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New phono stage arrived

I Have been running a Lab 12 melto tube unit, and hated it ever since I got it. I should have held off, but I was in a rush and the one I wanted wasn't available so I was told it was just as good? That was a red flag I missed. Anyway I tried every setting on the Lab 12, and wasn't about to start pissing around with tube rolling so I started the research. 

I bought a Charisma Audio Musiko Phono stage for half the money, and it sounds twice as good. Very easy to configure with dip switches on the back. I have it paired with a Rega P3 TT with a Goldring Eroica XL MC cart. The system is dead quiet, no noise, very articulate and precise. The sound is very bold and present, A nice pleasant feel to the music. I started with some Eva Cassidy, and then Dire straits. Looks like I found the missing link. 

hilroy48

Showing 2 responses by chipcalzone

chipcalzone
48 posts
 

Hi @hilroy48 I had a similar issue which I solved by chance. I got a good deal on a hardly used Melto 1 unit and upon arriving it sounded dry and lifeless. I gave it a week as I thought it needed time to break in. However, it barely improved so I had a hunch that there was a faulty tube perhaps due to shipping. The Melto 1 comes stock with 2x 6N1P-EV (output) and 2x 6N2P-EV (input), uncommon tubes that I didn’t have lying around.

When I opened up the unit, to my surprise, the circuit board was labeled for 6992 tubes instead of 6N1P for the output stage. Luckily I had 6922 Tungsol NOS tubes lying around in my collection and they work perfectly. It is now sounding as it should, sonorous midrange and just delightful, just as the reviews describe it.

The bigger brother Melto 2 comes stock with 6922 tubes, which aligns with the circuit board labeling. Why LAB12 decided to ship the Melto 1 with 6N1P tubes instead of 6922s remains a Greek mystery. Perhaps if the stock tubes were working properly it would’ve sounded good but I believe 6922 is much better and is a huge upgrade from the stock tubes even if not faulty.

So if you haven’t sold it yet, pick up a matched 6922 pair and I think you will be pleased.

chipcalzone
48 posts
 

The manual states that it comes in stock with 6N1P-EV tubes, so I don't believe this was an oversight. The only reason I can think of is that a.) 6N1P is more durable, as the "EV" is supposed to be military spec or something along those lines. Ironically the "long-lasting tube" failed right away. And b.) It's cheaper than a 6922. Lowbeats.de (German Site) - reviewed both the Melto 2 and 1, and they concluded that the Melto 2 had more resolution, I'm wondering now if that's due to the use of 6922 tubes vs 6N1P.

  • Noise Performance: The 6N1P is slightly quieter than the 6922, making it a preferred option for low-noise applications such as hi-fi preamps and driver stages.
  • Durability: The 6N1P is known to be robust and durable, often outlasting the 6922 in high-stress applications.
  • Sound Profile: The 6N1P provides a warmer, smoother sound, whereas the 6922 is more neutral and analytical. Depending on your sonic preference, this can significantly impact your choice.

 

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