I’ve heard this system at least a half dozen times now, and I think I know it pretty well. This is the room from Credo of Switzerland, as well as John McGurk’s AudioShield Distribution–we’re talking Van den Hul, EMM Labs/Meitner and more, plus a VPI turntable. The Credo room has evolved into one of my favorite exhibits at high-end audio show, and a big reason for that is those loudspeaker designs from Michael Kraske, transducers that can fill a room with energy no matter the size.
That’s foreshadowing, right there.
Words by Marc Phillips, Photos by Scot Hull
Before we talk about the Credo Switcheroo, I will admit another thing I learned in this room at AXPONA 2023. I never quite understood the relationship between EMM Labs and Meitner. Both brands feature Ed Meitner’s legendary designs, especially in the digital realm, but I never understood the difference. Meitner is the upscale brand of the two, and EMM Labs is the ultra-upscale one. I only learned this when I was told about two new specialized phono preamplifiers for DS Audio optical cartridges–one from each brand, at differing price points.
I was sitting in the Credo room, loving the sound of the huge Cinema LTM Array towers ($200k/pr USD) and thinking about the impact DS Audio optical cartridges have had on high-end audio in the last few years. I settled in and listened to a few tracks, and by the time we reached that famous Gary Karr Adagio d’Albinoni LP I was in la-la land.
I stopped to chat with John McGurk and Michael Kraske before I left the room, and that’s when their devious plot was revealed. “Can you believe all that sound from those little speakers?” I sheepishly looked back at the system, back toward those small black towers that were positioned next to the Cinema LTMs. Those were the Credo EV1202 Reference speakers, a floorstanding, 2.5-way bigger brother to the Credo EV350 speakers I reviewed last year.
I should have known better. At one point I told myself, “Double-check to see if it’s the big speakers,” but I just got lost in the music and forgot. I first heard the tiny EV350s energize a room as big as this with plenty of low frequency information. The Credo EV1202 References, which cost $16,995/pair, tricked me into thinking I was listening to a massive pair of speakers with a huge array of drivers. This is, in a nutshell, why I dig the loudspeakers from Credo of Switzerland so much. I was totally fooled, but for some reason I didn’t mind at all. Well played, gentlemen.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2023, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Also don’t forget to check out our collaboration to commemorate the event with our solid bronze record weight available only for a limited run. This 800 grams of solid bronze features the PTA roundel on the top with also acts as a 45 adapter. You can purchase direct from the PTA Approved Store here on the site.
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