Cambridge Audio has officially launched the Alva TT V2 turntable, just in time for Record Store Day (and What Hi-Fi? Vinyl Week).
You might remember the aptX HD Bluetooth deck (the successor to the Alva TT) being announced at CES 2022 alongside the more affordable Alva ST, and now four months later it is hitting the shelves for £1700 ($1999, approx. AU$2800).
The updated deck promises a "best-of-both worlds design" that can not only play records in a hi-fi system but also stream them wirelessly to Bluetooth headphones/speakers in up to aptX HD quality (24-bit/48Hz).
Improvements over the 2019-released original include a new tonearm with a detachable headshell (making it easier to upgrade), a switchable phono stage based on the company's Alva Duo, and the option to turn the Bluetooth transmitter off when you're playing in pure hi-fi mode for optimal sound quality. Cambridge says the new features are based on customer feedback.
The original Alva TT earned a solid four-star review from us for its clear, detailed and precise (albeit not class-leadingly dynamic) sound, so we're pleased to see that the sequel retains much of the engineering – the direct drive system and preinstalled Alva MC cartridge, for example.
With an increasing number of aptX HD Bluetooth headphones and devices hitting the market, vinyl sales ticking up, and Record Store Day just around the corner, Cambridge's latest turntable seems to have timed its arrival to perfection.
MORE:
11 of the best vinyl releases for Record Store Day 2022
Best Bluetooth turntables 2022: wireless record players for streaming vinyl
3 of the best turntable systems for playing vinyl
Then there’s the all-new Alva ST (above), a more affordable, belt-drive turntable priced at £850 ($999). The Alva ST’s belt-drive design is complemented by a 1mm aluminium top plate and a vibration-dampening absorption layer on top of MDF, with the detachable Audio Technica AT-VM95e moving magnet cartridge coming pre-installed. It shares its sibling’s aptX HD Bluetooth streaming, the same new tonearm, and a switchable phono stage.
The Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 and Alva ST turntables will be available in spring this year, and our expectations of both are high. Now that there are more aptX HD Bluetooth headphones and devices out there, streaming vinyl wirelessly in 24-bit is more viable and, while still niche, perhaps more attractive than ever before.
MORE:
Best Bluetooth turntables 2022: wireless record players for streaming vinyl
All the CES 2022 news and highlights as the world's biggest tech show returns
3 of the best turntable systems for playing vinyl
