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Unsuspended direct drive turntables like the Cambridge Audio Alva TTv2 are available. It is actually the second design of this kind from Cambridge Audio, as the v2 label implies, and an improvement on the concepts presented in the first. Given how many designs are competing for your attention at this price point, it was an extraordinary achievement for those ideas to come together in such a way that they put the Alva in the clear. also you can learn our article on Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review.
Cambridge Audio set out to reconcile the needs of convenience and performance with the original Alva and came to design decisions that were intriguingly distinct from those of other businesses. The most intriguing feature of the v2 is that several areas of the convenience have actually been significantly walked back. We’ll go over those and what has changed in due course. This is not to imply that the Alva has evolved into some sort of austere, “suffer for your art” sort of device, but rather that the feedback from the original has resulted in some intriguing changes.
The Alva TTv2, as its name suggests, is a newer model of the Alva, which was first introduced in 2018. The result is both technically intriguing and surprisingly adaptable, which is a good thing given that the core specification is similar to the original. The motor acts directly on the platter in the direct drive Alva design. You just need to insert the substantial acrylic platter into the bearing, and you’re ready to go.
Design
The Alva TT v2 and the previous version appear to be identical at first glance. The Alva TT v2 is similar to its predecessor in that it is constructed on a substantial, relatively heavy base with an aluminum plinth on top, as well as having a substantial polyoxymethylene/titanium platter. In contrast to the previous time, the platter this time is exactly the same size as a 12-inch vinyl disc. Therefore, adding or removing a record is far less unsettling than it was with the original Alva TT.
Alva TT v2 is, in essence, a record player with a hinged dust cover. A few design touches are the brand logo, which is sunken into the plinth at the bottom of the right side, three control buttons, and that’s about it. Build quality is undeniable, as has come to be expected with Cambridge Audio over the past ten or so years. The Alva TT v2 appears to have been assembled with great care and has a sturdy feel to it. Although it is not a cheap record player, this one seems to be worth the asking price.
Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review: Setup
It was simple to unpack and put up, just screw on the headshell, add the arm weight, insert the hinges, and attach the smoked cover. There’s no belt to fasten here! The 6mm-thick lunar-grey aluminum plate that sits atop the composite-wrapped MDF base and is separated from it by a layer of rubber-like EVA to absorb vibration particularly pleased us.
To properly set the tracking weight at two grammes, a stylus gauge is provided. With that completed and the cords connected, we were prepared to play. We used the RPM iPhone app to examine the speed; it showed a small speed variance at 33.13rpm and wow and flutter at 0.18%, which is more than Cambridge’s stated 0.06%. Our Sound+Image strobe card, however, showed no speed fluctuation at all, and we’d much rather trust the advice of a dependable mechanical gadget than that of a Phone app.
Features
All the features you’d anticipate in a turntable at this price point are there in the Alva TT V2. a high-quality cartridge paired with a high-quality tonearm? Tick. Rather of hard-wired alternatives, why not include mains power and stereo RCA analogue connection inputs? Tick. switches to choose between 33.3 and 45 rpm speeds? Tick, tick, and tick. also you can check our article on Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review.
A built-in phono stage is also included in the Alva TT V2, closely modelled after Cambridge Audio’s renowned Alva Duo standalone phono stage. These days, turntables often have this capability, and it is unquestionably helpful. It enables the Alva TT V2 to work with systems that don’t have the power to amplify the feeble signal from a turntable on their own. Additionally, owners of systems with built-in phono amplification can contrast and compare because it is switchable.
However, the Alva TT V2’s Bluetooth streaming feature is what really makes it stand out. There are several turntables that can stream wirelessly, but only this one can reproduce your vinyl in high-definition. The Cambridge Audio can transmit the sound of your records wirelessly at a 24-bit/48-kHz standard thanks to its support for the aptX HD codec. Accordingly, the Alva TT V2 is a turntable that can actually be utilized the way turntables are in movies: all by itself on a shelf, hidden from view, and far away from the system it’s streaming to.
Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review: Interface
One of the things that people tend to find intriguing about the vinyl format is how “hands on” record players are. Naturally, the Alva TT v2’s user interface is entirely manual, from inserting a record to utilizing the tiny tonearm lift to lower the needle into the groove.
Along with the stereo RCA outputs and mains power socket, the record player also has two small controls on the back: a pairing button for wirelessly connecting the deck to your speaker system, and an output level switch to select between “line” for use with the turntable’s built-in phono amplification or “phono” for use with external pre-amplification.
Sound performance
There are three ways to listen to the Alva TT V2, unlike other turntables: Three methods are available: wirelessly via Bluetooth, the same thing but with the phono stage switched off, and hardwired to an amplifier with phono amplification enabled.
Although there are some rather evident differences in how Cambridge shows your vinyl, its core philosophy remains the same regardless of how you choose to listen to it. It’s a calm, insightful, and interesting listen in every situation. As long as you’re not always in party mode, it’s a satisfying listen.
Nobody should be surprised that it sounds better when hard-wired than when streaming wirelessly. But what really surprises me is how good the Alva TT V2 sounds when streaming via Bluetooth. The Cambridge sounds full, detailed, and fairly expressive with a hefty reissue of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue playing and the turntable streaming to a Naim Uniti Star streamer/amplifier while merely physically connected to power. you can read our article on Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review.
The players’ subtleties of technique are more than adequately preserved, and there is sufficient control over the whole frequency range to make the recording feel naturally like a performance. The high end is tolerably sharp, the midrange speaks unmistakably, and the bass is deep and nimble.
There is never any chance of one recording element encroaching on the space of another because the soundstage is reasonably spacious and well-organized. A tape like this is alive with minute harmonic variations, and the Alva TT V2 is fairly aware of them. Low-level dynamic insight is impressive too.
Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review: Price
The official pricing of the Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 turntable, which was released in spring 2022, is $1,999, £1,699, or AU$3,699. You shouldn’t anticipate receiving much of a discount either. That’s a lot of money to spend on a record player, and it’s the kind of money that makes a number of high-profile alternatives readily apparent.
Everyone will gladly sell you a turntable for this kind of money with high-end audio credentials, albeit they won’t be quite as exhaustively defined, including Clearaudio and Rega in Europe, Technics in Japan, and VPI in the United States. Let’s look at the features right now, in fact.
Conclusion
The Alva TTv2 transfers the attributes of user-friendliness and clever engineering from Cambridge Audio to vinyl. This turntable does both by asking very little of its user while providing a genuine taste of high-end vinyl replay at a price that is generally reasonable. There are a pair of RCA phono jacks on the back. If you want, you can use the turntable’s built-in phono stage by connecting the Alva TTv2 straight to an amplifier’s line input.