LAB12 melto2 Remote Controlled, Fully Adjustable Phono Preamplifier Owner’s Manual

LAB12 melto2 Remote Controlled, Fully Adjustable Phono Preamplifier

Specifications

• Product : LAB12 melto2 – Remote Controlled, Fully Adjustable Phono Preamplifier
• Model : melto2
• Website : www.lab12.gr
• Version : v1.6
• Address : K. Varnali 57A, Metamorfosi, 14452, Athens, Greece
• Contact : Tel: +30 210 2845173,
• Email : contact@lab12.gr

Product Usage Instructions

• Unpacking and Warnings
  Melto2 should be removed from its box with care. Remove all the foam protective pieces of the box before you unpack melto2. Unpack melto2 with your hands on both sides of the device. Unpack the Remote Control and insert the batteries in the correct position.

• Warnings
  No user-serviceable parts are included inside. Do not unscrew the cover; high voltages remain after disconnecting from mains. In case your device requires any kind of service or upgrade, please ship or take your equipment directly to Lab12 or to one of our authorized dealers or other qualified personnel. Always use the same type of fuse for replacement.

• Remote Control
  The remote control that comes with the device allows the melto2’s usage from a distance since all menu functions can be set in real-time from the listening position. This is a particularly useful feature that leads to a quite straightforward cartridge-matching procedure. You can change and set all possible combinations of settings while you are listening to music without needing to volume down.

IT IS YOURS!

• Thank you for purchasing Lab12 melto2. Before setting up your new melto2, we encourage you to read this manual thoroughly and get familiar with its features.
• Melto2 is a truly audiophile phono preamplifier with plenty of choices and settings that give you the opportunity to receive the absolutely best from your turntable/cartridge system. We have chosen a full tube design with no solid state parts in the signal way and we have managed to precisely handle this very sensitive cartridge signal to offer a truly musical result. Melto2 is designed to perfectly match with any of the Lab12 amplifiers or preamplifiers.
• Keep in mind that melto2 is totally handcrafted with perfectly matched parts of the finest selections. In order to reach the optimal performance your melto2 needs at least 150 hours of listening. In this time all components go from “burn in” period to stable.
• The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice. The most current version of this manual is available on our official website at http://www.lab12.gr

Unpacking
Melto2 should be removed from its box with care. Remove all the foam protective pieces of the box before you unpack melto2. Unpack melto2 with your hands on both sides of the device. Unpack the Remote Control and insert the batteries in correct position.

Warnings
No user-serviceable parts are included inside. Do not unscrew the cover; high voltages remain after disconnecting from mains. In case your device requires any kind of service or upgrade, please ship or take your equipment directly to Lab12 or to one of our authorized dealers or other qualified personnel. Always use the same type of fuse for replacement.

Installation & Placement

Melto2 should be placed on a solid flat surface. You should avoid placing it near a heat source as this could compromise the performance and reliability. You should never place another component directly on top of this device. Make sure that your melto2 has an adequate flow of air around it. Melto2 could be warm in some points; this is normal and within parts’ specifications. Take care of the front panel’s glass blasting anodized finishing using a soft dry cloth. No need to use any sprays or polishes. Never use cleaners containing abrasives, as this will damage the surface.

Front Panel

• On the front panel you will see the OLED display, the Navigation rotary knob and the Operation rotary knob.
• The left rotary/push knob (A) is there for navigation into device’s menu structure.
• The OLED display (B) is located in the middle of front panel. There, you can see all the interface menu details.
• With the right rotary knob (C) you can manually mute the output of melto2, to easily change a vinyl record or clean your cartridge needle without having to turn off the phono preamplifier or change your volume setting.

Rear Panel Connections

• On the rear panel you will find three inputs, two outputs, the main power input and the main power switch. From left to right you will find three (one for each input) grounding points (A) to connect the ground cable of your turntable or tonearm. Right after, there are three stereo RCA sockets inputs (B, C, D). Just after, you will find two pair of RCA and XLR outputs, for left channel (E) and for right channel (F).
• On the right side of the rear panel, the main power inlet and the power switch (G) are located. In same position, Mains safety fuse is located, right bellow mains in socket.

Remote Control

The remote control that comes with the device allows the melto2’s usage from a distance, since all menu functions can be set in real-time from the listening position. This is a particularly useful feature, that leads to a quite straightforward cartridge matching procedure. You can change and set all possible combination of settings while you are listening to music, without need to volume down.

• At the top section of the remote control, you can find 4 buttons for the main functions of your Lab12 Integrated Amplifier/Preamplifier. You can set the volume level from the top pair of buttons and input selection from the second pair of buttons right below.
• At the lower section there are 3 buttons, 2 for navigation and 1 menu selection button of melto2’s functions. Use the Left – Right arrow (< >) to navigate through menu structure and menu selection button to select the desirable choice.

Main connections

• Melto2 offers three inputs (1, 2 or 3) for connection of an equal number of cartridge/tonearm combinations. Multiple turntables are supported as well as multiple tonearms on the same turntable. Only low capacitance shielded cables are recommended.
• Using either the single-ended (RCA) or (XLR) outputs, connect melto2 to a line level input of your integrated amplifier or preamplifier.
• Connect the turntable and/or tonearm ground wire to either of the three available ground terminals on the rear panel of melto2.
• Connect a high-grade power cable to the IEC input and to your power socket. Make sure that your power socket provides a good ground before connecting the power cable.
• Melto2 is calibrated and tested connected with a Lab12 Knack mk2 power cable. We strongly suggest using this cable.

Notes:

• Each one of the three inputs can be individually adjusted for the cartridge type, gain, input load and input capacitance, the type of the de-emphasis applied as well as for stereo or mono mode. Please find further information in ‘’menu structure’’ chapter.
• Is absolutely safe to experiment with any settings for your cartridge. There is no way that you can electrically damage your cartridge after a wrong setting. However, we suggest to begin your configuration with values near the cartridge manufacturer recommended.

For the safety of your equipment
Make sure that all your equipment is turned off before any connection.

Menu structure

All available settings are accessible through the device’s OLED display. You can switch among 7 different menu screens using the “Navigation” rotary/push knob on the left of the face plate or the remote control. Rotate the knob to navigate through the menu and push it to perform any extra action. See below a brief description of the available menu items.

Low or Hi Gain.

For the MM Cartridge Type, the setting is locked to higher value.

| Low or Hi
4| Equalizer Curve| It allows you to choose between de- emphasis curves.| RIAA, DECCA or COLUMBIA
5| Capacitance| For the MM Cartridge Type, it allows you to choose between input capacitance.

For the MC Cartridge Type, the setting is locked to the lower value.

| Lo, 100pF, 200pF or 300pF for the MM cartridges only.
6| Impedance| It allows you to choose between a range of 11 different input impedance values| MM cartridge – 12.5, 13, 14, 17,

25, 27, 30, 32, 36, 40, 47 Kohm

 |  | for the MM Cartridge Type or the MC Gain Hi or the MC Gain Lo.| MC cartridge / Hi Gain – 25, 27, 34, 40, 60, 66, 73, 79, 88, 100

ohm , Hi Impedance

MC cartridge / Lo Gain – 100, 110, 135, 165, 240, 265, 300,

315,      350,      400     ohm ,      Hi

Impedance

---|---|---|---
7| Output Mode| It allows you to choose between Stereo or Mono Output Mode.| Mono or Stereo

Available Settings and actions (1 – 7)

1. Input Selection
   You can choose the desirable input between 3 available stereo inputs for the connection of different tonearm/cartridge combinations. Each one of the three inputs can be individually adjusted. Settings are stored even if you power off your device for a long period, on the main processor eeprom. Choose the desirable input turning the rotary knob or push the remote buttons. Input will be engaged 1 second after your selection.

2. Cartridge Type

   • You can choose between Moving Coil Phono Cartridges (MC) or Moving Magnet Phono Cartridges (MM).
   • You can choose MM setting for some MC (or other type) high output cartridges as well. The available values for the other settings (input impedance/capacitance) are different regarding the cartridge type setting.
   • When MC setting is selected, Lundahl Step Up transformers take care of the low level MC signal before the tube and equaliser stages. When MM setting is selected, Lundahl transformers are totally bypassed.
   • Push the rotary knob while you are in the ‘’Cartridge type’ and choose between two selections turning the rotary knob or push the remote control buttons.

3. Gain

   • For MC cartridges there are 2 levels of gain available, Hi (64 dB) and Low (58 dB). The available values for the other settings (input impedance/capacitance) are different regarding the Gain setting. As a general rule for cartridges with output up to 0.5mV you can choose Hi Gain and for cartridges from 0.5mV to 3.5mV you can choose Low Gain setting. Experimentation is recommended until you find a setting that suits your cartridge level and personal preference.
   • For MM cartridges, the Gain is locked in the higher setting (38dB).

4. Equalizer Curve
   You can choose between 3 available de-emphasis curves: RIAA, Decca and Columbia to adjust the frequency response of melto2 output. Each record provides the emphasis curve that has been used while it was being produced, but you can try alternative curves in any record without problem.
   In a simple description:

   • Decca offers higher gain on high frequencies and lower in low frequencies compared with RIAA.
   • Columbia offers lower gain on high frequencies and higher in low frequencies compared with RIAA.
   • Input Impedance and Capacitance also affect the balance of the frequency response.

5. Capacitance
   For the MM cartridges, you can choose the desirable Input Capacitance. Try values near cartridge manufacturer’s recommended value to ‘’flatten’’ the response and avoid resonant peaks in higher frequencies. However, the capacitance values are affected from the cartridge’s design philosophy, as well as from the connecting cables, so there is no absolutely correct setting. Therefore, experimentation is recommended until you find a setting that suits your set-up and personal preference.
   For the MC Cartridges, the setting is locked to the lower value.

6. Impedance
   You can choose the desirable Input Impedance for the MM or MC cartridges. Try values near cartridge manufacturer’s recommended value to ‘’flatten’’ the response. However, the impedance values are affected from the cartridge’s design philosophy, as well as from the gain setting, so there is no absolutely correct setting, and experimentation is recommended until you find a setting that suits your set-up and personal preference. As a general rule the higher value that you load your cartridge, gives you higher response on high frequencies.

7. Output Mode
   On this menu you can change from Stereo to Mono Mode to take full advantage of any monophonic record and/or cartridge. On Mono setting, melto2 outputs are ‘’common’’ and exactly same.

User Notes
The melto2 adjustable phono stage is perfectly designed to minimize hum and let the lowest possible noise with maximum signal headroom. You can use any type of turntable or cartridge with this phono stage. Melto2 allows the user to optimize the phono stage to the many different cartridges available. It is important to always ground your tonearm on the grounding sockets of melto2.

Features

• MM/MC
• Full Tube Design
• Lundahl Step-up transformers
• Full adjustable settings : Cartridge type, Gain, Impedance, Capacitance, Curve, Mono/Stereo Output
• Remote control
• Toroidal power transformer
• No feedback design
• SRSG® implementation
• Fine symmetry® implementation
• 1-minute warm up time
• 5mm Aluminum face panel
• Five Years Guarantee

Specifications

• Power : 230VAC 50Hz (115VAC 60Hz)
• Power consumption : 100 VA max
• Gain MM : 38dB
• Gain MC : 58/64dB
• Input impedance : adjustable (25 ohm – 47Kohm)
• Input capacitance : adjustable (0-300pF)
• Available curve : RIAA, DECCA, Columbia
• Tube complement : 2x E88CC dual triode, 2x 6n2p-EV dual triode
• Inputs : 3x line stereo (RCA connectors)
• Outputs : 2x line stereo (1x RCA connectors, 1x XLR connectors)
• Available Colours : Matt Black, Frozen Silver
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 43x11x29 cm
• Weight : 8 Kg

Warranty

• Lab12 products are designed and manufactured to the highest standards and deliver high- quality performance, ease of use and ease of installation. We are confident that you will enjoy many years of good service from your product.
• In the unlikely event of a failure of the product, we will arrange for your product to be serviced, free of charge, provided that the product was used in accordance with the instructions in the owner’s manual.
• Lab12 could modify the design or specifications of any product without obligation to purchasers of previously manufactured products.
• This Warranty is provided for the benefit of the first and original purchaser of the covered product and is not transferable to a subsequent purchaser. Vacuum tubes are warranted for the original 90-day period only. This warranty does not affect your statutory rights. EU rules 1999/44/ΕΚ. This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
• Lab12 reserves the right to change or modify any of the terms and conditions contained in this Warranty Statement, at any time and in our sole discretion. Any changes or modification will be effective immediately upon posting of the revisions on the Lab12 website, and you waive any right you may have to receive specific notice of such changes or modifications. In the event that there is a difference between this warranty and the provisions in any owner’s manuals, warranty leaflets, or packaging cartons, the terms of this warranty, as published on the official Lab12 website, will prevail to the fullest extent allowed by law.

For the warranty to be valid:

1. The Warranty card, which is placed outside the box of the unit, must be filled out by the authorized seller with the Model of the device, Serial Number, Color, Date of Purchase, Customer’s Name and Customer’s Address, as well as the authorized seller’s point sign.
2. A copy of the purchase receipt must also be attached to this card.
3. A photo of the completed Warranty card, along with the purchase receipt, must be sent to contact@lab12.gr by the end consumer within one month from the date of purchase.

What is Covered and how long this coverage lasts?
Only new products purchased through an authorized Lab12 dealer, importer or distributor are entitled for warranty coverage. The Warranty is limited to the first original purchaser and is inapplicable for secondhand products. This warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship in this product for 5 years (or a 90-Days Limited Warranty for vacuum tubes) after the date of purchase or no later than 6 years of the date of shipment to the authorized Lab12 dealer or distributor, whichever comes first.

What is Not Covered

• This limited warranty does not cover any damage, deterioration or malfunction resulting from any alteration, improper or unreasonable use or maintenance, misuse, abuse, accident, neglect, exposure to excess moisture, fire, improper packing, and shipping (such claims must be presented to the carrier), lightning, power surges, or other acts of nature.
• This limited warranty does not cover any damage, deterioration or malfunction resulting from the installation or removal of this product from any installation, any unauthorized tampering with this product, any Tubes Swaps, Repairs or Modifications attempted by anyone unauthorized by Lab12, or any other cause which does not relate directly to a defect in materials and/or workmanship of this product.
• This limited warranty does not cover vacuum tubes (after the 90-Day Limited Warranty), cartons, scratches on equipment enclosures, cables or accessories used in conjunction with this product.

What we will do to correct problem
During the Warranty Period, we will repair or replace, at no charge, products or parts of a product that proves defective due to defects in materials or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance.

How To Obtain Service Under This Warranty:

• You are responsible for transporting your product to (as well as from, in the event that Lab12 finds no defect covered by this warranty) either Lab12 or an authorized point and for payment of all shipping charges. Lab12 will pay the return shipping charges (in the event you return the product to Lab12) if the repairs are covered by warranty, provided that, Lab12 reserves the right to choose the mode, the carrier and the timing of such return shipping (if Lab12 finds that there are no defects covered by this warranty, then you shall be responsible for all shipping charges).
• Lab12 has authorized distribution in many countries of the world. In each country, the authorized importing retailer or distributor has accepted the responsibility for warranty of products sold by that retailer or distributor. Warranty service should normally be obtained from the importing retailer or distributor from whom you purchased your product. In the unlikely event that the technical service required is not possible to be fulfilled through the importer/distributor, this product must be returned to Lab12 main factory in Greece to fulfill the terms of this Limited Warranty at the purchaser’s expense (except purchasers that purchase their product directly from our main facilities in Greece), along with the Warranty card and a copy of the proof of purchase for the product. As mentioned above, the Warranty card must list the date of purchase, the model, color and serial number of the product, the name and address of the purchaser and the authorized dealer/importer/retailer detailed sign. Additionally, you must provide detailed information on the symptoms or difficulties you have observed with the product’s performance by completing a technical support form that will be provided to you by the authorized importing retailer, distributor or LAB12.
• To obtain warranty service, you can also contact directly Lab12 at contact@lab12.gr or +30-2102845173, to determine the most appropriate solution for you. All warranty claims must be made in writing accompanied by the Warranty card and a copy of the proof of purchase.

Lab12 Single Member Private Company

• Contact@lab12.gr
• www.lab12.gr

K. Varnali 57A, Metamorfosi, 14452, Athens, Greece

• Tel: +30 210 2845173
• Email : contact@lab12.gr
• Web: www.lab12.gr

FAQ

Q: Are there any specific maintenance requirements for the LAB12 melto2?
A: The LAB12 melto2 does not have user-serviceable parts inside. If maintenance or service is required, it is recommended to contact Lab12 or authorized dealers for assistance.

Q: How do I know which settings to choose for my cartridge type?
A: The LAB12 melto2 offers a menu structure with available settings and actions, including options for selecting cartridge type. Refer to the user manual for guidance on choosing the appropriate settings based on your cartridge type.

References

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