ALVA Duo
Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp
$349.00
4.9
(24)

Squeeze every inch of detail from your record collection with our highest quality moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, with integrated headphone amp; the Duo Phono Preamplifier.

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$349.00
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  • Alva Duo PC Version
    • "well-specified, full-bodied, dynamic performer."

      "well-specified, full-bodied, dynamic performer"

    • MAJOR HiFi logo

      "Few other options out there can match this kind of listening experience"

    • What Hi-Fi? Logo

      "It's a well-specified, full-bodied, dynamic performer, as classy as a matinée idol in a smoking jacket. You really can't go wrong"

    • Ecoustics Logo

      "Two things stood out the most – the bass response and level of detail."

      Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp detail

      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 Duo 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.

      Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp rear detail

      Why Choose a Dedicated Phono Preamplifier?

      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 Duo 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 turntable. 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.

      Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp headphone port

      Vinyl. Just for You

      Enjoy the warmth of vinyl privately thanks to Duo’s integrated headphone output. Uniquely, we integrated a 6.35mm headphone jack directly into the phono stage, so you can still enjoy your records when there’s no option to play out loud.

      The integrated headphone output also means no need to turn on your amplifier just to power your headphones, resulting in a more eco-friendly listening experience.

      Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp Inside Detail

      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.

      Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp

      Eco Friendly

      The Duo 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.

    • Technical Specifications

      MAX POWER CONSUMPTION 10W
      CARTRIDGE SUPPORT Moving Magnet | Moving Coil
      Gain @ 1kHz MM: 39dB | MC: 60dB
      NOMINAL OUTPUT 300mV
      SENSITIVITY FOR NOMINAL OUTPUT MM: 3.35mV | MC: 305uV
      EQUIVALENT INPUT NOISE (A-WEIGHTED) MM: ~0.09uV | MC: ~0.08uV
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    • Product Support & Downloads

    • Alva Duo Reviews

      4.9

      4.9
      (24)

      15 Reviews

      Simple and effective

      I bought this to enable me to use a MC cartridge with my current amp which has a MM phone. Unfortunately the gain added means that this has to go into a line input rather than a phono so I had had to return it as I only have 2 line inputs and both are in use. This was my error but I have to say that fed into a line input the sound was very good.
      Cambridge Audio have been very efficient in sorting out the return and refund which is much appreciated.

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      Response from Cambridge Audio

      Dear Customer

      Thank you for the positive review and your precious time through this feedback.Kind Regards

      Cambridge Audio Customer Support

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      What a value!

      I have a special titanium tonearm that built by
      my father before he passed away, it is based on Linn LVII Itokk, since he is the one manufacturing LIV II Ittok.

      I used to listen to LPs with this arm, with Linn Arkiv and Linto. Now that I updaed my system and normally listening to DVD-Auido and CD data with iTunes as AIFF format with descent audio interface, when I revive the LP12 with the titanium tonearm, the Arkiv didn't sound good enough to me. Then I started swapping the MC cartridges and found that Dynavector is very well balanced but certian frequency did not sound right. So I suspected that Linn had tuned the Linto to their cartridges. I could have bought more expensive phono eq, but since I'm familiar with the Cambridge EQ plug in on UAD audio interface, I gave a chance to the Alva Duo phono EQ then I was certain about my suspection on Linn combination.

      Happy with this purchase and want to see to find better cartridge with this phono eq.

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      Simply brilliant

      Purchased this as the phono stage on my amp just didn't give that vinyl sound. Since using the Duo, I've been going back throigh my record colection, playing old favourites and hearing them as they should be for the first time. The Duo digs out so much detail and the noise filters work splendidly, removing noise.
      A superb investement.

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