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Here we have a Cambridge Audio Alva Solo moving magnet phonostage / phono preamp. It's in great condition and working perfectly, providing much more detail and dynamics than any built-in amp phono stage. I'm only selling because we're moving, and I’m consolidating systems. Dead quiet, reliable, highly reviewed, low capacitance, check it out. Current retail price is $249.Specs: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
Compact, well-regarded MM phono stages like this don’t come up every day, and the price is right in the sweet spot. At US$175, it sits essentially on top of the US$171 median and just under the US$188 75th percentile, so this reads as a fair buy rather than a bargain or an ambitious ask.
What makes it worthwhile is simple: the Solo has a solid reputation for being quiet, clean, and easy to live with, with enough gain and refinement to make a noticeable upgrade over many built-in phono inputs. If it’s clean, working properly, and includes the original power supply, I’d view it as an easy shortlist candidate for a moving-magnet setup.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Cambridge Audio emerged from the innovative spirit of 1960s Britain, founded in Cambridge, United Kingdom, by a group of young engineers who spun off from Cambridge Consulting Group. Established in 1968, the brand launched with the groundbreaking P40 integrated amplifier—the first to employ a toroidal transformer, setting a new standard for dynamic power delivery in hi-fi design that endures in high-end gear today. This heritage of British engineering excellence propelled decades of award-winning products, navigating ownership changes including a revival under entrepreneur Vince Adams and acquisition in 1994 by Julian Richer and James Johnson-Flint of Richer Sounds.
The brand excels across core hi-fi categories, renowned for integrated amplifiers like the iconic A1 and P-series, alongside streaming DACs, network players, turntables, and all-in-one systems that prioritize pure analogue warmth and digital precision. Speakers, headphones, and cables round out a cohesive ecosystem, emphasizing accessible high performance without excess frills.
Positioned firmly in the mid-tier market, Cambridge Audio delivers premium British sound—detailed, rhythmic, and uncolored—at prices that democratize quality for discerning buyers. Free from corporate bloat, it holds a reputation for reliability and value, appealing to enthusiasts seeking sophisticated hi-fi that punches above its weight rather than chasing ultra-high-end esoterica.
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