Cambridge Audio Spira orange

Cambridge Audio Spira, the ready-to-play turntable

Take the turntable out of the box, put on a record and listen within the hour: that is the idea behind this belt-driven turntable from Cambridge Audio, supplied with its cartridge already mounted and aligned. It connects to an amplifier, active speakers or wireless headphones, and offers room to upgrade over time thanks to a removable headshell and a phono preamp that can be bypassed. Five colour options complete the package.

A heavy steel platter for stable rotation

The Spira is belt-driven, with a DC motor driving a sub-platter hidden beneath the main platter. The latter is made of steel and weighs 1.8 kg, a substantial mass at this price point that gives it inertia: once spinning, it rotates steadily and smooths out minor motor irregularities. Wow and flutter, the speed fluctuations that cause the pitch of sustained piano notes or vocals to waver, remain below 0.15%. The platter rests on a ball bearing and comes with a felt mat, while the lacquered MDF plinth and isolating rubber feet limit the transmission of vibrations from the supporting surface.

Switching from 33 to 45 rpm is done with a simple dial, with electronic speed control: there is no need to move a belt manually from one pulley to another. The turntable is manual, so you place the tonearm on the record yourself and lift it at the end of each side. A removable protective dust cover keeps dust at bay between listening sessions.

A factory-fitted and adjusted Audio-Technica cartridge

Aligning the cartridge is the trickiest part of setting up a turntable, and it is done before delivery. The Spira comes with an Audio-Technica AT3600L, a moving-magnet (MM) cartridge with a conical stylus, which is robust and forgiving of minor handling errors. The supplied alignment protractor comes in handy later, when it is time to change the cartridge.

The straight aluminium tonearm has an effective length of 218.5 mm and an effective mass of 7.3 g. Its tracking force is adjustable: this is the weight with which the stylus presses into the groove, set here between 3 and 3.5 g for the AT3600L. Anti-skating is also adjustable: it compensates for the force that naturally pulls the tonearm towards the centre of the record during playback, distributing wear evenly between the two groove walls.

A turntable that grows with your collection

The first upgrade requires no tools. The AT3600L stylus can be removed by pulling it forwards and replaced with the elliptical ATN3600LE model, which clips onto the same cartridge body. Its tip, narrower at the sides, follows the groove modulations more closely and retrieves more detail in the treble.

To go further, the removable headshell accommodates another cartridge, which can be fitted separately at your leisure before attaching it to the tonearm. The built-in phono preamp can be bypassed using a switch on the rear panel: the turntable then sends the raw cartridge signal to an external phono preamp or to an amplifier’s phono input, two stages that play a major role in the sound of a vinyl system.

From hi-fi to wireless headphones, three ways to connect it

A cartridge produces a signal of just a few millivolts, far too weak for an amplifier, with bass frequencies that were attenuated when the record was cut. The phono preamp, or RIAA stage, amplifies this signal and restores the balance between bass and treble. With the built-in preamp enabled, the RCA output delivers a line-level signal for connection to an amplifier’s AUX or CD input, or to the line input of active speakers. With the preamp bypassed, the same output connects to a phono input. The two must never be combined, or the sound will be distorted and far too loud. A ground terminal rounds out the connections and prevents hum when the amplifier has one.

The built-in Bluetooth acts as a transmitter: the turntable sends music to a wireless speaker or headphones, handy for evening listening without disturbing anyone. It is enabled using a switch at the rear. The wireless connection involves digital conversion and signal compression, whereas a cable keeps the signal analogue from end to end; for attentive listening, a cable remains the best option.

Five colours to match the L/R speakers

The Spira is available in black, white, blue, green and orange. These shades match those of Cambridge Audio’s L/R active speakers, allowing you to create a coordinated turntable and speaker system in the same colour. The plinth’s lacquered finish also sits comfortably alongside any other equipment: there is no need to stick to the same brand to enjoy the turntable.

Technical specifications

Drive and playback performance

• Drive: belt drive
• Playback speeds: 33⅓ / 45 rpm
• Speed control: electronic
• Motor: direct current (DC)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 60 dB
• Wow and flutter: less than 0.15%
• Speed variation: +3% / −2%

Tonearm and cartridge

• Tonearm: straight, aluminium
  • Effective length: 218.5 mm
  • Effective mass: 7.3 g
• Pre-installed cartridge: Audio-Technica AT3600L
  • Recommended tracking force: 3 to 3.5 g
• Headshell: removable
• Anti-skating: adjustable

Platter and construction

• Platter: high-inertia steel
  • Mass: 1.8 kg
  • Bearing: ball bearing
• Platter mat: felt
• Plinth: medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
• Feet: insulating rubber

Preamplification, connectivity and compatibility

• RIAA phono preamplifier: built-in
• Bluetooth: wireless connection to compatible speakers or headphones
• RCA output: wired connection to an amplifier or active speakers
• Phono output: option to use an external phono preamplifier to upgrade the system
• Hi-fi system compatibility: suitable equipment with an appropriate input

Power supply

• Power consumption: 5 W

Included accessories

• Power supply
• RCA cable
• Removable dust cover
• Cartridge alignment protractor
• Adapter for 17.78 cm records (45 rpm)

Dimensions and weight

• Product dimensions (W × D × H): 41.8 × 34.3 × 12.2 cm
• Packaging dimensions (H × W × L): 50 × 42.8 × 19.2 cm
• Net weight: 5.95 kg
• Gross weight: 8.2 kg