Cambridge Solo & Duo Phono Preamp Review

The new Cambridge Solo and Duo, at $179 and $299 respectively, are both built for performance and value. Both of these are as good as we have heard for their price. If you have a receiver or turntable with a built-in phono stage, either of these will be a big upgrade.

[felixfranzen]

The Duo is apparently fantastic! According to measurements done by Amir at Audio Science Review, this basically the best you can get specs wise at any price. The SNR levels are amazing, it has a nice headroom and no RIIA error. It is too bad, that it doesn't have variable gain and capacitance though. For that reason I bought the Pro-Ject DS2 instead as it has those features. I'm willing to accept a little more distortion to have that. I mean it doesn't really matter if the SNR is 90db or 70db when you buy a phono stage as both numbers are better than the vinyl medium itself. You're not going to hear that distortion unless you crank the volume real high without playing a record.

[pinglunlaw]

solo is so good it will not smear in high frequency and enough body let you indulge in the music.

[vanea]

Thank you so much for the video. I don't use MC cartridges, I don't listen to headphones. So, maybe I must buy the Solo. But is there a sound difference between Solo and Duo? I read that Duo brings a better sound, but is that the reality? Thank you!

[EmberTheFoxyFox]

I’m looking for a pre amp to go with a Pro-Ject debut carbon evo with M2 red cartridge but will upgrade to blue

budget around £200

I’m currently thinking the Cambridge Audio Duo for £249

Or possibly the pro-ject s2 ultra

[MrSuperBlackHawk]

Will the headphone output on the Duo be sufficient to drive a set of 80 ohm Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones ?

[phunkey]

I am currently facing a big dilemma:
Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 or Cambridge Solo ??
Which is BETTER? 🤔🤔🤔

[Innuband]

Thanks for sharing! Does the volume knob allows you also to "level" the signal output of the turntable to the CD player, when connecting the device to an integrated stereo amp?

[patriot]

Ok, I'm a little new to this..I have my audio-technica at-lp140xp plugged into my Onkyo receiver to the "phono" jacks...does this go in between? plug my audio-technica at-lp140xp into Cambridge and then out to my Onkyo?? and what does it help

[danielmorgan]

Hi guys nice video, I've 2 turntables, Rega p6 & a project rpm 1. I'm about to take the plunge in to the MC world replacing my ortofon 2m blue & Rega exact with a quintet blue & Rega Ania.. I'm getter a Rega Fono MC but wondering how the duo would sound for the quintet? Also there doesn't seem to be a dip switches on the duo. Would that be a problem? Thanx guys 👍

[GeeLee]

Can I use this preamp and plug it into my phono input on my receiver to double the volume?