A fresh batch of Record Store Day 'June Drop' releases are coming on Saturday, and what better way to enjoy all that limited-edition vinyl than on a new turntable? Cambridge Audio's long-awaited Alva ST record player is finally hitting the shelves, having been announced at CES in January.
Available from today, just in time for Saturday's releases, the Alva ST is one of the most eagerly awaited decks of the year. It follows the Alva TT, which was the world's first aptX HD Bluetooth turntable when it launched in 2019. The TT earned four stars in our review and now has a successor in the Alva TT V2.
So what does the ST bring to the Alva party? It's a more affordable proposition than its Alva sibling for starters, costing £849 / $999 (about AU$1500) compared to the Alva TT V2's £1700 / $1999 (about AU$3000) price tag. It sports a belt-drive rather than a direct-drive design, too. And that is complemented by a 1mm-thick aluminium top plate and a vibration-dampening absorption layer on top of MDF. The detachable Audio Technica AT-VM95e moving magnet cartridge comes pre-installed.
The ST shares the TT V2's aptX HD Bluetooth streaming skills, allowing you to stream your vinyl wirelessly to wireless headphones or wireless speakers – and in one of the highest qualities of Bluetooth available if your receiving device also supports aptX HD. The Alva ST also has the same tonearm and a switchable phono stage.
The Alva ST has felt like a long time coming, so let's hope it has been worth the wait.
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