Cambridge Audio Alva Solo - Stereo Moving Magnet Phono Stage/Pre-Amplifier - Lunar Grey

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Not all records are pressed the same – due to the poor quality of vinyl used, some sound considerably nosier than others. Wear and tear can play its role in reducing the quality, too. With its subsonic filter, the Solo filters out low frequency rumble; reducing distortion and protecting your speakers’ woofers from excessive wear. Provided you keep it away from other mains-powered products and power cables, this phono stage will prove suitably quiet and hum-free. Features are basic but it's clear that Moon has focused on the bit that counts – sound quality. So the Zen has definitely made a difference - I also don’t have to turn my amp up as much as when using the CA (which surprised me given it’s also a CA), which is good as it means I don’t need to turn it down before switching sources, and getting a hell of a fright when I forget.

It’s pretty well-built, for the price. This means metal shielding to avoid interference and noise from electronics. Then swapped the Red for the Blue and tried again - same cleaner sound but definitely with more detail. If you’re in the market for a quality affordable phono stage, this little Award-winning box is well worth auditioning. If you want to listen to a wide range of vinyl and still get the most out of the sound, it is hard to argue with the Puffin. There are so many controls! 11. U-Turn Audio Pluto

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The Alva ST’s clean design is classy and the build quality looks and feels premium. It has the same elegant “lunar grey” finish as the older Alva TT, an aesthetic which fits seamlessly with the rest of Cambridge Audio’s range of products, from the CX amplifiers all the way to the high-end Edge range.

The Cambridge Solo for me stood out the least - closer to the Rega in terms of sound but is no match for its presence and its soundstage. Sound was composed and felt very natural, but vocals felt a bit buried in the mix and the whole thing felt a little bit unexciting. The 1 kHz 0 dB test tone was at -57 dBFs which amounts to -59 dBu = 2.45 mV pp = 0.87 mV rms. The MC1-S is specified to deliver 0.65 mV, so we're close to that. Hoping this will help some out there looking to buy a phono preamp - I've been playing around with three for the last week and comparing them side by side; Having been successful in implementing solid-state pre-amplification for low-output moving coil by using one of the rather limited methods, can that same input stage be used for moving magnet? The short answer is no. The one in red is the same signal now routed through the Cambridge Solo. The measured time now (shown through two red cursor lines) is 1.6 seconds.Swapped the stages again, so now Blue stylus and CA stage - sounded a little dirty. Same increased detail as before (down to the stylus) but didn’t sound as clean.

If you’ve already got a suitably talented turntable and really want to hear how good it is, this Cyrus combination is a must-buy. At the bottom in dashed blue is the Audio Precision analyzer testing itself. We see that it takes it about 0.4 seconds to drop from that peak down to baseline level.Some amplifiers don’t offer sufficient grunt. You could buy a new one that does, but it’s likely to be a big upgrade, especially as you might otherwise be happy with your amplifier. So instead, you should buy a preamplifier (or phono stage, as they’re sometimes called). That way, you can get a workable output from your turntable without having to bin off some of your system. Cambridge Audio Duo design – Impressively put together The Duo seems to be competently designed and attractively priced so I am happy to put it on my recommended list. We love the scale of performance and the way the Vertere delivers the seismic dynamic shifts of the recording with so much enthusiasm. As with the previous generation (also an Award-winner), our main takeaway after hearing this phono stage is that it makes listening to music interesting and, where appropriate, fun. There’s not much we can ask of any piece of hi-fi beyond that.

That’s the lot as far as physical features go. There’s a defeatable auto power-down function, which puts the Duo in standby if it’s been idle for more than 20 minutes, and a subsonic filter. There’s a cleanness and a purity of purpose to the way the Alva Duo is turned out – which is oddly, but definitely, pleasing. Cambridge Audio Duo sound quality – Broad, warm character In another system I've inserted a dbx 215 equalizer which has a subsonic filter, and also can function as a balance control. It’s true that Behringer products can be hit and miss, but we’d call the PP400 a ‘hit’. It’s affordable, and can enhance an inexpensive record player and boost the signal significantly. Not on the top-end of the market, but for home audio enthusiasts on a budget.

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As with the original model, the Alva ST features aptX HD Bluetooth, which lets you wirelessly stream your vinyl in up to 24-bit/48kHz hi-res quality to compatible wireless speakers and wireless headphones. It’s a convenient feature that means you can listen to your vinyl collection with a more versatile range of kit, and with no need for extra wires. Very little awareness of the subject, I would have to be grateful if I could find here an old model from most of the manufacturers I mentioned above. The Cambridge does a little bit of everything, and it does so while looking and feeling the money’s-worth. If you’ve got a record player you can’t hear, the Alva Duo is for you. You shouldn’t buy the Cambridge Audio Duo if…