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Cambridge Audio Alva Duo Headphone amplifier and phono preamplifier for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges

Item # 779DUO

Amplifies signal without adding distortion or noise, so you hear only the beautiful music your records contain.

Amplifies signal without adding distortion or noise, so you hear only the beautiful music your records contain.

5 questions - 8 answers

Item # 779DUO

Ships free

On backorder
Expected: 4/2/2024
$349.00

Other options

About the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo

Eric A.

Attention to detail

If you ask me what makes the Cambridge Alva Duo stand out, it's attention to detail. Inside the beautiful silver chassis are circuit boards with surface-mounted components, and a state-of-the-art switch mode power supply. You can't see any of these excellent design choices, but more importantly, you can't hear them. The Duo amplifies the tiny signal from moving magnet and moving coil cartridges without adding distortion or noise, so you hear only the beautiful music your records contain.
Cambridge Duo rear panel close-up

Attention to detail — like the helpful upside-down labeling of each input — is the hallmark of the Cambridge Duo phono preamp.

Attention to detail

If you ask me what makes the Cambridge Alva Duo stand out, it's attention to detail. Inside the beautiful silver chassis are circuit boards with surface-mounted components, and a state-of-the-art switch mode power supply. You can't see any of these excellent design choices, but more importantly, you can't hear them. The Duo amplifies the tiny signal from moving magnet and moving coil cartridges without adding distortion or noise, so you hear only the beautiful music your records contain.

Another small, thoughtful detail: the inputs and outputs on the back of the preamp are labeled so they can be read right-side-up or upside-down. Anyone who's ever had to make connections to a component that's already in place will appreciate that little nuance. There's also a balance knob on the back of the unit so you can fine-tune left/right channel output.

Headphone amplifier

Maybe you're a night owl like me, and you want to dig into your record collection even while others are sleeping. The Cambridge Duo has a built-in headphone amplifier with a full-size 1/4" jack so you can crank up your faves without waking up the whole house.

My hands-on experience with the Cambridge Duo

I had a fairly small workspace for several years. I got a new desk in 2021 that provided me nearly three times the space, and I hatched a plan to add a turntable listening station, so I can enjoy my best vinyl while I'm working. I didn't think it would be appropriate to hook up speakers, since I don't want to disturb my co-workers, and I also wanted to keep the whole setup reasonably compact.

The Cambridge Duo is my perfect solution for private record listening. I plug my headphones into the jack on the front, and the built-in headphone amp does a fantastic job of revealing the warm analog sound that vinyl is so rightly known for. I also like that it's compatible with moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, so I can upgrade my turntable or cartridge and keep using this same preamp. And of course, if I ever need to listen out loud, I can connect a pair of powered speakers and go for it. The versatility of the Cambridge Duo makes it my go-to component in just about any scenario.

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Product highlights:

  • compatible with moving magnet and moving coil phono cartridges
  • rear balance control knob for fine correction of left- and right-channel cartridge output
  • acoustically damped full-metal chassis with thick aluminum front panel
  • efficient switch mode power supply reduces audible hum
  • circuit board layout uses surface-mount components to reduce noise
  • built-in headphone amplifier with full-size 1/4" jack
Specifications:
  • gain: 39dB(MM), 60dB(MC)
  • signal-to-noise ratio: greater than 90dB(MM), greater than 70dB(MC)
  • THD: less than 0.0025%(MM), less than 0.2%(MC) (20-20,000Hz)
Dimensions and Warranty:
  • 8-1/2"W x 1-15/16"H x 6-1/4"D
  • weight: 2.1 lbs.
  • warranty: 2 years (3 years with registration)
  • MFR # C11027

What's in the box:

  • MM/MC phono preamplifier
  • 58" AC power cord
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Important Safety Instructions

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More details on the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo

Stacey B.

Features & specs

Features
Cartridge Type MM, MC
Subsonic Filter Yes
Cartridge Loading Fixed
Adjustable Resistance Load No
Adjustable Capacitance Load No
Vacuum Tube No
Connections
RCA Inputs 2 Pair
XLR Inputs No
RCA Output 1 Pair
XLR Output No
USB Output No
3.5mm Output No
Optical Output No
Coaxial Output No
Specs
Signal-to-noise Ratio (MM) 90
Signal-to-noise Ratio (MC) 70
The Cambridge Audio Alva Duo replaces these items:

Product Research

Features

Phono (MM) Preamplifier: Enjoy every last detail from your vinyl collection with Cambridge Audio's high-quality moving magnet phono stage, the Alva DUO phono preamplifier. Cambridge Audio designed the Alva 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 or moving coil cartridge.

Note: Due to the low-level signals created by a turntable, not all integrated amplifiers and receivers will let you connect directly to a record player. A phono preamplifier, like the Cambridge Audio Alva DUO, boosts this signal to something an integrated amplifier or receiver can work with.

Carefully Selected Components: To preserve the unique warmth of the vinyl sound, the Alva 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. The switch mode power supply improves performance by switching outside of audible frequency to drastically reduce hum, while the new circuit board layout uses surface-mount components to reduce noise.

Moving Magnet (MM) & Moving Coil (MC) Compatible: The Cambridge Audio Alva DUO phono pre-amplifier features a moving magnet (MM) input stage and moving coil (MC) input stage. There is a cartridge type selector switch on the front-panel of the phono preamplifier.

  • MM Input: If your turntable uses a moving magnet cartridge, connect it to the Alva DUO's rear-panel stereo RCA outputs (labeled "MM L/R" (3-5mV, with 47k ohm, 100pF loading).
  • MC Input: If your turntable uses a moving coil cartridge, connect it to the Alva DUO's rear-panel stereo RCA outputs (labeled "MC L/R" (0.3-1mV, with 100 ohm, 100pF loading).

Subsonic Filter & Balance Control: If some records in your collection are a little worse for wear, the Alva DUO's built-in 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.

1/4" Headphone Output: Enjoy the warmth of vinyl privately thanks to the Alva DUO's front-panel 1/4" headphone output. Uniquely, Cambridge Audio integrated this 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. The headphone output has a dedicated rotary volume control knob on the front-panel of the phono preamplifier.

Note: Headphones with an impedance of between 32 and 600are recommended.

Stereo RCA Outputs: The Cambridge Audio Alva DUO phono preamplifier is outfitted with a set of gold-plated stereo RCA outputs to connect to the line-level inputs on your home receiver or integrated amplifier using a set stereo RCA cables (sold separately - see Accessories Tab).

Note: Do not connect the Alva DUO to a "Phono Input" on a receiver or integrated amplifier.

Turntable Ground: If your turntable has a separate grounding lead then connect it to the Alva DUO's ground terminal. This provides shielding to the arm and the sensitive circuitry in the turntable.

Detachable AC Power Cord: The Cambridge Audio Alva DUO comes with a 58" detachable AC power which plugs into the back of the phono preamplifier and a AC power outlet or surge protector (sold separately).

  • Max Power Consumption: 10 watts
  • Standby Consumption: <0.5 watts
  • Mains Inlet Voltage: 100-240V AC

Auto Power Down: The Cambridge Audio Alva DUO has an Auto Power Down function. The phono preamplifier will automatically switch to standby mode after inactivity of 20 minutes.

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Customer Q&A

5 questions already asked

Q
picking up radio signal why ???
steve  Dec 25, 2021
2 answers
A
Probably the cables. Invest in high quality cables to connect components.
ed  Dec 28, 2021
A
I had a similar problem with 60Hz hum. It went away when I changed out the cables for better, insulated cables (from the turntable to the preamp and also the cable from the preamp to the aux input on the speaker). I made a big difference and the 60Hz hum went away. Perhaps this will work for you as well.
james  Dec 28, 2021
Q
does it come in black? I want to match the Cambridge Audio DAC I just purchased.
chris a.  Feb 24, 2021
2 answers
A
yes
kelly  Feb 28, 2021
A
at the time that I purchased mine, it was only available in the silver color.....I too was looking for black to match the rest of my system, but silver was my only option for that particular model.
richard j  Feb 24, 2021
Q
Will this unit work to better the sound quality of my Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB turntable Running through my NAD C 375BEE amp/receiver? I also bought the Phono Preamp PPO 2e which seemed to make no difference in sound output though my B&W floor-standing speakers.
a  Oct 18, 2019
2 answers
A
I have multiple turntables and preamps, the Cambridge being one. I was so pleased I purchased another. At this price you can't find better performance unless you spend more. Headphone feature is excellent! I think it's a smart choice.
jack  Nov 03, 2019
A
This Cambridge does have one advantage with an bigger separation between the signal (music you want to hear) and the noise floor. Its 10db bigger separation between those over the PP2e which is enough for some people to hear a difference between them
jason  Oct 30, 2019 (Staff)
Q
Is the line output fixed or variable?
jeffrey  Nov 05, 2018
1 answer
A
The RCA line outputs on this phono preamp are fixed, while the front-panel knob only controls the headphone output volume."
jeff  Apr 09, 2020 (Staff)
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