most of all, it brilliantly conveys material and ambience. On vocals, few phono preamplifiers in this range offer such an “organic” aspect. As well as being precise, the Melto1 is very fast and physical when required. The richness of timbre it distills puts it in the category of the best phono preamps available. Music seems to be reproduced with a certain purity and uncommon realism.

It seems to offer the best of all worlds, taut, dynamic bass without being overpowering, warm, natural midrange and crystal-clear highs without any aggressiveness.

The soundstage is wide and three-dimensional, placing each instrument precisely between the speakers.

This Lab12 Melo1 phono preamplifier features a simple tube circuit, reduced to the essentials, but offering remarkable musicality! It's one of the best phono preamplifiers I've heard for under 3,000 euros! The Lab12 Melto1 offers a real emotional connection between the listener and the music.

Lab12 products are made in Greece. This is proof that “affordable” high-end audio can still be made in Europe at an affordable price.


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