This Cambridge Audio ALVA turntable had no audio on one channel. It’s an interesting design as it has a phono amplifier built into it so it can be connected into the AUX input of an amplifier that doesn’t have a phono input.
For my turntable repair services near Stroud please contact me for a quote. I will need the model number along with a fault description.
The Cambridge ALVA turntable has a built in Bluetooth transmitter so you can pair the turntable up to a Bluetooth speaker.
There’s a lot of electronics in this turntable as it’s a direct drive one. The photo below shows it with the bottom cover removed.
It has a fairly weighty platter. With it removed it’s considerably lighter!
So why was the audio missing on one channel?
One of the signal wires from the cartridge had a break in it. It wasn’t anywhere near the ends though so it couldn’t be repaired by shortening it.
Rewiring the tone arm would be tricky as it doesn’t have a removable headshell and the wires appear to be glued where they exit the tonearm by the cartridge.
The solution was to use one of the cartridge ground wires to replace the broken signal wire and use the other cartridge ground wire to carry both the cartridge left and right grounds. The cartridge grounds are joined together under the tonearm anyway.
Some soldering was required but it was done to the cartridge wiring crimp so the cartridge can still be swapped out as normal.
Not ideal but a lot easier / cheaper than rewiring the glued in wires fitted in the tonearm!