Cambridge Audio Alva Duo

IT DOESN'T GET much more straight-ahead than Cambridge Audio's Duo. As well as impressive build quality and an uptown aesthetic, its metal facia is a model of functional simplicity: two small flush buttons to flip between MM and MC, a volume knob and 6.3mm socket for the headphone amp.

There are two sets of RCA stereo sockets - MM and MC - and one pair of single-ended RCA outs. There's a small rotary control to adjust channel balance on the rear, plus grounding post, subsonic filter and an IEC mains socket rather than a wall-wart power supply. Switch mode power supplies are regarded with suspicion by some, but CA claims improved performance with: "drastically reduced hum" because the switching happens outside of audible frequencies while a surface-mounted circuit board is said to further reduce noise.

Sound quality