This is a familiar room for me, the AudioShield Distribution room, where you’ll find some of my favorite brands in high-end audio such as Credo, Van den Hul and more. At AXPONA 2024, I saw AudioShield’s John McGurk and Credo’s Michael Kraske for the first time since I visited the Credo factory in Basel, Switzerland last October. We had some catching up to do, which included me reminding John and Michael that I really really want to review the Credo EV1202 speakers because I really really like them a lot.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
I hadn’t noticed, but PTA publisher Scot Hull was also in the AudioShield Distribution room, and it didn’t take long for him to walk up to the three of us and point to the digital gear in the room system. “We like EMM Labs and Meitner,” Scot declared. “We need EMM Labs and Meitner.” And that’s absolutely true. I don’t talk about those brands very much when I talk about AudioShield Distribution, but I should. As Grover Neville found out when he reviewed the Meitner MA3 DAC, this gear from the legendary Ed Meitner is phenomenal.
While formatting this report for your perusal, I noticed I took a lot of photos of this Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Kuzma and EMT arms and Van den Hul and DS Audio cartridges, mated to the new flagship Van den Hul Grail SX phono stage. I suppose it reminded me of the Feickert Firebird turntable I reviewed a few years ago, and just how good it was. In terms of sound, the AudioShield Distribution room is always a winner, especially when centered around a pair of Credo LTM Cinema line array speakers ($200K/pair).
This time, for some reason, the entire system sounded even bigger, clearer and more natural. Thanks to AudioShield Distribution, I can now start longing for the Credo EV 1202s with renewed vigor. And EMM Labs and Meitner.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2024, 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.
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