CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA ST Belt Drive Turntable User Manual

: June 6, 2024
: Cambridge Audio

Table of Contents

What’s in the box?
Top view
Rear view
Setup
Analogue audio connection
Bluetooth connection
- LED STATUS
Operating instructions
Troubleshooting
Technical specifications
Warranty
Support
Designed & engineered in the UK
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA ST Belt Drive Turntable

What’s in the box?

DOCUMENTATION
TURNTABLE LID
TURNTABLE
ANALOGUE INTERCONNECT
TONEARM FORCE GAUGE
PLATTER
COUNTERWEIGHT
TURNTABLE LID HINGES
POWER CABLE

Top view

STANDBY/ON
Switches the unit between Standby mode (indicated by dim LED) and On (indicated by bright LED).
RECORD SPEED BUTTONS AND START/STOP
MAIN PLATTER
TONEARM COUNTERWEIGHT
Used to adjust tracking force (downforce).
TONEARM REST
TONEARM LIFT LEVER
TONEARM
FITTED CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MC CARTRIDGE
HEADSHELL WITH FINGER LIFT

Rear view

LID
LID HINGES AND FASTENERS
SIGNAL OUTPUT SOCKETS
Connect to the ‘line in’ of an amplifier using the supplied RCA cable
Important note: Do not connect to the Phono input of an amplifier.
BLUETOOTH STATUS WITH LED ON/OFF SWITCH
BLUETOOTH PAIRING BUTTON
DC POWER SOCKET

Setup

Release tonearm from rest and remove the stylus guard.
Important note: Take care when handling the Alva TT cartridge.
Lower gently onto the platter, do not drop.

Slide anti-skating bias to “0” for setup.

Place tonearm force gauge on platter and carefully lower stylus onto “2”.

Adjusting the counterweight ensures the prerssure the stylus applies to the record is correct. Too much pressure can cause distortion and lost information as well as wear to your records. Too little pressure and the stylus will jump and potentially damage your records.

Rotate anti-clockwise to increase balance weight or clockwise to decrease balance weight.

Return the arm to its arm rest to adjust the counterweight.
This part of the process requires care and patience

Adjust the counterweight until the stylus force guage is in balance.

Slide anti-skating bias to “2” for operation.

Connect hinges to turntable and insert lid.

Analogue audio connection

Bluetooth connection

Push and hold the Pairing button for 2 seconds to enter pairing mode.
By default, the Bluetooth will attempt to connect to the last paired device.
Press and hold the Pairing button for 10 seconds to clear connections and turn off Bluetooth.

LED STATUS

Fast flashing – In pairing mode.
Slow flashing – Searching for last paired device.
Solid – Paired to a device.
Long solid intervals – Paired to a device using aptX/aptX HD codec.
No Light:
1. Turn off the LED only (Bluetooth is working )
2. Turn off the Bluetooth and LED.

Operating instructions

PLAYING RECORDS

Place your record over the spindle and press the power button on the top panel.
Press required platter rotation speed (33 or 45) button on the top panel.
Raise the tonearm by moving the lift lever towards the rear of the turntable.
Position the tonearm over the desired location (groove) on the record.
Lower the tonearm by moving the lift lever towards the front of the turntable.

ENDING PLAY

Lift the tonearm with the lift lever.
Move the tonearm back to the tonearm rest.
Secure the tonearm with the tonearm clamp.
Press the platter speed button to stop the platter rotation.
Press the power button to enter standby.

AUTO POWER DOWN (APD)

The turntable will automatically switch to standby mode after 20 minutes of inactivity.
To disable APD press and hold the power button for 5 seconds when in standby.
To re-enable APD hold down the power button when plugging the mains power cable into the turntable.

Troubleshooting

No sound through one or both channels

Amplifier not switched on.
Amplifier is muted.
Incorrect input is selected.
Bad connection with amplifier, connector plugs not fully pushed home.
Stylus is not making a connection to the record.
No connection to the loudspeakers.

Distorted or inconsistent sound

Turntable is connected to the incorrect amplifier input.
Please note: Do not connect the turntable to an external phono stage or phono input.
Wrong RPM used for the record.
Tracking force and/or anti-skate incorrectly adjusted.
Condition of the record is poor.
Stylus is not making a connection to the record.
Stylus is damaged.
Turntable is picking up excessive vibrations or is not level.

Stylus skips across the record

Stylus guard has not been removed.
Tracking force is too light – Confirm that the tracking force is correct with the tonearm force gauge.
Confirm that the Anti-Skating BIAS is set to “2”.
Turntable is picking up excessive vibrations or is not level.
Condition of the record is poor.

Turntable will not connect to a Bluetooth playback device

Turntable and device are too far apart.
Bluetooth device is not in pairing mode.
Turntable is not in pairing mode.

Turntable is connecting to an incorrect Bluetooth playback device

Disable/switch off all other Bluetooth devices.
Clear all paired devices on the turntable.

Inconsistent sound through Bluetooth playback device

Bluetooth signal is being blocked/interrupted.
Turntable and device are too far apart.

Technical specifications

TURNTABL

Type| Blet Drive
Turntable Speeds| 33 1/3, 45 rpm
Motor Torque| 1.6 kg/cm
Wow & Flutter| <0.1%
Turntable Platter| POM (Polyoxymethylene)
Diameter| 305 mm
TONEARM

Type| One piece aluminium casting
Effective Length| 238 mm
Overhang| 17.2 mm
Effective mass| 11 g
INTERNAL PHONO STAGE

Gain @ 1kHz| 42dB
Nominal output (with CA cartridge)| 250m Vrms
Equivalent input noise (A-Weighted)| 0.1u Vrms
RIAA Curve Accuracy| +/-0.3dB 30Hz-20kHz
Signal/Noise ratio (ref 1V out, 20-20K BW)| >90dB
THD+N 1kHz| 0.0025%
Input Impedance| 47kΩ
Input Capacitance| 320pF
OUTPUTS

Audio Output| RCA line level
Bluetooth| SBC/aptX/aptX HD
GENERAL

Power Supply| AC 100-240V, 60/50Hz
Power Consumption| 6W Approx., 20W max, <0.5W(Standby)
Dimensions (W x H x D)| 435 x 139 x 368 mm
Weight| 11 kg
CARTRIDGE

Warranty

Contact your purchasing dealer for all warranty claims.
The warranty covers the repair or replacement (at Cambridge Audio’s discretion) of your Cambridge Audio product if it is found to be defective due to faulty materials or workmanship within the warranty period.
Note: Stylus wear is not covered by this warranty.

Here’s what isn’t covered:
Accidental damage, negligent use, misuse, neglect or careless operation of the machine;
Damage as a result of use not in accordance with the product’s power rating.
Damage from external sources such as transit, weather, electrical outages or power surges.
Failures caused by circumstances outside of Cambridge Audio’s control.
Use of parts not assembled or installed in accordance with the instructions of Cambridge Audio.
Repairs or alterations carried out by parties other than Cambridge Audio or its authorised agents.

This guide is designed to make installing and using this product as easy as possible. Information in this document has been carefully checked for accuracy at the time of printing; however, Cambridge Audio’s policy is one of continuous improvement, therefore design and specifications are subject to change without prior notice.

This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced by any mechanical, electronic or other means, in any form, without prior written permission of the manufacturer. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries, used with permission. aptX is a trademark of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., registered in the United States and other countries, used with permission.

Qualcomm aptX is a product of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Audio Partnership Plc is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

Make sure you register your CA product:
WWW.CAMBRIDGEAUDIO.COM/REGISTER

For upcoming news on future products, software updates and exclusive offers.

Support

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO

How to setup an Alva TT turntable: www.cambridgeaudio.com/tt/setup

FAQS AND SUPPORT
Please visit www.cambridgeaudio.com/tt

GET IN CONTACT WITH OUR DEDICATED TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM:support@cambridgeaudio.com

U K: +44 20 7551 5422
US: +1 877 357-8204
DE: +49 40 9479 2800
HK: +852 2882 4000

ALVA ST. JUST ADD VINYL.

Dear Music Lover,
First and foremost, thank you for choosing Cambridge Audio.

I’m sure you’re excited to listen to your new purchase; I hope your expectations will be surpassed and that the pleasure will continue for many years to come.

At Cambridge Audio we’re in awe of the way music can move us. It’s something that isn’t easy to describe, but you know how wonderful it is. Personally, listening to a quality system provokes the same reaction every time, it takes hold of me, possesses me and demands that I listen. I can lose myself on a voyage of discovery, playing tracks that I haven’t heard in years, and they all sound brand new. It thrills me, I’ll be nodding, grinning, tapping and if there’s a glass of wine involved, dancing like a fool! It’s as exciting as hearing the songs for the first time, but with the added delight of recalling feelings and memories too. It really is a beautiful thing.

However, unfortunately, poor quality sound systems are everywhere, polluting our world with noise. We accept bad sound experiences as the norm, so there are moments in your music, thoughts from your favourite artists, that you’ve never felt in full. That’s a crime.

We want you to hear your music at its best, as the artist intended it to be heard, with nothing added, nothing taken away. Because that’s what music lovers like us deserve. It’s why we’re constantly experimenting, solving problems and creating new kit, doing what we’ve done, for the last 50 years. And why we’re always trying to make the listening experience better. Pure.

But ultimately, this is about far more than the equipment and it’s even more important than the music, it’s about your experience when you listen. We hope that your ALVA TT will transport you to some of the magical moments in your life, reminding you exactly why you fell in love with music in the first place.

Time to sit down, put a record on, and let the music take you away, wherever your heart desires.

Cambridge Audio. For People Who Listen.

Stuart George
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CAMBRIDGE AUDIO

Designed & engineered in the UK

The Cambridge Audio ALVA TT turntable is for vinyl-lovers like you who are looking for a great-sounding, easy-to-use, stylish solution.

Bluetooth aptX HD allows you to put your ALVA TT wherever you like in your home, and wirelessly connect to your Hi-Fi or Bluetooth speaker (or even wireless headphones) in stunning Hi-Res quality.
The proprietary Cambridge Audio built-in phono-stage (based on our award-winning ALVA Solo & Duo phono-stages) eliminates the need for extra boxes cluttering your set-up.
Your ALVA TT’s combination of Direct Drive motor and dense POM platter ensure your treasured vinyl collection is played back with pinpoint speed accuracy.
The bespoke Cambridge Audio High Output Moving Coil cartridge, together with a single-piece tonearm deliver incredible levels of detail from your record collection.

WWW.CAMBRIDGEAUDIO.COM
Gallery Court, Hankey Place London se1 4bb United Kingdom
Cambridge Audio is a brand of Audio Partnership Plc. Registered in England