More features and more affordable, but the sound quality disappoints
TURNTABLE
£849
Cambridge Audio released the Alva TT – the world’s first aptX HD Bluetooth turntable – in 2019, and that deck has been successful enough to spawn not only a V2, but also a brand new turntable: the Alva ST.
A completely new belt-drive design, new tonearm and cartridge, new platter and lower price tag make this turntable an intriguing option. At £849, the Alva ST takes Cambridge into the sub-£1000 price point for the first time, bringing it into more affordable realms for many. Considering it has many of the same premium features as its pricier sibling, the Alva TT V2 (£1699) – Bluetooth streaming skills, switchable phono stage – that doesn’t look a bad deal at all.
The Alva ST’s clean design is classy and the build quality looks and feels premium. Its elegant Lunar Grey finish fits seamlessly with the rest of Cambridge Audio’s products, from the CX amplifiers all the way to the high-end Edge range. As a result of its belt-drive design, as opposed to the Alva TT’s direct drive, a new platter and top plate are introduced. The 17mm platter is die-cast aluminium and furnished with a 5mm rubber mat that is designed to reduce unwanted resonance. Below the platter is a well made plinth with a damped MDF construction, and a 1mm-thick aluminium top plate.
The deck is simple enough to set up and use, with the included belt easily looped around the platter and motor pulley. There are two electronic speed change controls for 33⅓ and 45rpm. The new tonearm is nicely finished, but we are struck by the excessive amount of free play in the bearings – something that rarely bodes well for sound quality. Disappointing considering how good the general build quality of Cambridge products usually is.
The tonearm has a removable headshell, which makes it easy to upgrade the Alva ST by swapping out the cartridge. Our review sample is fitted with an Audio Technica AT-95E moving-magnet cartridge, although Cambridge has said future Alva ST models will have the newer AT-VM95E cartridge supplied as standard.
All the cables and accessories you need are in the box, helpful if you are a new user or just want to start playing straight away. The Alva ST comes with a set of phono interconnect cables to connect the deck to your amp, and a grounding wire for when you want to bypass the built-in phono stage and use an external one.
User-friendly and upgradeable
Plenty of user-friendly updates make the Alva record player more flexible to use in your e
