Cambridge Audio Alva ST Review

• PHONO PREAMP ON BOARD
• IN THE LISTENING TEST
• TEST LAB
• Specs
• Verdict

Not only at first glance does the Alva ST appear as a twin of the big brother TT. Cambridge Audio has indeed succeeded in transferring the elegant appearance, high-quality materials, and near-perfect build quality into a turntable in the $600 class. The result is a high-quality vinyl player aimed at demanding hi-fi enthusiasts looking for excellent sound quality and first-class workmanship. With numerous features and innovative technologies, the Alva ST offers an impressive listening experience and proved in testing to be a solid tool for audiophile music fans.

To the details: The Cambridge Alva ST features a stiff, low-vibration platter and a stable chassis, which is intended to result in low resonance and improved sound reproduction. Everything felt solid, stable, and of high quality in the test. Nothing rattled or creaked. The belt drive is electronically regulated; a light sensor directly on the pulley monitors the speed and adjusts it promptly.

Also, the speed change between 33 1/3 and 45 revolutions per minute takes place electronically, without having to manually change the belt position on the pulley, as is still the case with some vinyl players today. Instead, there are two buttons on the top. This makes switching between different record speeds quick and convenient.

• 7Review earns Amazon affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases.

The drive of the Alva ST features an automatic end-stop function that stops the turntable after playing the record. This protects the needle from unnecessary wear. However, the shutdown only takes effect about 15 minutes after the tonearm has reached the run-out groove. Presumably, the end-stop works on the simple principle of a timeout. A record side seldom runs longer than 22 minutes. Adding about 15 minutes, the record is almost certainly at an end.

An outstanding feature of the Alva ST is the built-in phono stage. This allows the turntable to be connected directly to a preamplifier or receiver without the need for an additional phono preamplifier. This enables easy integration into just about any existing hi-fi system.

PHONO PREAMP ON BOARD

The preamp is optimized for the factory-installed MM cartridge from Audio Technica (VM-95E), but the Alva ST can also be equipped with other cartridges, as long as they deliver a high output voltage. In the test, we tried this with an Ortofon 2M Bronze, which worked flawlessly. However, one should note that the tonearm height cannot be adjusted. Therefore, it makes sense to consider a higher-quality replacement system also from Audio Technica—preferably from the VM series—which usually has the same installation height as the factory system. In this case, a height adjustment is not necessary.

If you want to get even more out of the turntable, you can also mount MC systems with low output voltage. In this case, the internal phono preamp can be bypassed with a slide switch on the back of the turntable. Then you can use an external preamp of your choice. This also worked perfectly in the test.

Also helpful is the fact that the Alva ST is equipped with a removable headshell, which simplifies the exchange of cartridges. This allows you to try out different cartridges and adjust their sound to your own preferences.

Another highlight is the integrated Bluetooth transmitter. By pressing the pairing button on the back, the Alva ST searches for ready-to-receive Bluetooth devices nearby. These can be headphones or amplifiers with Bluetooth receivers. This saves you the complete signal cabling and allows you to place the player at any location in the room or even in the next room. The Bluetooth transmitter operates according to the aptX HD standard, which can transmit up to 24-bit at 48 kHz. However, even with this codec, compression of the music signal is performed, which inherently leads to quality losses in sound. In the test, we connected it to a Sony Bluetooth headphone, which worked instantly. The sound quality was surprisingly good here.

IN THE LISTENING TEST

The Alva ST impressed with precise timing, enabling accurate reproduction of the music. The rhythmic nuances were clearly brought out, creating an engaging and dynamic listening experience.

The tonal balance of the Alva ST was overall well-balanced. The bass was tight, controlled, and earthy; the mids were reproduced clearly and naturally. The highs shimmered present, with slight attenuation when we did not use the internal phono preamp. This is a typical characteristic of the cartridge, which Cambridge was able to compensate surprisingly well with the internal phono preamp. The Alva ST also produced considerable spatial depth. The placement of instruments and voices was precise. Overall, a convincing performance.

TEST LAB

Our sample of the Alva ST rotated minimally too fast (at 33¹/₃ rpm +0.1%); the wow and flutter assessed using the 2-sigma method reaches an above-average level with ±0.09% deviation. The runout spectrum tapering to a point looks correspondingly clean. Bearing and motor do not produce any significant self-noise—with DIN rumble test record, the rated signal-to-noise ratio is a good 71 dB, with coupler 75 dB. The switchable amplifier is suitable with 42 dB gain for cartridges with high output levels (MM/MI/MC-High). Comparative measurements with and without amplifier show that the frequency response of the amp rises slightly towards the highs, thus optimally compensating for the slight high-frequency roll-off of the AT-95-E cartridge (depicted). Characteristics of the cartridge: Tracking ability 100 μm/20 mN; DIN output level 6.5 mV; high-frequency distortions L/R 0.25/0.52%; channel separation L/R 24/30 dB.

Specs

• Website: cambridgeaudio.com
• Price (MSRP): 600 Euros (~$650 USD)
• Warranty: 2 years
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 43.5 x 13.9 x 36.8 cm
• Weight: 9 kg
• Drive Type: Flat belt
• Speeds: 33 1/3, 45 RPM
• Speed Control: Electronic
• Tonearm Height Adjustment: Not available
• Adjustable Feet: Not available
• Pitch Control: Not available
• Fully Automatic/Auto-Stop: No / (Stops after 30 minutes)
• Special Features: Bluetooth, Phono Preamp

Verdict

That’s almost indecent. With this vinyl player, you get everything you could wish for in everyday life: great looks for any environment, haptically high-quality and robust in all situations, sonically a solid all-rounder. The belt drive did a great job. At this price, there is only one answer: Go for it!

Audiogram (Review Summary):

• Pros:

  • Great design, excellent build quality, good sound, affordable price

• Cons:

  • Tonearm height not adjustable

Evaluation:

• Sound: 81 → 8.1/10
• Features: Very good → 9/10
• Usability: Very good → 9/10
• Build Quality: Outstanding → 10/10

Final Score:

• Sound Rating: 81 points → 8.1/10
• Price/Performance: Outstanding

When you purchase through links on our site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

out of stock

View

World Wide Stereo