RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable Record Player with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge, Acrylic Platter, Speed Control Motor, High Mass MDF Wood Plinth, Vibration Isolation Feet - Bamboo

Great value for the price point. Looks amazing and solid material. Nice hefty size and clean rotation with exposed motor away from the center. The 2M Blue cartridge makes the vintage vinyl sound clear, bright and presents a good sound stage of separation with vocals and instruments. Setup was fairly straightforward, only issue was zeroing out and setting the counterweight, but after about 30 minutes of research it was good to go. The high density acrylic platter is a nice touch. I paired the RT85 with the Fluance PA10 preamp and they both look great together. 10/10 would recommend for anyone looking to upgrade to a turntable under $600. I upgraded from a Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT. The Fluance RT85 is a manual turntable, not fully automatic, however there is a switch on the back that can be turned on to stop the record from spinning after 30 seconds if you tend to be forgetful. There is no built-in preamplifier so make sure to purchase one from Fluance or any of your choosing that is compatible with your cartridge/stylus.

I bought this to replace an Audio Technica LP-120X USB. That turntable was upgraded with an acrylic platter mat instead of the rubber that came with it. I had also replaced the cartridge with an AT VM540ML/H. This is a definite upgrade from the cartridge that came on that turntable. Because I have that cartridge, I decided to buy the RT85 with the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I think the Nagaoka MP-110 is probably similar to the VM540. The RT85 came quickly and surprisingly was only single boxed. But the contents were very well protected inside. Setup was like most other turntables. This table is smaller than the AT it is replacing but the bamboo veneer gives it a much better appearance. The acrylic platter gets a 10 vs the aluminum platter on the AT. The tonearm, headshell and cueing lever are similar to the AT. However, the tonearm weight has a scale that is almost impossible to read without the assistance of a bright light and maybe even some magnification. The anti skate dial is only slightly easier to read. The AT is much easier to read. Fluance, this needs to be improved. Maybe my eyes failed me when setting the tracking force, but it was off by about 0.2 when I checked it with my scale which was calibrated (1.6g vs 1.8g). Also, I've seen some reviews where people said the speed knob was cheap. It feels fine to me. I do like the on/off knob and start button feature on my AT LP-120 better. But the Fluance is still good. Also, the AT turntable it is replacing has an indentation for storing the 45rpm adapter and place that actually holds a second cartridge. I don't have any 45s, so that doesn't really matter to me, but the cartridge holder is a nice feature on my other turntable. Once it was setup, I grabbed a Pink Floyd album (what else). I played Shine On You Crazy Diamond. It sounded really good and I have to say, I think there may be a little more bass coming from this cartridge setup vs the AT VM540. But I'll need to do some A/B comparisons. Also, a light finger tap on the right side of this turntable is quieter that when tapping the plastic right side of the AT. The same is true when tapping the top of the plinth and much quieter when tapping the left side. Also, the cueing lever is damped much better than the AT. It will just dump the arm onto the record and this one is nice and slow. For reference, the speakers are Q Acoustics 3050 towers and the power comes from a 1990 Denon DRA 1025 (125wpc) which I bought new for $999. I also have a set of Wharfedale Lintons coming later this week and I'm looking so forward to getting them going. So, this is a $500 turntable out of the box. My AT LP-120X with the upgrades (acrylic mat and AT VM540 cartridge/headshell) is now at $650 or maybe more. I can easily change over to the AT VM540 if I want and I don't know of any upgrades I could make to this table. So, it is a better buy. The veneered MDF is prettier and quieter than the black plastic AT LP-120X. The professional reviewers all over the internet and YouTube are correct about this table. I also considered a couple of Dual turntables, Thorens and even a Technics ranging from $599 up to about $1,100. I'm sure the Technics is probably a much better table than this RT85 but Dual is just not the same company it was in the 70s and early 80s. They are no longer made in Germany. I have about 120 vinyl records, maybe a few more and have about 500 CDs. So, I decided that the RT85 is right where I need to be.

Turntable arrived as expected, box was clean and undamaged. It was very easy to set up with the instructions provided and start playing almost immediately. I love the acrylic platter and the ortophon needle sounds great. The finish on the base is very nice, and the three feet are very stable. Have not experienced and skips, the arm tracks cleanly. Speeds work great at both 33 and 45.

I’ve collected vinyl for many decades and have several turntables ranging from vintage Thorens and several Technics to an expensive VPI with Clearaudio Maestro cartridge. I’m a big fan of the Ortofon line and when I saw that the RT85 Reference came with a 2M Blue installed I had to jump at the opportunity. I had purchased speakers from Fluance some years ago and was impressed with their quality and customer service so I expected nothing different with this purchase. I read several of the online reviews that were impressed with the quality of the build, the ease of use, the wonderful Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge and the outstanding sound quality. My unit arrived professionally packed and assembly was a breeze. Kudos for a clearly written user manual. Even though I am not a beginner the clear instructions would be easy for anyone to follow. Once installed I put it to the test with a wide variety of genres and styles of music. I’m still impressed and I’ve been listening every day for a few weeks now. This is a killer combo and I’m still shaking my head in amazement that Fluance has been able to pack so much quality in such an inexpensive unit. The auto stop feature is especially appreciated as my other manual turntables lack anything like that, requiring me to get up and replace the tonearm at the end of each side. While auto stop is not as convenient as semiautomatic, it’s a welcome addition to an otherwise manual turntable. Well done Fluance for putting a quality audio product within reach of almost anyone who is into vinyl. It really shines with my Parks Audio Budgie Tube preamp and has become my favorite turntable!!!! Five solid stars!!!!

Gorgeous, quiet and sounds great. The number of turntables and conflicting reviews made my head spin. I currently use a Technics SL-B2 since new. That's a basic but very good sounding turntable but I wanted to upgrade so I bought a Technics sl1200mk3d. Great build but soso sound and I returned it. Was heavily leaning towards a Rega Planar but before dropping close to $2k I figured I'd give the Fluance RT85 a try and boy I'm glad I did. The plinth is gorgeous (walnut). It's unbelievably quiet and the Ortofon blue sounds amazing. I replaced the blue with an ATVM540ML from my current turntable. Even better sound but I'd be happy with either cartridge. And I'm $1500 richer. 2 days in and after clearing my head of all the data I decided to just relax and listen. Sooo happy with this turntable.

So....decided it was time to get my vinyl up and running. Had a Denon dp300 table + Onkyo nr777 receiver + Polk 65t towers. I just wasn't getting the sound I felt like I was expecting so, the chase began. Started with an Ortofon 2m blue cartridge....sounded pretty good but....then bought a Project S2 pre thinking the pre on the Denon probably wasn't that great still.....meh. I even bought directional RCA cables the were...mid high end. Had begun to look at new speakers. The Polks were very highly regarded when I bought them but felt like maybe something better. In the meantime, I bought a handful of remastered old favorite LPs and one evening I noticed that the needle on the Denon table was running across the label before returning. My wife and I had moved a couple years ago and the Denon did not have an arm lock. I took the cartridge head off before moving but, I started to wonder if the tonearm hadn't taken a beating during the move. so....started looking at tables....Project, Music hall etc....etc....One evening I stumbled across the RT85 so I began to look into it. I liked the autostop feature for obvious reasons. The more reviews I read, the more I felt like I could take the chance on a,unknown to me company. Besides, they threw in a Ortofon 2m blue with it.....($300) cartidge. The unit arrived well packed. I am in my sixties so am very experienced on putting together and setting up turntables. Setting this thing up was a breeze...not sure why some folks have such a hard time. (I did need to align the cartridge a little bit but, the instructions come with a protractor so...no issue). Once I got it all leveled and hooked up, I pulled out the remastered Steely Dan "Aja". More stereo systems were sold in the 70s by demoing Aja than any other....blah blah blah. Anyway....as soon as I dropped the needle, there was the sound I was looking for. Clear separation.....full eq with punchy low end without being rumbly (have a sub for that)...midrange was right their. No need for new speakers....the Polks were as advertised. Was glad I bought the Project preamp. Everything these days needs to be "broken in". Ortofon says 40 hours plus on the blue needle....hell, the RCA cables recommended 100+ hours....sounded stellar first time so I expect my set up will just keep getting better. Bottom line....buy this table. For about $500 bucks you get a quality belt drive, auto shutoff (lots of music puts me to sleep), a nice acrylic platter and maybe the best, somewhat, lower priced end cartridge in the biz all wrapped in a gorgeous package. The sound quality is amazing. I am an ardent reader or Sound and Vision as well as Stereophile and guarantee you won't find a better quality turntable, with the features, anywhere close to this price.

I measured its accuracy and noise. Specs are really good. Speed measured 33.38 RPM. It’s a phenomenal unit. It has opened up my vinyl library to my living room. Warm, rich audio which you just feel good about. The auto off feature is excellent for the times you can’t get to the unit. The bamboo color really makes my entertainment center pop. Just love the Ortophon Blue cartridge included. Very high resolution with new vinyl.

I'm one week in with my RT85 (Walnut) and loving everything about it! About a year ago I got into vinyl. I started with an Audio Technica LP60, which I thought was an excellent starter table. I quickly got bitten by the bug, and have been obsessed with vinyl records ever since. For the past 3 months or so I had been researching what my next turntable would be. While I really liked the AT LP60, it has its limitations, and also much of it is made of plastic, with little possibility of adjustments and/or upgrades. After quite a bit of research, I honed in on the $500 price point. I also had certain features that I wanted to ideally come equipped with the table. I had already upgraded my speakers to the Klipsch RP-160M which I also love. From what I read, your speakers and your cartridge should give you the biggest boom for your buck when upgrading your turntable setup. So I focused on getting the best cartridge I could find that comes in around that given price. I also ideally wanted an acrylic platter, auto stop, removable headshell, 33/45 adjustment without moving the belt, and good looking aesthetics and overall design of the table and the features. The Fluance RT85 was really the only one that answered all of these bells. Along with the features I already named, the RT85 comes with a few other more subtle perks. I really enjoy the way the S-curved tonearms look, and also the feet on the table are well designed, have a nice look and feel to them, and are very easy to adjust (there are also only 3 of them which helps make balancing a bit easier/more forgiving). The box was shipped well, arrived in great condition, and the contents were well protected. Instructions were very clear and easy to follow. They even throw in white gloves to wear as you put everything together to keep things clean and free of fingerprints. The Walnut finish looks great. It's lacquered so it has an almost piano looking finish, but with the wood grain. It's beautiful to look at. My initial test was throwing on side A of Kid A by Radiohead. And true to the song title, everything was in its right place when the needle dropped. Since that initial play, I've thrown quite a range of tunes at the RT85 from acoustic indie, to deep bass electronic, to Jazz. Everything sounds fantastic on this turntable. I'm loving the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. Just a quick side note. There is no built in pre-amp on this table, so you will need to consider that. I'm using a Schiit Mani with mine, and I highly recommend that as well. Now back to spinning and grinning :) If you have found any of this information helpful to you, please take a moment and click the "Helpful" button.