EVO ONE
All-in-One Wireless Streaming Speaker
ALVA Solo
Moving Magnet Phono Preamplifier
CDN$319.00
Enjoy every last detail from your vinyl collection with our highest quality moving magnet phono stage, the Solo Phono Preamplifier.
"A finely honed phono pre-amp. Highly recommended."
- STEREO, July 2018
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Vinyl as it's Supposed to Sound
Whether you’re dusting off your record collection or embracing analogue through the vinyl revival, there’s a unique experience to be had from the moment you drop the needle on your favourite album. To preserve the unique warmth of the vinyl sound, the Solo phono preamplifier has been carefully designed with a state-of-the-art switch mode power supply and a new surface mounted circuit board layout to reduce unwanted noise.
Why Choose a Dedicated Phono Stage?
Due to the low-level signals created by a turntable, not all hi-fi amplifiers will let you connect directly to a record player. The phono preamplifier boosts this signal to something a power amplifier can work with. The challenge at this stage though is that noise can easily be added.
This is why we’ve designed the Solo around exceptional components that deliver the warm and detailed sound that’s synonymous with vinyl, all without distorting the signal from your moving magnet cartridge. The switch mode power supply improves performance by switching outside of audible frequency to drastically reduce hum and new circuit board layout uses surface-mount components to reduce noise.
Attention to Detail
If some records in your collection are a little worse for wear, the subsonic filter will help to eliminate low frequency rumbles that can be caused by imperfections within your vinyl. Combine this with the balance control for handling potential cartridge imbalances in your record player (that can cause a difference between the left and right channels) and the result is a detailed experience with accurate soundstage.
Eco Friendly
The Solo phono preamplifier is green at heart with less than half a watt standby power consumption and auto power down feature if the unit isn’t used after a 20 minute period. This in turn gives the unit the same worldwide voltage for compatibility wherever you are in the world.
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15 Reviews
Cambridge Audio Alva Solo
Response from
Dear Valued Customer
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you chose our ALVA Solo preamp to complement your Technics 1210 mk2 turntable and that you're experiencing a whole new level of sound quality.It's fantastic to know that you're enjoying the increased volume detail and added depth and dimensionality (mojo and 3D) that our preamp brings to your listening experience.
We're pleased that you appreciate the simplicity of our unit while still achieving studio-grade audio quality.Your recommendation means a lot to us and we're thrilled that you're satisfied with your purchase.
Thank you for choosing Cambridge Audio and we hope you continue to enjoy your enhanced listening journey with our products!Warm regards
Cambridge Audio Customer Support
Absolute Disaster!
The instructions were a joke. They included 2 power cords with nothing in the instructions about it. They looked exactly identical, but they did have stickers. One said "JP" and the other said "US/CA". I assumed I should use the US one because I am in the US, but with what happened next, maybe not. I hooked everything up and plugged in the pre-amp. I heard a pop and not only did the pre-amp not work, it fried my receiver. I could cry.
Response from
Dear Valued CustomerWe sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you've experienced with Alva Solo.
Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us and we are committed to resolving any issues you may have encountered.To better understand your specific situation and ensure we provide the most suitable solution we kindly request that you reach out to our support agents via our support site.
You can contact us directly at https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en/contact.Rest assured our team is dedicated to assisting you promptly and efficiently.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.Warm regards
Cambridge Audio Customer Support
Solo
No tubes, no tone control, just pure clean audio bliss as the it should be
Response from
Dear Valued Customer
Thank you for such a positive review and more importantly thanks for your trust in choosing Cambridge Audio products. We hope that it continues to bring you many hours of listening happiness.Kind Regards
Cambridge Audio Customer Support
I didnt know I needed this until I plugged it in!
I was using the phono stage through my Yamaha integrated amp and it was fine. But, I just felt there was something missing from within the music. I spent some time on good old You Tube watching reviews and advice and the Alva Solo jumped out at me, as I already had the CXC CD transport and then added the CXN v2 it was the Solo that joined the family. The first time I plugged this in, and it is so simple to add to your system. Just bring your cable from your turntable to the Solo and then from the Solo to your amp (just remember you will need an additional cable and don't connect it to the amp phono stage). The first album was of course Pink Floyd 'Dark side of the moon' the difference was really audible to my ears. The sound stage opened up, the depth of the nuances within the album came through stronger and the music just seemed to pull me in more, sorry for the non audiophile explanation but I just cant do the difference justice with my limited tech vocabulary. But believe me you will really notice an uplift in your music with this phono stage, especially if your phono stage is entry level like in my Yamaha A-S301. One other thing, they are committed to looking after the earth, all their packaging is recyclable, even the shipping envelope on the outside of the box is made of paper!
Response from
Dear Valued CustomerIt's great to hear that you've had a positive experience with the Alva Solo phono stage and that it made a noticeable difference in your audio setup.
Upgrading components like a phono stage can indeed enhance the overall listening experience bringing out more detail and nuances in your favorite music.Your description of the improved sound stage depth and overall engagement with the music is valuable feedback for anyone considering a similar upgrade.
It's always satisfying when new equipment brings out the best in your existing audio setup.It's also commendable that the Alva Solo is committed to environmentally friendly packaging contributing to a more sustainable approach.
As technology advances many companies are becoming more conscious of their environmental impact and it's good to see such practices becoming more widespread.We hope it adds a whole new dimension to your music experience.Kind Regards
Cambridge Audio Customer Support
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The details
MAX POWER CONSUMPTION 10W GAIN @ 1KHZ 39dB NOMINAL OUTPUT 300mV SENSITIVITY FOR NOMINAL OUTPUT 3.35mV EQUIVALENT INPUT NOISE (A-WEIGHTED) ~0.09uV RIAA CURVE ACCURACY +/- 0.65dB 30Hz-20kHz SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO GROUNDED INPUTS REF. 1V OUTPUT (20HZ-20KHZ BW) >90dB THD+N 1KHZ (20-20KHZ BW) <0.0025% INPUT IMPEDANCE 47k Ohm INPUT CAPACITANCE 100pF OVERLOAD MARGIN >30dB CROSSTALK @10KHZ >85dB DIMENSIONS (H x W x D) 48x176x132 (1.9x6.9x5.2”) WEIGHT 0.68kg/1.5lbs Whats in the box Alva Solo Moving Magnet Phono Preamplifier, User Manual, Safety Guide, Mains lead
Was looking for a pre amp for my technics 1210 mk2, have always run it through pioneer mixers in the past and wanted to try a studio grade audio path. I chose the above Cambridge unit because of its simplicity, but let me tell you that coupled with a moving magnet cartridge for the Technics the sound is a whole new level. Louder , more detail, mojo and 3D it’s all there. Highly recommended.