RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable

Happily playing many oldies on our Fluance 85RT! Reawaking to vinyl! Thanks to Julie for her valuable assistance!

It's here! My first new piece of stereo equipment in 40 years.

You've found it. The RT85 is the one. Why are you reading some random guy's review? Buy yours already!

Love it! Easy setup and sounds fantastic. So glad I went with the rt85. Also thank you Anton for all your patience with my crazy questions.

Amazing turntable, speakers, stands.

Best "bang-for-your-buck" turntable, hands down!

After almost 30 years of digital audio, I decided to come back to my “first love”, vinyl. I am an audiophile and always had good hi-fi systems.
I knew what the quality turntables looked like in 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s but had no idea what they look like in 2020’s.
After extensive research, many reviews read and videos watched, I decided to buy Fluance RT85.
When I unpacked it and put my first vinyl since 1994, I was stunned. The quality of the sound coming from my loudspeakers was nothing I could compare with what I was listening to in almost 30 years. I am aware that Ortofon 2M Blue needs about 20h break-in period to show everything it has, but since the first moment the sound was full, warm and detailed. I started with my favorite album, The Dark Side of the Moon. I believed I knew every detail on this LP and, however, I discovered sounds that I have never heard before. I continued with some more of my favorite albums, and the experience was amazing.
As my amplifier has a PHONO input, I did not need to buy a preamplifier. The cables included in the box are high quality product. When I open my amplifier’s volume to more than a half (2x100 W output) on phono, no pickup on the record, no humming, buzzing or so can be hear. Just a silence. Perfect to enjoy the music.
RT85 construction is very solid and elegant. I bought one with a beautiful walnut finish and it shines in my living room. Set it to the level is very easy with its three isolation feet and the wood plinth has a mass that kills the vibration. However, because of the floor that moves quite a lot in my living room, I had to buy an isolation platform and my turntable is completely vibration free now.
RT85 is equipped with a fantastic acrylic platter that gives a good mass and stabilizes the speed which I measured and was highly accurate.
Fluance has also an amazing technical support. I had a minor annoyances with platter that could not prevent me from listening to the music, but was just strange. I contacted the Support Team, and they were very fast to respond and lead me through the debugging procedure. One of the best supports I have had in many years, equal to the quality of the product.
So, I rediscover vinyl and am rebuilding my LP collection with this fantastic turntable, RT85. It is worth every cent that I invested in it. And I know why it is considered as one of the best turntables in its category, praised by many reviewers.

Just got it set up the only disappointment is the auto stop does not work. There is something about it not working on all LP. This was one of the reasons I got this turntable, my Audio Technica LP120X did not have this. I have only played one album so far I hope it works on let say 95% of the time. Otherwise it was an easy set up and the sound is great.

Totally impresssed.I recommend going the extra couple hundred and get the rt85. Definitely can hear the difference.Making musical fun again

Excellent build quality. Combination with ortofon 2m blue makes for great sound.

The RT85, has exceeded my expectations, especially with the blue 2M Ortofon cartridge. It really opened up all my vinyl records, I can hear subtleties of the instruments that I never could hear before! I am so in love with this turntable, it’s the best I’ve ever had!

The RT85 is a stellar turntable. I think that it is under-rated.

For the purchase price, it is OUTSTANDING. I bought mine in March, 2019, and I couldn't be happier. The fit & finish is pleasant, and the RT85 is virtually flawless in design. HOWEVER... the instructions for setting the anti-skate value weren't correct for me. Setting the anti-skate to the same value as the tracking force (which was stated in the manual) resulted in over-correction.

Ultimately, I used an audiophile-grade test record that had a blank side with no grooves. Only then was I able to set the anti-skate value properly.

To be fair, that was four years ago. But I tend to use "old-school" measures to configure my turntables, despite the instructions in manuals.

NOTE: Be mindful to replace the belts and the styli regularly, and remember to check the tracking force and anti-skate once in a while.

I have been hanging on to 300-400 LP's for 20years without having a system to play them on any more. Decided to rejoin the 2 channel stereo club and purchased a receiver, speakers and the Fluance RT85. Now I'm happier than a pig in mud. Finally being able to listen to real sound has truly raised my quality of life. Kudos Fluance!!

Great quality, sounds amazing

After several months of searching and reading my decition to purchase this model RT85 and I am very satisfied, the only problem was to register the table no serial number could be found to list in the registration form. I am in the process to replace the existing stylus with the Quintet black to obtain maximum performance with several of my collection of London Decca 4 phase Sterio, I hope I made the right good choice.

I really put in the time to research my new turn table. The value and performance for money is exceptional. The sound is incredible through an all tube Harmon Kardon TA-5000X and Vandersteen model 1 speakers. I've never been more satisfied with a turn table than the new Fluance RT85. An amazing machine that I hope to get many years of enjoyment from.

Great sounding turntable.
Super easy set up

In my opinion there isn’t a better turntable on the market at this price point. The Acrylic platter and Ortofon Blue stylus with the solid wood plinth offer clean, pure, and true sound. I will never order from another company other than Fluance.

The RT85 is without question the best turntable on the market at this price point. Paired w/ the Ai81and 10” sub provides the most amazing listening experience I have ever had. Brent (Fluance Rep) answered all my questions and walked me through some of the setup over the phone. Fluance is a great company with great staff and great product! I am a lifetime buyer from this point forward!

Very happy with the RT85 in bamboo. The blue Orofon needle has great clarity. Plexiglass platter doesn't collect dust like the regular rubber ones so less cleaning of records is required when flipping sides. The basic assembly was quick and kinda fun in a nerdy way. I really like the auto-stop feature when the needle gets to the middle and you're not in the room (or fall asleep!). It's nice to know the needle isn't wearing out, grinding against the paper endlessly making a crackling sound. I compared the Rega P1 but the extra features at a similar price point sold me on the Fluance. And it's designed in Canada. Bonus. I use it with the Fluance pre-amp, and 3ft cable, then run a long 25ft RCA cable out of that, across the room to the A/V receiver. Works great!

The Fluance Rt85 is an exceptional turntable. Very impressed with the sound quality. Looks are stunning and clearly the best turntable on the market at this price!

I love this turntable! The styling and finish are outstanding and I have received numerous compliments about it. Initially I connected the RT-85 to the internal phono pre amp of my Marantz SR6012 and it sounded fantastic playing through my Klipsch speakers. Then I connected it to a Schitt Mani 2 preamp and I believe I have achieved the next level in what is sure to be a lifelong addiction to vinyl records.

Easy to setup. Smooth to use. Terrific looks. Great sound. Even better value.

RT85 is my first turntable and Fluance did not disappoint. In fact, the bar is now set extremely high. From the packaging, to the impeccable product itself, I am beyond impressed! Also bought the pre-amp, bookshelf speakers, and stand, and I am in love with all of it! Records sound amazing!!!! Cannot recommend Fluance enough!

Purchased the RT85 w/ the pre-amp & absolutely love it. Sounds amazing. Easy installation. As others mentioned, hard to read the #'s on the weight. Outside of that, absolutely wonderful sleek-looking turntable. I have mine going to Sonos speakers. I have listened every single night & day since it arrived. Can't get enough & already had a noise complaint against me :)

High quality and finishes, superb sound

Replaced my 42 year old Technics with the RT85. I am totally delighted with improvements in sound quality. Highly recommended turntable.

Recently purchased the RT85N and am quite pleased. Solid build quality and superb sound. The Nagaoka MP-110 is a great match with its full, rich signature. Easy setup took about 15 from unboxing to dropping the stylus on a record.

I suppose I've been listening to albums on $150 turntables too long so I thought I'd spend to few $$ and buy something better. Wow!
Why didn't somebody tell me to do it sooner. What a difference in the sound / reproduction. Beyond the sound, the build quality, appearance, and packaging are a work of art.

The audio and aesthetic upgrade from a basic AT table to the RT85 was remarkable. I researched turntables for a long time and I am very pleased that I trusted Fluance with my hard-earned money, even though sight and sound unseen. I paired this unit with my Sonos AMP and multiple Sonos speakers and bridged it with a Cambridge Audio Preamp Duo and get a great sound and experience that I highly recommend to anyone one from a beginner to an audiophile.

Great Turntable and sounds amazing with the Ortofon Blue. Though I have given 5 stars, There are few things that I would like to see them corrected in the future. 1) Like many have mentioned, number markings on the counter weight is hard to see. I have seen people commenting about this in very early reviews and surprising why they have not fixed it already. 2) Tonearm lock leaves a mark on Tonearm (it happen after within first few records) and looks like it scratch the paint and reveal the aluminum. 3) Auto stop is a great feature but wish it stop bit sooner.

The sound quality is excellent! Take the time needed to property adjust the arm!

Absolutely love this turntable. Easy to setup and looks amazing in my audio cabinet. I can't believe that it came with the Ortofon Blue cartridge. Very happy with this purchase.

Perfect turntable for my needs. The turntable seems to be built quite well, even better than I expected. I also love the bamboo color.
My only disappointment is the small ac connector in the back. Its given me no issues, but I would have liked to have seen either a solid cord coming out, or a heavier duty connector. But I can't subtract a star because it works fine.

Great personal turntable

Beautiful and remarkable for the price. Unless you just like high price tags, this model is pretty end all for any vinyl enthusiast. Quality build, materials and support. Wouldn't have anything else. I've had mine about a year now, and nothing has gone wrong or come up yet, VERY HAPPY!

Great mid level turntable. Easy to setup and use. Good quality sound from a reasonably priced product.

So far so good. No issues other than the set up. Balancing the tone arm was a little challenging. However, I did not have the counterweight seated properly. Once I figured that out, everything worked as expected. Still very early on with the turntable, but like the overall quality build and stylus (Ortofon Blue). The plinth is also well designed and of good build quality. Only playing issue is static, which is correctible with cleaning. Records must be cleaned in order to be static fee. Even a small amount of dust is picked up by this stylus. Overall, good starter turntable with very good build quality for the price.

I suggest watching the video on YouTube for the tonearm balance; otherwise set up was easy and the quality is outstanding.

The best turntable and excellent sound quality! I even recorded and uploaded it to YouTube while listening to my vinyl collection while enjoying the music I played with this turntable! (My videos on YouTube with this beautiful fluance turntable
https://youtu.be/E3I0LrYh9s4 )

The turntable is made made in Taiwan which I didn't know when I bought it. I assume the cartridge made in China also. Sound distorted to the point can't listen. Loud rumble from from turntable also poor shock dampening so when someone walks on the floor the turntable jumps all over. This replaced my $200 Sony which is far superior to this as super quiet, no distortion, no rumble, good shock dampening and sound better than live. I actually believe the cartridge is probably bad or needle bad due to poor quality control. I feed this to a tube pre amp and tube amp same as Sony but now replaced the fluance with my sony until I return the fluance or send the cartridge in for repair. I did t know that blue cartridge is only the middle of the ortofone line and several are higher end. When I bought the Sony I was stunned by the sound. I shouldn't have bought the fluance.

I've been building my dream sound system since I was 14. I'm now 69. My first quality turntable was a Technics, Direct Drive, Fully Automatic. Although it was expensive, I never skimped on guitars, amps, or stereo equipment. Back then, no cartridge or stylus came with the turntable. So I bought a Stanton EEE cartridge. After 50 years of non-stop use, she stopped working.I did my research and my first choice, based on a budget, was an Audio-Technika, model 120XUSB which lists for $279 but is sold for between $349 and $399. Got it home, unpacked it, plugged it in, and nothing. No power. In addition, it was a piece of junk. I've seen some PlaySkool turntables which were better constructed.Let's cut to the chase. After additional research, I decided to spend a bit more and get the Fluence R85. I've never heard of them but my research gave them high marks. Once I had it set up, balanced, and cartridge aligned, I put on my Led Zeppelin 1 album at extreme volume to see if John Bonham could make it skip. This is a precision machine. I like how they say it's fully manual, but it is. When you bring the arm over, lower it, and it gently lowers straight downward to hit the lead groove. The cartridge is unbelievable. It delivers crisp treble and hearty bass. Another nice feature not on many turntables is the auto stop which can be disengaged. At the end of the record, the turntable spins for thirty seconds and comes to a stop, avoiding any damage to the needle.Bottom Line: If you can afford the extra $150 over the Audio-Tecknica, You Will Not Be Disappointed.

Decided to get back into vinyl. I had sold off my records and turntable years ago. Read great things about the RT85, and it has not disappointed. Got it in piano black and with the clearish acrylic platter it looks beautiful- kind of a "retro-futuristic" piece. It arrived packed beautifully. Very easy to set up and balance the tonearm. I initially tried it with the phono stage on my Yamaha Aventage AVR, but I am now trialing a couple of high-value phono pre-amps. The sound is great! Much better than I remember with my old equipment. I am starting to rebuild a record collection. Highly recommend this turntable.

Awesome turntable for $500. Way better than my previous AudioTechnica. Looks and sounds amazing with the acrylic platter. I recently added the weight. A+

I was very disappointed when I took off the cover and saw all the tiny scratches on the top.I didn't even bother setting up, I can't comment on the sound.

I still have no idea how this unit sounds because it SHIPPED WITHOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! I normally wouldn't care so much, but it's a $200+ item. How do you ship a turntable without the most important part?? I paid $500 for half a turntable!This is beyond infuriating. Was supposed to be a Christmas gift for my wife. Now it's a doorstop.

I bought this turntable to replace my vintage Technics SL-D2 which was working fine, but I was looking for something to enhance my vinyl listening experience and I was not disappointed. The Ortophon 2m Blue cartridge included with the Fluance RT85 provides so much more dynamic sound and air to LP's I've listened to for years. The turntable itself works perfectly and I really appreciate the acrylic platter which eliminated the static I would get when placing or removing albums from the older turntable. The belt drive motor is silent and smooth. Well documented set up instructions had me listening to music in 20 minutes from opening the box. Well worth the money!

Love it! Replaced a 40 year old turntable that died. Didn't realize how its performance had deteriorated. This turntable has such a remarkable sound.

Beautiful and well constructed turntable. Flawless performance from a well constructed player with an outstanding cartridge. You can spend more and get better, but your not going to find better at this price.

This is a beautiful turntable that's easy to setup and sounds great.No preamp in this model, so be aware you'll need to compensate for that. The Fluance PA10 is great for this.Notably, the cartridge and stylus come perfectly aligned, tested to be sure, so you don't have to muck around with that.

Sounds amazing

SOUND MUCH BETTER THEN "AT" UNIT I HAD TO RETURN.

The Fluance RT 85 is easy to set up when you follow the directions closely, step-by-step. I had a lot of buzz in the speakers until I connected the ground wire as directed in the instructions. The ground wire is not very long, so you may need to get a longer one. I connected it from the turntable to a screw on the back of my AV Receiver. Buzz gone. Balancing the tonearm also requires patience but is manageable. It takes about one hour total to assemble. I was seriously considering the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO (as promoted in the NYT Wirecutter) until I found out that they had recently jacked the price $100 due to "supply chain" issues. I don't appreciate the inflationary price gouging by some vendors these days. I am very pleased, so far, with the piano white Fluance.

the universal tone arm makes it a breeze to change phone cartridges-makes it a bargain at this price

Sounds great, dialed in the tuning really easy. Worth the price for the acrylic platter and better Ortofon Blue cartridge.

Amazing sound quality and construction. It's more than I expected.

Wife bought this for me for anniversary gift. And love it.I had a decent basic Sony turntable, used for 15 years.I really like the quality of the flouance. I almost got a 83 with reg platter and red cartridge. Would have worked ok, but I need a substantial upgrade. I'd definitely recommend that model to anyone getting first turntable if they have a receiver and speakers.I also got the flouance amp, since not built in. Sound is awesome, I hear all sorts extra stuff. I truly now know, when people say it's best on vinyl that I know what they mean.Only complaint is I originally ordered the 85 in the dark brown wood and it came with a very obvious chip on the front corner, and could tell box had been opened after opening the purchase of the light wood model.

So when I open the box, turned out that it didn't come with a headshell with a stylus, either counterweight.How do I start listening to my records???

Took me to get the arm correct,digit are difficult to read on the tone arm.

I originally bought a Project T1 but thank goodness something was wrong with it and I had to send jt back in. I went looking for a different option and found this Fluance. Simply put, this thing is 10x better than the Pro-ject, and matches my AudioEngine A5 setup perfectly. I absolutely love this setup and can't recommend it enough. If you are on the fence with something else, just buy this and thank me later.

Have been listening to the Rt85 for about two months and would say it has burned in. The sound is very nice, clean, warm and open. It was very sharp at first, but has smooth out over time. Looking forward to hearing what it sounds like when paired with a ifi phono preamp.

I LOVE my Fluance RT85! It sounds amazing, the walnut finish is gorgeous. Records sound warm, clear, and precise. The auto stop feature is key and has prevented me from wearing out the stylus. Balancing the tone arm was not the easiest—but Reddit was helpful for that. We use this player every day and it gives us joy every time. Don’t hesitate to buy this! Especially with the Ortofon cartridge while still available.

I love my Fluance RT85 so much, extremely well build turntable and has wonderful sound. I have it paired with Fluances preamp and a pioneer reviver, which powers my Sony passive speakers.

Fluance has put together a tight piece of kit that not only looks stunning but also sounds absolutely amazing! I am very, very happy with my purchase of the RT-85! Heck, the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge that comes with the RT85 alone sells for around $300 Cdn, so I felt I was getting a great deal. The reviews I read and watched about Fluance tables really helped influence my decision to make a purchase, as did the fact that the product is designed in Canada. Also, I had previously bought the RT82 and was so thrilled with it that I decided I needed the RT85 as well. No regrets here after making the purchase. You will also need to buy a pre-amp to get things working; I just went with the pre-amp offered by Fluance.

Beautiful and sounds great

Beautiful wood base, nice controls, sounds great, Ortofon 2m Blue offers a detailed and full window to my albums...it's also quieter than my former Nagaoka MP110. Quiet running, easy to level.

Minor nitpicks....the counterweight numbers are small and hard to read, which makes set up difficult. The tonearm is damped when lowering on to a record, but not when lifting up off the record. Would be nice to have the tonearm return to rest after the turntable stops (it just rests in the runout groove). Tonearm is aluminum but feels a bit on the light side.

I love the sound produced by this turntable. I upgraded to the Blue Ortofon 2M cartridge. I am using it with the Fosi Audio Box X4 Phono Preamp. My set up includes a Denon receiver and passive speakers. I am amazed by the warmth and beauty of the sound. I listen to all styles of music, but it is especially beautiful for classical and jazz. I am still in the break in period so I am looking forward to how it will sound in the near future. Turntable assembly was simple, but I did have to attempt the tonearm leveling several times until I got it right. For some reason, I had trouble following the instructions even though, in retrospect, they were very clear. Once I did, the sound was amazing. I followed the instructions which said to position the speakers away from the turntable and NOT on the same surface as the turntable. I can't emphasize enough how much difference this made. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

Easy set up, great sound ,Ortofon blue is very detailed

This turntable is great. Great price, amazing sound and a quality platter that not many turntables come with these days. If you want sound not altered by anything digital this is the way to go. The big catch on this one, you will need to buy a pre amp as well. This turntable doesn't come with one built in, for the sake of not altering the sound digitally. The Fluance one on Amazon works great, but it is definitely necessary.

GREAT TURNTABLE WITH MANY HIGH-END FEATURES. YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET AUDIOPHILE QUALITY. SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR AUDIOPHILE RECORDINGS INSTEAD....BUT THAT'S JUST ME!

The sound re-production quality from the turntable is incredible. The Ai61 powered speakers sound amazing and the Bluetooth capability is an added bonus. This system has awakened my love for vinyl and has made my music enjoyment even better. I'm ecstatic over this purchase.

Great turntable with a wonderful sound. We are happy we found it.

After lots of researching, I decided to go with the RT85. It's a great turntable.

It came packaged well and set up was easy with the included user manual. I ordered the bamboo plith which looks great! This turntable is heavy and the acrylic platter really sets it off. The operations is very smooth and it tracks well. The Ortofon blue cartridge is very detailed, especially in the upper midrange areas. I thoroughly enjoy this turntable! I did plenty of online research and for the money, there's nothing that can come close to this!

Box arrived with a sizable dent. Packaging on the inside was robust enough everything checked out fine. Assembly was easy. Unit is nice looking. Mechanical functionality is dreamy, feels like quality. This tt sounds just amazing. Totally and completely happy with my purchase.

Fluance proved to me that you don't have to spend a fortune for a great sounding turntable. Sounds excellent paired with my McIntosh system running thru Klipshhorn speakers

Stunning sound out of an incredible work of art.

Technics SL-3300 Fully Automatic Direct Drive Turntable I bought in 1979 finally gave up. I gave it to my son who wanted to fix it.This presented me a great opportunity to replace the vintage turntable with a better turntable with modern technology I thought.It is very difficult to find comparable turntable. Then I figured turntable just need to spin with good needle to track the vinyl that I went to basic and picked belt-driven Crosley C100BT-BK with preamp.I plugged in to my system and sounded very good with low volume until I slowly turned up the volume to hear distortion. I thought my amplifier was conflicting with pre-amp and checked the switch setting, which was not the issue. I can only go up to quarter volume or it will start distorting. I like crisp sound with volume up, and this turntable won't live up to it. I packed it up for return.I wanted to spend a little more and went on top of the line Fluance RT85 fully manual belt-driven with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge is priced $200 by itself.I pick this one because it does not have preamp as I did not want that to be an issue causing sound distortion.This is a solid unit and I tested with different music for sound quality and it was great.Third day, I put on Golden Earring's Moontan side B looking forward to immensely rich sound but when the tonearm came down I got awful scratchy noise, lifted the tonearm to find there was no needle. The needle was broken off. I returned the unit immediately.

Tough to decide whether to upgrade an automatic with better stylus or work an already great sounding table requiring more guess work. I noticed the other lower quality players couldn't play some older records as evenly as this player does. Sound quality is noticable better but playing every record well is important. The RT85 seems to get the job done better than many others out there. I would upgrade in a heartbeat for an auto player of this quality. This turnable plays the new and old albums properly and that's why it wins.

I’m new to turntables. The RT-80 through RT-84 models include a mat for the platter, but the RT-85 doesn’t. I mistakenly thought that meant it didn’t need one. Records were quite treble tilted and staticky. Once I bought a cork mat for the platter, it sounded excellent!

Sounds wonderful. I'm hearing so much more, the soundstage is vast and immersive! Connected to the Fluance preamp with a 20ft rca run to my amp, and although that's probably not the most ideal setup, it's still light years ahead of my previous setup with a technics LP120. What an absolute pleasure. Love the auto return feature too. To my ears it sounds better than my friend's Pro-Ject EVO when connected to the same system too. Go for it!

Had the turntable for about 18 months and have absolutely loved it. I do want to say it is not perfect though and there are some things I wish I had known before I bought it. Here are some of those:-A few parts are made of plastic and are rather flimsy and cheap looking.-The tonearm lock has chipped some of the paint on the tonearm over time because it is cheap plastic-The dust cover is a dust, fingerprint, and scratch magnet-I had an issue for a month or so where some of the lighter records would not play correctly because the cue arm would not fully lower the records. I learned this is because I would not keep it lowered in between playing records and eventually it stopped lowering fully. This is my fault but I wish they would have explained this better in the instructions to prevent these kinds of problems.Overall though it is a great turntable and as a bonus they do have a great technical support team that helped me work through some of these problems and of course has a killer price.

Fantastic turntable! sounds excellent, looks sleek and is well worth every penny.

Love this product...

Love the sound of vinyl.

The sound is absolutely incredible, but make sure you buy the fluance phono preamp with the record player. The clarity and sound of this is unreal

Find excellent sound quality, the cartridge & platter are on another level at this price range seen some reviews calling the turntable delicate not so as every turntable I've owned has been delicate.

I got my first turntable in 2000 when I was 15 years old. It was an old Marantz 6110 Semi Automatic with an AT cartridge. I loved that machine and it sounded great paired with my Marantz 2220B receiver. I used that until 2012 when it gave up the ghost. My next turntable was a Technics SL-DD22 Semi Automatic which I've used paired with a Shure cartridge until now. I always missed the feel of my heavier Marantz with its solid feeling S shaped tonearm and removable headshell.This Fluance RT85 is a slick looking player with a classic feel, much closer to my Marantz than the Technics ever was. The plinth is heavy and stable on its three adjustable feet. The frosted acrylic platter is rock solid. The S curved tone arm is sturdy and doesn't feel cheap at all. The detachable headshell is equally well made. The cuing lever mechanism is incredibly smooth. The antiskating adjustment and and vertical tracking adjustments work very well. The dust cover and its hinges also feel solid. The cover raises and stays up while playing. Everything about this table has a quality feel to it. The turntable's component parts do their job without getting in the way of playing music.The Ortofone 2M Blue cartridge and stylus paired with the RT85 sound simply amazing and overall compared to my previous tables this is simply my best experience listening to vinyl thus far. I hear tambourines, bells, backup vocals, etc in my albums that I've never heard before. The bass from my Klipsch R-41M speakers (which aren't the strongest in that department and will ultimately benefit from a powered subwoofer) is also quite improved with this table/cartridge/stylus combo.I'm impressed with what $500 has bought me. The value here is also impressive. The Ortophone 2M Blue costs half the price of this turntable on its own. So you're basically getting a heavy, well built turntable with acrylic platter, selectable speed control, removable headshell, adjustable feet, and auto shutoff for $250 with the purchase of a $250 Ortofone 2M Blue. If you're considering purchasing a Uturn or some other similarly priced TT with an acrylic platter you'll be paying more than $300 and you won't be getting an Ortofone 2M Blue included.If you're looking at Uturns, the Rega P1, or even the other Fluance models do yourself a favor and consider the RT85. I so not think you will regret your purchase.

My second turntable since the Pioneer I bought in 1975 (which I added a $175 Stanton cartridge to). This one I think is better. It lives up to the reviews given on Amazon. Just wish it had auto-return like my old Pioneer.

Disappointed that I didn't buy this earlier

Just getting back into the culture. Didn't want to go cheap. Read up on this and liked what I had read. Very happy with purchase. Recommend.

Purchased the RT85 to replace my (still working) Yamaha PF-30 with an Ortofon OM 10 stylus that I purchased in 1986.
So far, I am very pleased with the RT85 and its performance!
Setting it up was relatively easy (thanks YouTubers).
It helps if you have a Digital Turntable Stylus Force Scale Gauge (about $20) to be certain you are setting the correct manufacturer stylus force adjustment .
Once set up and plugged into my Denon receiver's Phono inputs, I tested different types of LP's: Amadeus soundtrack, Santana, Santana Abraxas, The Zombies Odessey and Oracle (mono and stereo) and Analogue Productions version of The Beach Boys Pet Sounds in mono. I'm waiting for a few more hours of break-in use before I play The Beatles in MONO LP's.
I also purchased the Fluance Vinyl Record Accessory Kit. I never knew that the HiFi Vinyl Record Weight Stabilizer would make a difference - it does for me (although without it, it still sounded good)!
The only issue so far is the placing the 'stylus guard' back unto the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. Removing it is easy. Returning it back to its place took a little work, especially while making certain I don't bend/break the stylus nor the cantilever.
Thank you for your patience in reading my lengthy assessment.
Good music listening to all of you!

Outstanding entry-level turntable. High quality across-the-board in terms of workmanship material Quality value ratio in my opinion is outstanding. So far I have no concerns and love the way it sounds. Is sleek and fits in nicely with the set up. Let me hear more!

I recently purchased this turntable direct from Fluance and was very unhappy. The turntable I received was defective out of the box and their customer service is atrocious. First, it isn't a very high quality turntable. Most of the $500 goes towards the cartridge. The turntable itself is below average in quality. I had tonearm issues from the start. Fluance takes days to respond to an issue. Then they accuse you of causing the issue since they have apparently never shipped a defective turntable. After days you may talk them into taking the turntable back and then you get the threats that if everything isn't packed up perfectly they won't refund any of your money. It is the worst customer service I have dealt with. It took over a week to even get a return label and two weeks later I still have no refund as they must review the return in detail to decide if they should refund anything. I know people want these because of the high quality cartridge. They send them free to influencers everywhere to make sure you have plenty of people telling you it is a steal for $500. If you get one that works maybe that is true. However, if you ever need their customer service good luck. I doubt you could ever get them to honor the two year warranty. At least if you buy it from Amazon returning it when you realize it isn't worth anywhere near $500 will be easy. I bought an Audio Technica for half the price and it works perfectly. Stick with known brands and away from these sketchy internet only companies. Their parent company is Circus World Displays and you will believe it when you deal with these clowns.

Far better than the Pro-Ject T1 Phono that had a tone arm lifter that would only lift the needle a millimeter above the record and had laminate that was misaligned and peeling upon delivery.

Very good sound and quality. It has an auto-stop function. This auto -stop function makes me easy and comfortable during taking a nap. I have owned 4 Fluance audio turntables in recent years.RT85 is the best. Highly recommend.

At first I was very disappointed with the sound of the RT85 compared to my old Dual 506/Shure V15 Type 4 because the sound was very bright and thin in the mid-range. I finally found an article on brightness with the Ortofon Blue describing the problem and suggesting using a different cable to connect the turntable to the preamp: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ALHVUSC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsThe article explained that capacitance mismatch with the preamp can affect the frequency response. Much to my surprise this solved the problem and the RT85 is now much closer to the excellent quality of my 40 year old system (which I only replaced due to a variety of reliability problems, not sound quality).

UPDATED
I am updating my original review. I have since listened to a lot more material and even got a second preamp with capacitance control to try to try to further improve the sound. The Fluance with the Ortofon blue is still bright sounding compared to both my Shure V15 Type IV and compared to CDs of the same albums. The bright sound does give you more presence, but it can be harsh on cymbals etc. The turn table itself is quite good - the issue for me is the Ortofon Blue. I am using Martin Logan ESL speakers in a small carpeted room. I have both a solid state amp (Sound Artist SA-200IA) and a tube amp (Willsenton R8) I switch between as well as several preamps, and I find the same results pretty consistently. I can adjust out the brightness with tone control on the SA-200IA (the R8 does not have tone control), but this is never necessary except when I use the FT85. Clearly many other people are OK with the tone but these are my observations for you to consider.

Absolutely outstanding turntable, great sound great customer service what more can you ask for.

I bought this turntable as an investment for the rest of my life. I'd say it more than fulfills that role very well. The quality of all the parts is amazing. This is my new child and I am so happy to have adopted it. Also, you never have to worry with Fluance customer service. They have helped me TREMENDOUSLY whenever something has gone wrong. Timely replies and excellent service. That alone is worth so much. Fluance all the way!

It's an awesome turn table. I highly recommend it and the price was reasonable. It's very cool, the gift that keeps on giving.

Sounds great, looks great and Iam very happy with purchase. Only one slight thing I would have liked is auto arm return.

Excellent

I think this is the perfect turntable if you are new or looking to get back into vinyl, as long as you know you are going to stick with this hobby. It's a lot for my first real turntable but after trying out a suitcase record player (absolute trash and ruins your records over time) I knew that the upfront cost would get me something I could truly love and enjoy. This turn table as been all that and more! I listen to it for hours every day. I installed an LED strip under the back to light up the platter.

I am extremely happy with my RT85. Fluance has hit a home run! This will be my last turntable. This turntable is truly the best value and is audiophile quality. Well done Fluance!

I received a quality product that performed to my expectations.

Build quality is excellent! This hefty bad boy, for $499, comes with adjustable isolation feet, an "outboard" motor, an acrylic platter and, drumroll please....an Ortofon 2m blue cartridge, which alone will run you around $240!This all adds up to a GREAT sounding turntable!My vinyl now has clarity and depth that I hadn't heard before.The Ortofon blue cart brings out detail. The bass is fast and punchy.Smooth mids and crisp but not harsh highs.JUST BUY IT!

I don't often write reviews, but this turntable deserves one. Once I got the tracking and anti-skate adjusted, it sounds amazing. I prefer the sound of vinyl over CD's. It is as if the artists are actually performing in the room! I'm using a Pro-ject Phono Box MM preamplifier and love it's full range. I couldn't be happier!

Good afordable high end turntable

What a great experience.From the unboxing, to the simple setup, to the outrght brilliant performance of this beautiful turntable.I chose the RT85 over the RT85N only because I had a new Nagaoka MP-110 on my other turntable, so I went with the 2M-Blue. Wow! Just like the Nagaoka, the Blue is an outstanding cartridge.Hats off to the Fluance company on a great turntable. ( The acrylic platter was a must have for me.,)

This is wow product. I mean its excellent. The way it perform and deliver the details(high & low frequencies). Blown you away.Must buy. Highly recommend.Only problem i faced that it doesn't show the custom duty amount that you to pay in your country when it reached.They didn't mention anywhere (neither seller or amazon) while buying. So ensure that.Otherwise it is awesome.

I love the RT 85N - mine worked perfectly right out out of the box. The stylus setup was easy, the feet isolate the TT from hum, and the Ortofon Blue is a great match.

Is this a $1500 turntable? Nope. But it sounds great - better than the competition at this price. The tonearm isn’t tweakable but it is perfect for the cartridge.

Product shipped and arrived earlier than the scheduled date in good condition. It came with detailed instructions and was easy to assemble. Sound quality is excellent. It made my old albums sound new. Great product and good value. Very happy with purchase.

Blue ortofon is a little light in the low frequencies. Bought for my daughter who wanted to upgrade to something substantial.Audio Engine a5 speakers, and cambridge audio preamp. She loved it. Great entry level setup.

Superb craftsmanship superior sound. I wanted a simple but well designed table and this is it. Solid and quiet. I run it through a tube pre-amp into a Sony with bookshelf CerwinVega speakers. This table Replaced a AT-120 which is fine but I wanted all the design in the components and not all the extra fluff I did not need as in cd recording etc. plus the RCA cords are not hard wired. The auto stop feature is a nice feature. This is the last TT I will purchase as it fills all my needs. So you understand, this is a high quality well designed MANUAL turn table no bells no whistles just superior components that produce outstanding sound. If cartridge align is a problem for you no worries as it's already mounted and aligned. The instructions are well written and easy to understand for the novice if you are experienced, well you know. Throw Aja on. No static at all. Yeah the wife will tell you to TURN IT DOWN.

This has been a fantastic table so far... the auto stop feature is not good to have on while you play 45s because it will often speed/pitch shift near the end of the disc. Aside from that it's a beautiful looking table and works really well. The acrylic platter and the ortofon blue cart sound amazing!

I got this turntable to replace an old one due to I couldn't play 45's. I played an old album from my parents. The Beatles Songbook by The Holly ridge Strings. I couldn't believe the sound quality, it sounded like a brand new record! I could hear the highs and lows with little or no distortion. Blown away by the sound! Can't wait to record my music to Reel to Reel tape in the future!

I started with an $80 Crosley record player probably 6+ years ago, and subsequently hated everything about it. Then, a $140 Audio Technica unit, and noticed some improvements, but still found the experience to be Skippy, muffled, and generally unpleasant. It was at this point that I sold all of my vinyl and gave up.But, recently I decided to give it a shot, but rather than having 100 records with a bad player, I purchased the best player I could afford, and slowly collect the vinyl, focusing on quality over quantity. Best decision I've made this year.Although I'm actually more of a cassette person, this RT85 is such a joy to use, I actually find myself listening to more vinyl than I normally would.Assembly was dead simple, the only annoyance was needing to purchase a $15 stylus scale for adjusting the counter weight, but if you don't want to damage your records, this is necessary for almost any player.I plugged it into a cheap goodwill amp that has a phono line, into some speakers, done.It sounds great! I'm no audiophile, but I've experienced zero skipping, scratching, squeaking, etc. Just the occasional pops from a dirty record, no big deal.Not only is it beautiful in it's functionality, but it's looks are also top notch.10/10.

Awesome setup for $1,100 that sounds nearly as good as my buddy's $100k Garrard 301 & YG Acoustics Anat II system. And I'm not kidding. The Mid's are warm and embracing, the High's are crisp and the Low's are punchy, yet clear.So far I've sampled: Miles Davis-Kind of Blue, Steely Dan-Katy Lied, CAN- Future Days, Rubinstein/ Chopin complete studio recordings box-set, Talking heads- Once In a Lifetime. These were all NM-VG+ original pressings from their respective release years/ very collectible.

Super easy setup, with detailed instructions. Comes very well packaged, and looks gorgeous! The sound is absolutely amazing. I am hearing things in Pet Sounds that I've never heard before! In the room, master tape quality sound. Amazing turntable, and a steal at this price!

Sounds phenomenal. Auto-stop is an important feature that sets it apart from lost other turntables on the market right now

Connected it to my DH100 preamp and worked nicely.

Awesome turntable and Ortofon Blue M2, huge sound stage from the Blue compared to the Red. I purchased the Red to play my old records...going back and forth from Blue to Red is a breeze. Thanks for a great product.

I like the experience of being there and hearing the music, there isn't a bad seat in the house.

Great value. With Blue Ortofon as shipped it edges out some far more expensive tables I've had. I'm impressed.

The build quality is superb, it looks elegant, it shipped quickly, I couldn't be happier.

Amazing sound and look. Top reviews all over YouTube. Get it. You won't be disappointed. Lights behind it make it look amazing.

To say that I love it is an understatement. Greats looks, great sound. I didn’t experience any of the issues other buyers have reported (cover hinges, speed selection button, etc). So far, it’s does the job perfectly.

Love my new turntable. Looks gorgeous & sounds great! The Ortofon Blue has enhanced everything I play. It's been a thrill re-listening to my records and hearing new details.

It a great product and shipped to Thailand in perfect condition.

The RT85 has a lovely fluidity of function. The output is aurally quite pleasant.

I was planning on spending twice as much until I heard Andrew Robinson's review on YouTube. The cartridge cost $275 by itself and then add the acrylic platter along with quality build and nothing else compares. This is a great buy that you won't regret!

I have been using this turntable for about 5 months now. I listen mainly at night, when the family is asleep, about 3-4 nights a week.

I accumulated, in the past months, about 135 records, mostly used, some mint, some poor, and most above average. Many classical music, operas, symphonies, concertos, some pop, rock, jazz, etc.
Before listening, I clean the records, because they usually come with little to a lot of dirt.

Objective observations: on the mechanical side of the turntable:
I had only one record to get stuck at a location where the record groove is visually damaged, likely a cigarette burn. Otherwise, I never had any record skip or get stuck. So, I can say with great confidence that the mechanics of the turntable are excellent.

Regarding pops, I read two contradicting arguments about the needle: if it is tick, then will not get into scratches, and be more forgiving to imperfections or scratches. The other argument is that, if the needle is thin, will go deeper into the groove, and will not be impacted by surface scratches. Yes, I get pops, especially in classical music, depending on the record. 50-60's records tend to have more imperfections (perhaps dust baked into the groove, or the technology is poor), 70-80's records tend to be of higher acoustic quality. I don't think the cartridge is good or bad in this regard. Cleaning almost always improves, unless there are visible scratches.

Subjective observations:
Since I listen late at night, at very low volumes, I need the loudness curve. So I use an analogue equalizer, which gives about 22 db boost to the bass and some boost to the highs. I say this to explain why I will not comment on the tone of the turntable. This is easily controlled with the turn of a knob on the equalizer. If too bright, or bass is lacking, which varies greatly from record to record, this is solved with the equalizer.

Beyond the tone, the turntable produces very clear sound, and if the record is stereo, it has very nice separation, producing amazing spatial qualities.

As for the scratches on the body and the dust cover: I have young kids at home, so I constructed a heavy duty wood cover on top of the turntable. It is protected when not in use. I have not had issues with scratches, but I tend to agree that the dust cover gets tiny scratches very easily.

Overall, I am very happy with this turntable and the choice of cartridge (Ortofon 2M Blue).

This turntable far exceeded my expectations. I'm listening to my 40-50 year old records and it feels as if I'm listening to them for the first time all over again due to the amazing sound quality.

I was considering replacing my av receiver due to poor sound quality with my old technics turntable. I read the reviews for the RT85 and decided this would be my first upgrade. Turns out that this will be the only upgrade required. Beautiful sound tone and quality of workmanship.

I got it with the preamp. Happy with it. If you're on the fence, this thing sounds very nice. A very good upgrade from my AT120!

My pioneer turntable from 1978 finally died and I had to get a new turntable. I did my research and finally settled on the RT85 and am happy I did. This sounds amazing. I was a little confused by balancing tonearm instructions in the manual but fluance had an excellent video online that showed exactly how to do it. I ordered a tonearm scale just to make sure the tracking weight was set correctly and the scale measured 1.89g. This turntable is great and I would not hesitate purchasing any fluance turntable.

Nice turntable, great looks and functions well. No issues with it, but I returned it and purchased a Rega P3. Absolutely wonderful turntable!

Love the turntable. Gorgeous look and sounds amazing.

This turntable has met and exceeded my expectations. I am not a complete audiofile like some people I know. Setting it was a bit tricky. I did order the tonearm gram meter to get it dialed in. So that was something I should have done at the time I ordered this. The packaging was great. Delivered day early. My friends who do know equipment said it was a great turntable for the money. And I probably will upgrade the cartridge eventually. I did purchase the record cleaner and that has made a world of difference on the sound. Highly recommend.

I have RT85 turntable for a year now and can't say any bad word about it just that it looks nice and blends in to rooms design perfectly. But enough about looks as what's is inside and how it perform is much more important.
So to start with is that I faced little issue at the very beginning it had a hump sound while not playing but fortunately, Fluance team, Brent's help solved the issue super fast by replacing a headshell and put me back in to quality sound. And to be honest not much to be said as everyone has their own preferences in terms of sound quality and looks but what I can say is that I do enjoy the music that comes out of RT85 and definitely recommend it to those who is looking for good quality Hi Fi turn table. Enjoy!

Absolute best turntable for the money out there. The RT85 in white is what I purchased.

Nothing at this price is even close. Needs a little bit of time to break in. But after a few hours of use it cleans up quite nicely.

Came well packaged and was easy to set up with the instructions. The Ortofon 2M Blue stylus sounds fantastic.

This is my first turntable so technically I am a beginner. Set up was easy with the included instructions and the sound out of this thing is crazy good. Super detailed with the mods sounding just a touch recessed. Perfect for me - human hearing already is overly sensitive to those frequencies anyway.Matched it with the ifi phone preamp and it is officially the best input into my Denon. Something about the way LP's reproduce treble (especially cymbals) is just unmatched.Love the Ortofon blue cartridge and it is easy to change out if I want..switching speeds is a breeze too with the switch on top. At this price the turntable IS NOT fully automatic though.Splurged for the bamboo and it looks clean and modern. LOVE IT!

I did lots of research before making my purchase. My max price point was $600, with all the features the RT85 had I decided to purchase it. I am not disappointed in my choice. Set was simple and quick, and it sounds amazing. It also looks pretty darn good lookin to. I would have no problem recommending this to anyone looking for a great turntable at an affordable price.

I bought this as a beginner and love it. Easy to use and would have been easier to set up if the directions were followed

which was supposed to be included. Otherwise I would give this five stars.

I am very impressed with the overall quality of this turntable. It sounds amazing and the setup was a breeze.

This is an amazing turntable. The only thing I don't like about it is the tonearm lift lever will not lock in the up position. As soon as you let go of it, the tonearm starts slowly descending onto the surface. Giving you about two seconds to get the arm moved and the lid closed.

First turntable since I was a kid. Love it. Refreshing to see a product that is designed with intelligence, made with pride, and priced with integrity.

Unbelievable quality for the price. If you're on the fence just do it

Solid construction through and through. Instructions easy to follow. Sounds great and looks great. I would consider this a semi automatic table due to it shutting off when reaching end of the record. My one suggestion for improvement would be to have the tone arm lift to be a little further from the tone arm and dimly lite to easily spot it. Also great quality cartridge.

What a nice turntable! Quick delivery and well packaged. Dead silent and good sound right out of the box. Thank-you for a great product.

My system: PS Audio Sprout 100, Elac DB 6.2, Elac Sub 3010 (I think), Audiolab 6000 CD transport, and the Fluance RT85 Reference turntable. Couldn’t be happier with a system that totaled roughly $2500 US. The RT85 was the last addition and well worth the investment; very high quality and performance for modest cost (especially as turntables go!) highly recommended!

This turntable is not only beautiful to look at, it's easy to use and sounds excellent.

sounds great, I love the cartridge. The auto shutoff is nice. I had a speed strobe disk on it that you can download from Fluance, print and cutout and place on platter and the speeds are perfect.

Excellent turntable and worth every penny!

I got my RT85 and is all and more than I expected. The Otto con blue cartridge sounds great

Great experience start to finish.

Fluance seems to have nailed everything but the finish which wasn't completely free of defects but still looks great from a distance.

beautiful sound and appearance.

I purchased the RT85N turntable, best sounding ever!! I Love it so much! It's what vinyl record should be sound like!! Thanks -fluance!! Hope you will soon have replacement stylus NagaokaMP-110, so I could buy from you for backup!!

Beautiful sonically & visually! A work of art! Not for beginners, painfully fun to put together! Hahaha...The grounding wire it came with would not ground to our analog Onkyo receiver so we used one from our old Technics turntable & thankfully it worked!So far, worth every penny!

I gave 4 stars because this review won't let me give 4.5. The turntable is almost perfect but not quite. I'm doing this review because I hope the Fluance people are reading and want to improve their product. The Fluance line of turntables is excellent and just a few details could put them head and shoulders above the rest. I also think that many reviews focus on the sound of a turntable but the real job of a turntable is to provide a blank slate for the phono cartridge to do it's job and a review of the sound is really a review of the cartridge. Years ago when you bought a new turntable the cartridge was purchased separately. I have bought and replaced many cartridges in my time and they are all very different in sound and configuration. I will try to focus on the turntable itself.
I bought a new Fluance RT85 turntable to replace my trusty Dual 1229Q bought new in 1975. Don't get me wrong I've owned many turntables over the years but the Dual was that tank that was all metal and made in Germany. There just isn't anything like it but even though I thought it would be my lifetime turntable it broke and I was told it was irrepairable because no parts are available. I was drawn to the fluance because of it's feature of stopping at the end of the record. I searched high and low for a decent automatic turntable but it seems that if you want a fully automatic turntable you must compromise on quality. I purchased the fluance RT85 thinking I would just have to live with the compromise of a basically manual turntable. After using it for about a month I don't really feel like it's a compromise at all. If fact I've come to like this turntable very much and don't miss my old turntable as much as I thought I would.
I will start with the pros.
1. This turntable is very nice to look at. Whatever finish you choose (I chose bamboo) it looks well made, almost like a piece of furniture. And that polycarbonate platter really makes it look high tech. Your friends will notice and your wife won't complain about it's presense in the living room.
2. The servo motor. Constant accurate speed. Enough said.
3. The aforementioned mechanism to stop the turntable at the end of the record. It isn't perfect in it's operation but it's nice to have something to stop things when you can't get back to it in a timely manner. While I wouldn't consider this a semi-automatic turntable because the tonearm isn't lifted and I would prefer that things were fully automatic this is much better than fully manual.
4. The mass. Finally a substantial turntable. That heft adds to the quality feel and doesn't hurt the sound isolation either. The platter on my Dual was a 9 pound machined piece of aluminum.
5.The silence. One of the first things I noticed was how quiet things were when I played a record. Between tracks is just slience (except for the occasional snap crackle pop, but that is the record's fault). I've been listening to records for many years and this really stood out to me. Who knew that a 50 year old record could sound so quiet.
6. The tonearm pivot. The specifications say that the tonearm pivot has actual ball bearings for low friction. One thing I've noticed about turntables with lesser tonearm mechanisms is that the don't track well and this causes distortion, especially close to the center of the record. No audible distortion here.
7. No phono stage. I know many think this is a con but the simple fact is that most phono stages these days aren't very good and buying you own or using the one in your amplifier is far superior to any that might come with a turntable. I think a lot of people don't realize just how important the phono stage is. It's usually called a preamp but it does much more. The recording on the record is compressed and must be restored using the RIAA equalization curve. Most modern phono stages fail to do this well so choose wisely. I use a Shitt Mani. That clear signal path fluance lists as a feature is indeed so.
8. The pointy rubber feet. How nice to have such substantial feet that are adjustable. The turntable stays planted and level. I threw away all the little pieces of cardboard I used to level my old turntable.
9. The packaging. OK I realize that the box it came in might seem like the least important thing here but I do appreciate that someone spent a good deal of time thinking about how to package things. All came undamaged, was easy to remove from the box, and the turntable assembled quickly and easily. My cat also appreciated the box once I was done.

Now for the cons (warning: nitpicking to follow).
1. What is up with that cueing mechanism? First of all the cueing lever is the same color of black as the rest of the tonearm base and becomes virtually invisible and difficult to find when you need it, especially when the lights are low. Second, lifting the cue lever barely lifts the tonearm off of it's perch and the tonearm doesn't rise until moved toward the platter. At this point the arm is so high that it's difficult to determine weather it's over the lead in groove or not. This often results in missing the record lead in groove. If the tonearm would rise to it's height when the lever is lifted it would be easy to judge how height to lift the tonearm before moving it over to the platter. Or the cueing height could be adjustable like many I've used in the past.
2. Plastic back panel. The panel in the back that holds all the connections seems thin and flexes quite a bit. When attaching the cables and the power connection I was concerned that I would break it. Also the power plug lacked that positive click to let you know that it is in place. Perhaps thicker plastic and slightly more premium connectors would bring this up to the standard of the rest of the plinth.
3. The tonearm. The tonearm works well and seems to be of good quality but definitely doesn't look as premium as the plinth. Being S shaped, with a headshell much like many lesser turntables, and painted black it looks like a generic Japanese tonearm. It's obvious that this setup is not low mass (however I played a very warped record with no issue proving that it's not high mass) and is perhaps a cost saving measure. Even a headshell of a different color or maybe carbon fiber would potentially help this look and function.
4. The tiny coarsely marked anti-skate wheel. Now I realize that fluance isn't the only manufacturer to have this but it doesn't make sense to me. When I set the anti-skate I would like to know that I am setting it to correctly match the tracking force and when the anti-skate wheel is so small I can hardly read it and the markings are .2 grams apart with no numbers this can be frustrating. I know I keep going back to my old turntables but they generally had larger wheels with precision markings and sometimes with scales for both elliptical and cd4 styli.
5. The cartridge. Everybody seems to think that the Ortofon 2m blue is a great cartridge and the price (if purchased outright) certainly would seem to reflect it's desirability and while I do think it sounds good it doesn't blow me away and a tracking force of 1.8 grams seems excessive. I'm used to my old shure cartridges that tracked at 1.25 grams. Too bad they went out of business. It would be nice if Fluance offered the option of purchasing the turntable without a cartridge at a reduced price so the end user could use one they already posses or purchase one of their choice.

Other thoughts
1. The motor cover plate. The plate that covers the motor seems to be an after thought. I've seen several unboxings on utube where the person assembling the turntable didn't put the plate on before installing the belt on the motor and then wondering why there were two 45 adapters. It should be fastened with screws or snapped on, perhaps at the factory. I have a picture in my mind of the engineer at the factory seeing the first turntables rolling off the line and thinking the motor needed a plate and when it was too late to install it decided to put it in the box for the end user to install.
2. It sure would be nice to see a fully automatic or semi-automatic turntable. Perhaps it's already in the works.

Finally if your on the fence about purchasing go ahead and buy. You won't be disappointed.

Easy setup. Great sound from an amazing needle.

A huge upgrade from my previous turntable. Great value and sound from this combination of components. After about 20 hours of play I feel the sound has improved even more. Highly recommended.

Plus, it is simple to setup. And the shipping packaging is well done. The Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge is a substantial step up from the lower Fluance models. Style is certainly appreciated but it is the results when listening that count most. I am pleased listening to a variety of jazz lps. It is replacing an Audio Technical LP-120USB. The cartridge is likely the primary area of improvement.

Set up was a breeze, high quality product. I haven't found any downside.

Exceptional product

Excellent sound only issue I had was with speed control found knob took a couple of tried to change from one speed to another.

This turntable blew me away in every area. Setup was simple but so much more fun balancing tonearm weight and tracking settings vs. a plug and play turntable. The Ortofon 2M Blue has a wonderful sound paired with whatever your favorite phono preamp might be (I've got mine paired with a Schiit Audio Mani 2 and it's amazing). The aesthetic is wonderfully simple but not too ultra-modern. Couldn't be happier, especially at the sub-$500 price point.

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!!!!

After reading all the reviews I decided to pick this as my beginner turntable. Looks amazing, sounds amazing.Set up was quite simple following the instructions that came with it.I would highly recommend this turntable

It is hard not to put fingers on the belt when changing records.

My lucky bamboo RT 85 is absolutely awesome! Came packed perfectly with great set up info. I smile every time I start it up so happy and it's Canadian !

Sounds great, even with some of my old vinyl. Makes the music better. Great value for the money, looked at many different brands in this price range. No regrets here.

Nice turntable, opened box and packed nicely . Noticed a big scratch on front and a what looks like a piece chipped out on the other corner. Looks like they just painted over it.I just Try not to look at the bad spots. They should have caught the flaws in the factory Very disappointed. Set everything up according to directions bought dynameter to set force , checked angle with protractor. Everything sounds like static and pops on the through the album . Tried brand new Lps. same thing. Cleaned stylus and records before play. Bought zerostat, no better. Should have sent it back. Only been set up for 2 weeks

Here are the things I learned with this purchase, acrylic is just a fancy word for plastic, “solid wood” is just a fancy word for MDF, variable speed control I thought I could live without and rely on your components to achieve a consistent and arcuate speed, however I realize this is important to me because over time this would not be correctable. I could have saved $200 with the RT82 and with my system achieved what would probably sound very similar I have a non-digital Yamaha 5.1 channel receiver with its own phono stage, Mission 701LE speakers and a klipsch subwoofer. In researching I found that the $400 to $800 turntables I was looking at were made in North America, UK or central Europe, I mistakenly thought that Fluance turntables were made in Canada form an on-line reviewer, does the “T” in the model number mean Taiwan? The arm lift leaver is flimsily and I could see this fail over time, milling a larger “label well” in the platter I think would be a good feature.
Anyway… enough with the bad here is the good.
The unit sounds great, easy un-packing, assembly and adjusting, despite the arm lift leaver the build is solid, the plinth and feet do an amazing job (thanks for the bubble level), I can tap the table it sits on and here nothing, the subwoofer is only a meter and a half away with no feedback. According to the paper cutout protractor the cartridge was aligned properly. The auto stop feature works fine although could you recommend an auto tone arm lift kit, the fact of the cartridge sitting at the end of the an album triggers a silly anxiety, and the dust cover is well a dust cover… it does the job.
Question, The 2mblue has an output voltage at 5.5 mV, the Yamaha has an input sensitivity of 1.5 mV. I find that a loud recorded boom on a couple of tracks seem over modulated (right word?) Is this a mismatch? Also the retail cartridge ships with a stylus brush, it would be cool if it was included in the kit instead of just thrown away.
Could you send me a paper Turntable Stroboscope to ease my speed control anxiety?
Overall the words describing my experience is “not un-satisfied” this was to be my forever turntable however after the warranty period is over I probably will sell it.
Eric.
please feel free to edit for review summation.

I came home one day to see my Project RPM 1 Carbon laying face down on the ground. The cat was kind enough to get on my turntable stand and push it off the edge, at least that's the theory.I spent more time and effort plus more money than I should to try and salvage the damage. Eventually, common sense prevailed and it was time to find a successor to a table I'vebeen very happy with. I really wanted to spend more money, but decided to try the Fluance RT85 as the reviews are very favorable.I bought my Fluance in white and was really hoping to get one with the Nagaoka cartridge, as it's great value in the budget needles, but it's been out of stock, so I settled for the Ortofon Blue.Let's start with the initial setup. That was a breeze. Fluance gave clear and concise instructions, and everything was packaged well. A novice should be up and running in twenty minutes.Once set up, I placed my first vinyl on the turntable. I was met with shrill highs and a wide and open soundstage with the Ortofon Blue. Holy cow, that cartridge just promotes ear fatigue. If I were to map it, I'd say it's reproduction is a 9/10 on bass a 9/10 within the mids and a 12/10 on highs. Talk about biased on cymbals, and high range singers. This cartridge is tough to enjoy. And I tired to enjoy it. But, not only is it shrill, it intentionally seeks out every static pop and imperfection in my vinyl collection.After a few days, I was trolling the Fluance site and impulsively purchase a second headshell. I thought, "what if I yanked the my old Denon DL-110 from my Project turntable and stuck the cartridge on the Fluance?" A few days later, the package arrived, and now I'm writing a review!!!One dislike is that the motor is slow to start and squeaks while it's starting up. Once you get past that, it is fine, and I've had no issues with speed control.And dropping the Denon cartridge on this turntable really made it exciting to listen to. My old Project had a light tonearm and the Fluance has a nice medium mass tonearm. Compliance wise, we have a better match between the Denon cartridge and the Fluance tonearm. And, wow, does it show! My soundstage immediately improved. The highs are perfect, bass is tight and fast, with a nice well balanced sound. The only thing I'd complement the Ortofon on is the openness of the soundstage and the mid range was perfect. The Denon can get slightly muddy on metal, especially death metal with shredding guitar and blast beats. But going into anything acoustical or jazz and rock, I'm very thankful to have the Denon on this thing.Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. I wish Fluance had more customization. I almost ignored them over the lack of cartridges. If they had the ability to select different options, like a Sumiko Olympia, Nagaoka MP-150, and a couple moving coil carts like the Audio Technica ATOC9XEN or Denon DL-103, I'd have ordered one sooner. Thankfully, I did grab this turntable and with the addition of the Denon DL-110, I think this setup will be atom around for a while. I'm really thankful I didn't spend more money and came here. For the most part, the Fluance RT85 is a great all around turntable. And if I'd ordered the one with the Nagaoka MP-110 I'd probably be very happy as is. However, I'm glad to have the Denon cartridge on mine and my vinyl is seeing more action than it has in a long time!

Great sounding turntable. My second Fluance turntable. Only downside the lever to lower the tone arm feels flimsy. My RT 81 felt higher quality in that area.

I'm extremely happy with my RT 85. I previously had an AUDIO TECHNICA LP60 and the jump in sound quality is astounding. Customer service is great, I had a few questions and they were very helpful. You can put LED lights behind the acrylic platter to get the cool effect you see in the pic.

Speed is slow, no way to adjust the speed, no adjustment on the bottom of the player.

This turntable was purchased two months ago, which has been a fantastic purchase. Over the past few months I have come to enjoy and appreciate this turntable more each day. As many others have said, the cartridge needs to time to break in. As the cartridge breaks in the sound from this turntable becomes mellower, fuller and richer. Just be sure when setting up the turntable that you balance and set the tonearm tracking force. Once this is done you are pretty much ready (assuming you have a phono amplifier in your receiver or you have added a phono amplifier to your system) to enjoy the music this turntable extracts from your vinyl record collection. You will not be disappointed. The only drawback is that the turntable does not automatically stop with all records and there is not an automatic tonearm return. Still, this is a good buy that has my full recommendation!

Sound quality is good

The installation and calibration were thoroughly explained and the accessories ideally suited for same. I've been an audiophile for over 50 years and this turntable is wonderfully fabricated.

Have my RT85 for a month now and it sounds great with my British CREEK amp and a Cambridge phono preamp. My old vinyl’s sound amazing on the RT85 with the 2mBlue cart. I’m happy with my purchase and highly recommend-it.

Believe the hype. After breaking in the stylus, I have to whole-heartedly agree with the other reviewers in experts that you just can't buy a better turntable at this price point. If you've been on the fence, you shouldn't be. Fluance made me a believer.

for the first time in the last 30 years I took out all of my 200 LP's from the 60's-80's. Put my old (vintage?) system to gather. McIntosh 2100 that I got in 1970, Sansui au999 from the same year and had my ADS 810's (midrange) reconditioned and added this RT85. Wow. My LP's are in the sleeves and in great shape...but there are no "pops" or anything. Just beautiful should. Love the finish, love the elegant style and really love the acrylic platter. Great purchase at a great price. Thanks. I'm very happy:)

I recently started hooking up my vintage stereo from 50 years ago. McIntosh 2100, Sansui AU999 and ADS 8/10 speakers. Turntable was shot and no parts available. So, I got the RT85. Walnut. Put it together in literally 10 minutes (easy instructions if you need them and very well packed). Had to wait a few days for a midrange speaker to come back from being redone...but I got it all together yesterday. What a pleasant surprise. This table is lovely to look at and elegant in performance. I have over 200 up's from the 60's through 80's and they are in good shape...and I hear no scratches, popping or "skating". I could not be happier.

Easy to assemble and it looks great.

All I can say is Wow! The first LP I played was All N All by Earth Wind and Fire, an album I have owned for 45-odd years. Detail I had never experienced before came pouring out! This turntable is whisper quiet, smooth as silk, and the 2M Blue cartridge is something else! The only negative I can give is the markings on the tonearm weight not being highlighted made it a bit harder while setting the tracking force. But a small flashlight held in my mouth took care of that. And I do not expect to have to do this again. So, YES! I highly recommend this table. You will NOT be sorry to spend 500.00 to get this much sound!

I purchased the RT85 turntable, and followed the setup instructions,within about 15 minutes I was listening to Supertramp Crime of the century,I have listened to this record many times but have never heard it sound better than it did on this turntable. It put a smile on my face,if anyone is looking for a turntable, I would highly recommend looking at the RT series of Fluance turntables,you get alot of value for the money,especially considering the quality cartridges that are pre-installed from the factory.I'm blown away with this turntable by the sound and it's stunning good looks.

Really nice sound, took me back 50 years ago. Enjoying spinning lots of old vinyl Rock and Roll .Great table with upgrade.

Incredible sound quality, stylish appearance, great price for how good the quality is.

Our kids bought a Beattles record for my spouse for Christmas. They had their eye on this record player for a long time. Now we spend our evenings listening to records. The sound quality is great.

At this price I have not one bad thing to say about this deck. The performance you get for 500 bucks is astounding. I'm even OK with the Ortofon Blue cart which is a big jump up from the Red. This is a no brainer budget deck. I have some other very expensive setups 20X more expensive and I am still content and enjoy the sound from this player. No it's not as good as the big money stuff but it's still good enjoyable and forgiving sound. It is very impressive that you can buy something this good for this price.

Like many others here, I am dusting off and literally washing/cleaning, 100's of decades old vinyl, throwing them on the piano white RT85 and having a blast. This turntable is a great price point and especially easy to listen to. I have an old B&O 8002 TT purchased years ago, rotting in my basement, I will have refurbished, cuz I know a guy. But doubt I will let it replace the Fluance. If you want super high end, look elsewhere, but if you want a very nice sounding, great looking TT, this should fill the bill.

The rt85 is a great value for your money. Use it as a reference turntable against 1000 dollar tables.

Loved the sound!

I am not an audiophile, just a guy who likes to listen to records. I bought the white Fluance RT85 because of the positive reviews and because it looked cool with its acrylic platter, etc. I have owned many different turntables and record players over the years, but this one is the most expensive.Overall it's an okay turntable, but that's probably as far as I would go with it. Colored vinyl really pops on the white, though the visual aesthetic proves more impressive than actually using it.The entire tonearm mechanism feels super cheap. The tonearm lever, stand and safety latch actually feels like something you'd find on a cheapo plastic portable record player like a Crosley. Maybe I got a bad one, but that's my honest opinion. There's a lot of slack in the lever, it bounces the arm if you lift it too quickly and the tonearm safety latch feels like its going to break off every time I use it.My last turntable was a Pro-ject Essential III and even though the body of this Fluance is much more substantial, the entire experience of lowering the needle with the tonearm lever on the Pro-ject was more solid and satisfying, whereas the RT85 feels flimsy and crappy.The Ortofon 2m Blue looks cool, but to be honest, for a $250 cartridge it doesn't really sound much better to me than the OM10 on my Pro-ject, which didn't sound much better to me than the ADC QLM32 Mrk III on my Hitachi HT-324 from the 80s. I told you I'm not an audiophile.Aside from the whole tonearm mess, I still think this is an okay turntable. Not worth $500 in my opinion, but one man's trash may be another man's treasure.Honestly, I was somewhat disappointed. But, just like all hobbies, we all buy new, more expensive gadgets, looking for perfection, but only getting mediocrity.I was hoping the grass was actually greener, but turns out its just more grass.

You cannot beat this turntable for the price point. Smooth sounding and the aesthetic is quite remarkable. A solid investment. You need not look further. The rega line, project, and u turn pale in comparison. I am Extremely satisfied with my purchase and look forward to Fluance making a fully automatic direct drive and I will snap that up!

What do multi-decade audio enthusiasts like me use to benchmark the RT-85? Decades ago I bought a complete high end Bang & Olufsen system and became immersed in the fidelity and stage presence of the music.

Like many others, I eventually ditched turntables in favor of CDs and, in turn, in favor of streaming. I recently decided to return to the vinyl world, and had in my mind some remembered greatness of the B&O Beogram turntables. So with a faulty (and subjective) memory, how does the RT-85 stand up?

To my ears, this is a great sounding turntable out of the box. It is helping me to rediscover the magic of a plastic spinning thingy wiggling a needle and making sound.

I am running with an 85-watt-per-channel Yamaha A-S500 and a pair of Vandersteen Series One tower speakers. The sound is superb with really good channel separation. The Ortofon seems like it has a bright sound but I am using the Bass/Treble/Loudness controls on the receiver to adjust the sound to my liking.

My only complaint about the RT-85 is that the auto-stop feature DOES NOT WORK. I have run through about 40 albums and none of them engage the auto-stop feature that Fluance advertises. This is a common complaint and it perplexes me that engineering can't seem to make what would appear to be a very minor adjustment to their mechanism.

Overall, I give this turntable a 4.672 rating (I am deducting for the auto-stop failure).

One other item to mention: when I initially set up the turntable it would not rotate. Turns out the motor cover was rubbing on the motor shaft despite my proper installation. At some point in the future I may take my dremel tool and enlarge the center hole, but for now I am using the turntable without the defective cover installed.

Why that headline? Well, I've owned record players before, but at a reference standard - never. This is the first where I am actually presented with calibration of the stylus, a platter that is acrylic and durable, and a belt drive. The quality produced is awesome to me - almost better than the sometimes overly perfect AIF or WAV quality of CD's. I think taking the time to enjoy albums played on proper equipment is an adventure to be enjoyed - and the Fluance RT-85 is perfect for me. It might be the ticket for you too.

Easy set-up. Really love the acrylic platter. True sound reproduction and it looks great!

Incredible sound, Impeccably built, clear instructions. A class act all the way!

Easy to put together, great sound and looks a quality product

Upgraded from my vintage Pioneer Pl-518, bigger improvement than expected. Love my bamboo Rt-85. One minor observation is the cue lever feels a little unrefined though it does the job. Worth every penny, just buy it!!

Great quality, great value......loving spinning vinyl again and sounds fantastic!

Love my rt85, makes my 40 year old vinyl sound like new

Bought this to replace an old Project deck that was getting a bit long in the tooth. Needs a bit of protection from electrical noise coming off the mains, but once that was in place my records sounded magnificent as if I had spent significantly more than the modest asking price.

Easy to setup and performs like the more expensive turntables on the market.

The tonearm seems to be very fragile, even cheap. But good listening experience. Design is nice, price too. Let's say... three star and a half.

Excellent all the way around, build quality, set up, and sound. I love my new turntable.

Great Turntable. The box it came in was damaged, so I was afraid of what I might find inside, but It turned out to be in good shape. It was very well packaged. It sounds great just like I had hoped it would, I would definately recommend this turntable, well worth the money.

This is a great turntable. Sounds amazing and looks great. It is easy to setup and has specs that are comparable to turntables costing much more. The finish of the deck is quite nice. Since I paired it with my Denon AVR-X3700H receiver I didn't need a pre-amp. Great turntable! I love it!

Hard to believe they sell this for only$500.00

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Extremely good turntable for the money with a great cartridge that costs half the turntable on its own. I ended up selling my RT82 and getting this one instead and I've notice a massive jump up in sound quality that is definitely worth the extra money if you can afford it.Also build quality is very good but my unit does a small issue with the power dial not properly aligning with the labels for 33 rpm and off which is not that big of a deal and not worth lowering my rating.

This is the first turntable I’ve had since 1983 so I have nothing really to compare it to. But that being said the turntable is Beautifully designed and sounds great.

Im realy happy with this turntable for the look and, of course, the sound of it.
I used to play vinyls on a basic tt with a basic cartridge and I was a little bit septical about the greatness of the 2M blue orthofon cartridge.
It's sound realy good and, of course, it has more details.
I just tried the orchestral intro of One night in Bangkok and you can clearly hearded more details than if you stream!

Really impressed with the turntable base, cover, and the platter. Not so impressed with the tone arm, and definitely unimpressed with the Nagoaka MP-110 Stylus. Accentuated static and vinyl pops even with new vinyl - distracting to be honest. Maybe I should have bought the 2M Blue......my rating is a 3.5/5

This is a great turntable with excellent sound very easy to operate does the job

The RT85 is the best turntable I have ever owned. It sounds fantastic! The Ortofon Blue cartridge and stylus are superb. I spent an extra hundred and bought an Ortofon Red stylus that is interchangeable with the Blue. I wanted something to use on records that are not in the best condition without ruining my Blue, which is around $200 to replace.The unit does not have a built-in preamplifier and so if you are considering buying one that may be a deal killer unless your amplifier or receiver has a preamplifier. It also does not have an automatic return feature, which would have made it even more awesome but not a deal breaker for me. It does have a switch on the back that allows you to turn on an auto stop feature to keep the stylus from going around endlessly but I found it takes around ten rotations before it stops. By that time I am up and turning over the record.It tracks at only 1.8g but you could go as light as 1.5. I prefer to stay with the recommend weight.I found the unit easy to set up right out of the box with very little to put together. It took maybe twenty minutes. The cartridge was already perfectly aligned by the factory and that is a fantastic perk because doing so can be a pain for those of us not too good with small detailed adjustments.The turntable is very very quiet. I hear no noise from the platter whatsoever. The acrylic platter is heavy enough to give good stability.If you are thinking of a turntable in or around this price range I doubt you could get better performance for under $1000 that is this quality. I have owned many turntables in my lifetime and this is a winner. I'm sure the models under the RT85 are very good machines as well but I think it would be worth saving your money a little longer to save upgrading later and spending more money. You probably wouldn't need to buy another turntable for many years to come.

Great specs for the price. Playing it through a Rotel 1572 and B&W 704s. Looks great and pretty easy to set up. I like the auto shutoff feature.

This thing is beautiful and it sounds amazing. Set up was fairly simple with most of the time being spent adjusting the tonearm

I recently purchased a Fluance RT85W to match my vintage Sansui 9090DB stereo receiver and stacked Advent speakers, all original from the 1970’s. Back in the mid-80’s, I upgraded by Dual turntable for a direct drive linear tracking Technics. Then shortly thereafter, compact discs entered the scene and I slowly got away from vinyl.

Lately, I got back into vinyl. The Technics turntable plays LP’s okay but it just didn’t sound the way I remembered, so I started doing research on vintage turntables. During my research, Fluance kept popping up as a top contender even compared to more expensive units.

After careful consideration and reviews I decided to go with the Fluance RT85W. I love the vintage wood look. I took my time assembling it and setting it up. My only complaint is the numbers and hash marks on the balance weight are hard to read with my old eyes. I am 71 years old. But with the help of a magnifying glass, I got it set perfectly.

Then it was time to dust off Idlewild South by the Allman Brothers. I was blown away by the sound. The highs, the lows, the clarity are unbelievable. I don’t think I’ve ever heard this album sound like this before. Then I put on Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson, followed by Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd.

My mind is blown. Now I can’t stop playing albums. It’s like I’m 25 all over again. This Fluance turntable with the Ortofon 2M blue cartridge puts CD’s to shame. Sure, the CD’s play music but with the Fluance turntable it’s like the band is right there in the room with me. I am more than satisfied with my purchase and look forward to many years of enjoyment from it.

What a beautiful turntable. Perfect finish, and clean and simple design. It arrived well packed, and was easy to set up. The Ortofon 2m Blue is an awesome cartridge, and the sound from the first tonearm drop was already wonderful. I am extremely happy with this setup. The only complaint I can come up with is the numbers on the counterweight could have a little more contrast. They are a hard to see in lower light.

The Fluance RT85 is an excellent turntable and a massive upgrade for me coming from a Teac TN-300. Even after I upgraded the cartridge with a Grado Gold3, the Teac's sound was not great. Comes the Fluance, and my vinyl record listening experience went much higher than I ever expected. To start, the build quality is super solid, and you get a lot for your money. The looks, man, I got the lucky bamboo finish, and it is just gorgeous and the acrylic platter, oh man, this is a very nice setup. I am now discovering my vinyl records all over, and the experience is so rewarding. The Ortofon blue with this turntable is just a perfect combination. The sound is smooth and balanced with tons of detail and sound stage. I am using the RT85 with the phono stage of my vintage Sony TA-F700ES integrated amplifier and Klipsch RB-81 speakers, and the sound is balanced, rich with excellent instrument separation. I have not experienced any issues with the turntable; the motor is silent and smooth. This table offers options that you will typically see at triple the price, like the acrylic platter and the leveling feet, which by the way, was a breeze to get it level.
I highly recommend this model to anybody that wants to get an excellent turntable at a great price; you will not regret the investment. I am not planning on upgrading anytime soon; this is my endgame table.

Absolutely love the build quality, the look and of course the sound!

After much research and comparisons I settled on the RT85. Incredible value, quality workmanship, and most importantly it sounds fantastic.
Running it through a vintage (c. 1979) Yamaha CA-610 amp and PSB Image 4T speakers.

The RT 85 arrived in perfect condition. It took about 20 minutes to assemble and hook up to my pre-amp and receiver. Couldn't be happier with its quality and performance.

An outstanding turntable. Quality in every way. I only wish I could adjust the height the tonearm but you can't have everything at this price point.With a lot more than the asking price all the same. The sound quality is top notch!

Great turntable for the price. You get an excellent platter and stylus.

I don't normally write reviews but I thought it would take this time for this one. This is my fourth turntable. Sounds better than the Pro-Ject Carbon Debut. Buy this turntable, you will thank me later.

Very solid turntable. Great sound quality. Love playing my old records again!!

A great turntable. Mighty happy with its performance, sounds outstanding. Had to remove the pulley cover though; I installed it firmly in place but the belt on rotation slightly touches it, creates noise. Too close a tolerance; I'll address it again later.

I like this turntable. I don't think you can beat it for this price point. I'm
glad I bought it.

It is a few more dollars than the others but I think the mechanics and the sound are worth the extra!

Sound is ok with some distortion but the packaging was a rebundle and a mess . Having seen unboxings on your tube this was a disappointment and furthermore The on off button was damaged. I voiced this concern to customer service and they seemed unconcerned . I’m impressed with the product but disappointed in the delivery, presentation and customer service

ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT, have been listening to vinyl for 45+ years, have NEVER heard vinyl sound so good

It's perfect

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Great sounding table. Simple, elegant, effective.

I’ve had my RT85 for about a week now. This was purchased to set up a system at my office and I’m extremely pleased with it. It is a fantastic turntable and sounds better than some that I’ve paid much more for.

If you are a person who likes to upgrade then save your money and buy the this RT-85. I originally purchased the very capable and great sounding Elite RT-81. I purchased the Schiit Mani phono stage to go with it. Great combination that plays well together. Later I added a cork Matt and the Nagaoka Cartridge which improved the sound and was easy to setup. You cannot upgrade the platter. Yep getting costly.If you are a person who who is new and plan to just do casual listening or really has a basic HIFi system and plan to use the built in phono stage, this is good value money and sound wise.But upgrading pushes you into the prices of the RT-82/83/84/85. The upgrades will not ultimately get you to the RT-85 sound level and will cost you more. The RT-85 has all the upgrades and the sound quality is well above the RT-81.The sound stage, quiet background, details and clarity all really put it ahead of the RT-81. I have it paired with the IFI Zen phono stage. That is a great combination. I listened to the RT-85 with the Schiit Mani but prefer the Zen as it plays well in my system providing a more natural sound when it comes to horns, drums and acoustic guitar. Sound stage instrument and vocals seem to be placed naturally in my system. Instead of making upgrades just wait and buy the RT-85. Ultimately you will have much better sound quality and will save money.

Replaced my old fisher studio turntable with rt85. Ez to set up. Did my own calibration, with proper scale & tracking gauge, setup to manufacture specs. Ok, Blue Ortofon 2m blue is $250 bucks alone.! Sound quality makes lp listening sooooooo much better....It's hooked up to my 80's equipment (mos fet amps) which the preamp has phono inputs. (RT85 NEEDS a preamp)If your looking for quality and value, this is, in my tone deaf opinion, is hard to beat!

I was excited to receive the turntable but that changed to disappointment as soon I set it up and played my first album. The turntable produced random loud static noise through my stereo system. I setup the table as per instructions and even tried a completely different stereo system but these loud static discharges continued. I worked with customer service with no resolution so I have now returned the turntable.

Bought this as a gift for my partner, and she loves it! I love it, too!

The HT85 Turntable is awesome. And the Fluance service center was prompt to assist with a damaged product. Julie in customer service was very helpful.

I bought the RT85 about three weeks ago. After years of using used tt’s, with maybe not the best sylus’s…all I can say, is WOW. Completely impressed. Some of my records sound like I’m REALLY hearing them for the first time. I’d highly recommend it to anyone.

I have owned this turntable (RT85 in Walnut) for about a month. This is the first turntable I've bought since my old Technics manual model I bought back in '78. It was direct drive but could not keep proper speed anymore. Having not played albums in some 30 years, I decided it was time to to return to them and start with something new.
I picked the RT85 for several reasons. 1) It seemed to review pretty well with Youtubers online. 2) I liked the looks of it. 3) I liked the idea of the acrylic platter. 4) I liked the external belt with a switch speed control rather than moving to a different pulley. 5) The Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge seems to review well. 6) I like the adjustable three legged stance. 7) It was within my budget. 8) It has the auto stop feature at the end. 9) And it has the detachable head shell for easy change.
What I don't like about it. 1) Even though MDF is generally more stable and heavier than wood, its not wood. And veneering MDF doesn't make it wood. 2) The arm lock is thin, flimsy plastic and imagine it will break off in time. 3) The arm lift doesn't feel solid either. I can lock the arm even with the lift up. 4) And the motor or platter mechanism makes a "clicky, winding" sound that I can hear before the music plays. It doesn't seem to transfer to the playback though. All in all, the problems don't bother me.
It is a good, solid playing turntable. The speed seems to be right on, the arm and lift works well, the auto stop functions properly, and the playback sounds great. I feel I made the right purchase. And with the Ortofon Blue and acrylic platter, I feel I got more for my money. I would buy it again.

Great record player, stunningly beautiful

Great value for money. I expected good quality but even those expectations were exceeded

Love this. Sounds great with my Bose speakers.

I've had this turntable for two weeks and I absolutely love it! The quality is first-rate. It is solid and elegant. The piano white along with the acrylic platter grab attention. Performance-wise, it's five stars. The calibrated tone arm floats perfectly to the vinyl. The 2M Blue stylus delivers crisp, authentic reproduction. I will say that it appears to pick up dust/dirt easily, requiring frequent (every two records) cleaning to avoid noise. I couldn't be happier with my choice and look forward to years of great sounding music!

Was looking at this and the pro ject carbon. The Fluance was a no brainer. The deciding factor was that the Fluance came with an acrylic platter while the pro ject didn't and the Fluance came with the blue Ortofon while the pro ject came with the cheaper red Ortofon. Plus the Fluance is 50 dollars cheaper.

Excellent QualityLooks Good

Everything about this turntable is first rate. The hinged cover over the turntable is a nice touch. The bubble leveling tool is over the top. Great sound too :-)

the luxurious sound set envelops the room around you. there is no better sound in the world that is better than this extraordinary turntable. when the wax meets the needle and the sound and colors fly you will find the Ortofon 2m blue of superior quality.

Great turntable. I've been very satisfied with this so far. Easy set up (beginners may need to take their time and read the instructions and maybe watch a video or two) But I was familiar with the process from previous turntables. The ortofon blue cartridge is one of my favorites. Definitely recommended for a midrange priced turntable. Features I'd expect on higher priced units.

Been buying vinyl since the 1960's. Back in the day when it was said vinyl was no longer going to be made we decided to invest in a good quality turntable. Bought a Bang&Olefson. What a great turntable. Thought there would never be anything better. Boy were we wrong! First of all we could no longer get needles for the B&O and no one new how to repair them. Bought an "el cheapo" turntable to get us by. Bad move. After much research we decided on the RT85. Wasn't sure I should be spending $500 on a turntable. Again, boy was I wrong! Worth every penny. The sound is absolutely amazing. Makes even the oldest of vinyl sound good. Set up was a bit time consuming but easy to do. My only gripe is the Auto Stop does not work on every album . Didn't say that before we bought it but does in the owners manual. If anyone is on the fence about this one. jump the fence and do it!
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Listening to albums that have been dear friends for 50 years and they have never sounded this good!

Sounds amazing. For entry point of $500, $1,000 overall with preamp and powered speakers, this was exactly what I was looking for. Did a lot of research, and chose this model. It's the same turntable from RT82 to RT85, just the cartridge is upgraded. I got started from a friend, but they had a cheap model (sub $100), that for me wasn't going to be an option after researching and understanding all components of the players and how they could degrade the vinyl record over time. I want my albums to last a lifetime! High recommend. Currently playing the new Underoath album, Voyeuristic. Love it!

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Is absolutely a wonderful record player has great sound I got the bamboo it looks absolutely great

Belle construction et finition. Facile a assembler. Le son est remarquable. Pour ma par la Fluance RT85 remplace un platine Technics SL-1800 de 1979 avec une cartouche Rega carbon. Sans nul doute une meilleur clarté et définition des aigus.

Yes, this turntable is not cheap but it is one heck of a value! I have not had a working turntable in 20 years and my old vinyl albums have never sounded better. This turntable has reignited my passion for vinyl and I am finding myself researching and purchasing new records. The sonic range can be simply amazing given the right recording. If you are hesitating about purchasing at all, just do it and you will be thrilled! LOVE this turntable from Fluance! Thank you Fluance for making an audiophile turntable affordable!!

I have had my RT85 for 1 day and am already a believer.

The sound is a meaningful upgrade to my 25 year old Technics TT, even with an upgraded stylus.

Purchasing and shipping was a breeze and setup was incredibly well laid out.

And it looks incredible in my listening room.

Bravo.

I received my RT85 just after the holidays. The ordering process was easy. I also ordered an extra belt and the record wait. Everything arrived on time and if perfect condition. The assembly went well except when putting on the counterweight I pushed it too far on the tonearm. This turntable/cartridge combination sounds fantastic. I have a collection of records from the 70,s, 80's and 90's that for the most part were very lightly used and they sound terrific. I am looking forward to adding to my collection and enjoying this turntable for years.

For beginners this is a great starter for those that want a step above entry level but not the price of an higher end model. The included accessories alone make it a deal. The needle by itself costs almost half of the cost of the records player.

TL;DR: The RT85 is a fantastic turntable, the absolute best overall package for the money! BUY IT!Detailed review:Assembly and setup:In my opinion, assembling the turntable is very basic and simple, however, if you've never done this before, I HIGHLY recommend you watch some videos on balancing the tone-arm and understanding the anti-skating weight. Doing this wrong WILL absolutely damage or DESTROY your beautiful 2M Blue cartridge's stylus.I highly recommend buying a digital scale to measure the tracking force of your 2M Blue cartridge (1.8g) I did it manually as described by the manual and even though I was VERY careful with how much I turned the weight dial, it measured 1.85g on my digital scale when I verified it, so I ended up using the digital scale to fine-tune the manual effort! Probably not a big deal, but something to keep in mind.Also, get yourself a protractor and measure the alignment of your cartridge! Mine was spot on from the factory, but you should never assume this to be true! Wrong alignment can degrade sound quality and damage your stylus.Leveling the turntable takes time, so be patient! I recommend you fully assemble the turntable and hook it up to your HiFi before you level it in its final resting location.What I LOVE:The sound quality of the 2M Blue cartridge is fantastic! Its really bright and flat, no extra bass and no weird sound curves. Its a beautiful listening experience with a well distributed sound-stage.The bamboo plinth (my specific model) is fantastic - its NOT glossy, its matte! I really didn't want a glossy model since they are fingerprint magnets! My turntable isn't a show-queen, I intend to use it daily! A glossy one will just look terrible after handling it all day AND its easier to scratch up (especially micro-scratches).Acrylic platter is awesome! No mat required. It sounds good, feels good, and looks really good too! It offers plenty of potential for custom LED lighting and what not.The dust cover hinges are really nice! They are actually spring-loaded - its very easy to operate and feels solid (unlike other turntables I've used in the past).What I don't really like:Semi-auto mode is kind of weird, I like the fact that it will stop a record from spinning if you forget to turn it off. However, just make sure you understand this! Always lift the stylus using the cue lever BEFORE handling the tone-arm! If you fail to do this, you will scratch your records and or possibly destroy your stylus. I noticed that with semi-auto mode, the platter will spin again momentarily while you move the tone-arm back to its resting position after it has automatically stopped. It will also NOT start spinning until the tone-arm is positioned over the record (even if you have already selected a playback speed). All these layers of logic add complexity to the usability and the steps required to operate the table. If you're used to fully manual turntables, you could find yourself doing something out of order and damaging your stylus by mistake, so just try to understand the operational flow of the RT85 in semi-auto mode. OR, you can turn this whole feature off completely.I'm not a huge fan of the cue-lever on the RT85. It feels kind of cheap and its weirdly positioned. I wish they would have made it more pronounced and distanced it a little bit from the rest of the tone-arm assembly.I'm also not a huge fan of the tone-arm locking mechanism, it works ... but just doesn't feel as premium as the rest of the turntable.Lastly, and this may be nit-picking ... the 2M Blue stylus cover is a little difficult to put back once removed. Its easy to remove it off of the cartridge, but a bit hard to put back on. Be careful here, one wrong move and you'll end up jamming the stylus cover into the stylus and ruining it!Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase! Highly recommended table for the money - you will not find a better deal IMHO than the RT85 at this price-point.NOTE: the record weight pictured in my review is purchased separately.

such a beautiful turntable in all aspects. classy, well made and sounds like a true monitor phono

Una ganga por la aguja que trae

My daughter started getting into vinyl so we bought her a Bluetooth Audio Technica and BT speaker. Since we both have the same taste in music I got the bug too, but I wanted an all analog turntable setup. After doing some research I landed on the Fluance RT85.Setup was mostly straightforward, though I needed a bit of help with setting the counterweight to balance the tonearm. Fortunately Fluance's site has a support page and after searching for "balance tonearm RT85" I found a video which cleared up my questions.I paired the turntable with a Fluance PA10 phono preamp and Yamaha stereo receiver and I'm very happy with the setup - vinyls sound great from my Klipsch bookshelf speakers. There is no automatic start - you set and lower the needle manually but it is an easy process. There is also a handy auto stop feature that can be switched on to stop spinning when a record is done, saving the stylus and your records.My only minor gripe is that if you are using a separate preamp from the amp/receiver there is only one included grounding wire and RCA cable. The recommended setup is to have a ground wire to the preamp from the turntable and a separate ground wire from the preamp to the amp/receiver. I knew this going in and RCA cables are easy to find but a ground wire of good quality was harder to come by. If you have the time and tools you can make your own, but I ended up ordering a ground wire from a high feedback seller on EBay. If your amp has a phono input and you won't be using a separate preamp this is a moot point but I still wish Fluance had included two grounding wires for both types of setups.If you're looking to get started with HiFi vinyl sound I think that this is a great place to start. Just make sure you're aware of how you want your setup to be and make sure that you have all of the equipment to do so.

Even better than I expected. Easy to set up, and the sound is so crisp and clear I was astounded - even though I have had other, more expensive tables in the past. This is honestly the best value for the money anyone could hope for.

The best turntable I ever had. The quality of the materiel. The packeging. The acrylique plater et the ortofon 2M blue are the best

Simply an outstanding value. If you want a first class ticket to vinyl that will not break the bank. Excellent build quality and a great stylus pairing. This can be your first and last turntable. But the RT85 you will not be disappointed.

I bought this, and a preamp, for my old records. It does not require a mat under the record if you are using vinyl, but I did waste some time looking for one (that was asked for) until I found the wording that said one was not sent for this machine, and was not needed. The instructions were for more than one machine, and that was confusing.

The RT85 is a great value for the money, highly recommended. I’ve had it for about 17 months and couldn’t be happier with its performance.

Great 2nd turntable to buy as you continue your vinyl escapade. That's not me, I am the other ideal customer - a 35 year old who cannot justify droppin 1 month's rent on a Technics SL1200. Really nice 2M Blue cartridge, but they just added an additional cart option that you should seriously research. I will leave you in suspense but let me just say that you will likely want new option. Overall, I'm happy though. The soundstage is massive. The 2M Blue is incredible. It's not the "in" cartridge anymore but it is so freakishly detailed. The 2M Blue will reintroduce you to electronic and psychedelic music. It's fast and tight. You can actually hear inside the studio. I love it. I'll have this thing for 5 years - 10 years. I like the Walnut finish but I've heard the bamboo looks cool.

I bought this as a step up from a lower end model of Audio Technica turntable.Set up was easy watching a video online and the sound is light years ahead of my old AT60.Glad I went with the RT85. The acrylic platter and Ortofon blue stylus are a great value.

Ordered a RT85 from Fluance and although the table is very nice looking, the dust cover had a slice off the bottom missing. Kinda like when you slice cheese off the block and its uneven. I called customer service and they wanted me to send some pictures. I sent them off and when they responded, they told me it was a factory defect that happens. Okay, so are you sending a new dust cover or?? Nope, we are not sending you one. I was miffed to say the least so I sent it back for a refund. A small issue like I had, lost them a 500$ sale because of poor quality control and poor management. The other issue was that the table had poor isolation which sounded like a microphone when tapping on the plinth. Looks are not everything so buyer beware. Disappointed.

Love it, but I am in the key demographic. That being said, I'm really happy to hear what I've been missing. The level of detail retrieval is amazing. It paired well with the ifi Zen and my hand built Kt88 amp.

Great sounding, good value for the money, fairly easy setup. the only issue I had was with the motor cover, I could not get it to fit correctly (it interfered with the motor operation). Not sure if I was doing something wrong or if it was a manufacturing flaw. I just left it off. and it looks really nice!

I normally only buy vintage HI-FI equipment. When my aging Technics SL-Q350 turntable was unable to maintain a consistent speed, I started researching my options. I was torn between finding another vintage turntable, refurbishing my old Technics or purchasing a new turntable. After researching I decided the RT-85 was my best option. I was a little hesitant. Upon receiving it, I inspected, assembled and hooked it to my 1978 Marantz 1090 integrated amplifier. To say the least my old vinyl came alive. Now almost a month later and over 40 hours of listening time, the Ortofon cartridge is broken in and the sound quality is even sweeter.To sum it up, I could not be more pleased.

Great value for the money. Packaged well and easy setup. Sounds beautiful.

I purchased this to replace a Project RPM 4. There was nothing wrong with it, but I was tired of having to manually change the speed by lifting the platter every time, and I couldn't change cartridges at will (I'm a firm believer that certain cartridges are better for certain types of music!).I'd seen many good reviews for this deck, it had the facilties I wanted, so took the plunge.It seems well built, looks good, and the provided Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge gives a satisfying sound, although I do still prefer my Audio Technica AT440MLb overall.Sound is superb and the deck is silent in operation, no hum.My only slight gripe is that despite being well built, if you tap the deck or lid you hear it through the speakers, so even though it's a heavy plinth and has isolation feet, it doesn't seem to soak up vibration that well, but that's a minor matter, how often do you go deliberately tapping the plinth?I think for the money it's an excellent turntable and one I'll be happy to use for the foreseeable future.

Huge upgrade from my first record player, $100 pioneer.

The RT85 is an easy recommendation for anyone that wants to actually enjoy their vinyl and not just have it playing in the background. There seems to be significantly more clarity and tone from every album. So much so that you'll want to upgrade all your other components. How good can this TT sound? Some of those silly descriptions from audiophile publications start to make sense... Like effortless sound, big soundstage, music unveiled and so on. For $500 bucks? AND you can get white, which looks even better than the pictures.Its what I hoped it would be. Don't spend 1000-1500 on something else. Consider this and spend the difference on another component.

Purchased RT 85…. Build quality is outstanding, and sound is crisp! Listening to CSNY LIVE Album brings out the clarity very well.

Just set my RT85 up last night and was blown away by the detail from my 35 year old vinyl. And this coming from a 1990s receiver phono preamp.

Kudos to DAWN in Sales Dept as she was excellent to deal with in regards to my purchase. As for the turntable, it speaks for itself or should I say 'sings' for itself. Incredible turntable !!!

I give it a 5 star, but I had the patience to see it through. I would say the time the blue ortofon takes to warm up is much greater than advertised. Being sure to have no static & clean records helps a lot. This is a good upgrade turntable, but take the time to get the tone arm balanced correctly, and have patience. Once my needle was warmed up (closer to 80 hours) it sounded great. Now I absolutely love it. The depth of the sound stage is stunning. I paired it with iFi phono pre-amp and am very very happy! I got the bamboo and just love the simple elegance of the look. I can never go back.

We purchased the RT8 months ago and have found it to be everything we wanted in a turntable. We liked it so much we have made this second purchase for our son.

Excellent sound and very enjoyable sound experience l

Probably the best value turntable on the market. I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on this turntable and after taking into consideration all the feedback went ahead and ordered the walnut finish of the RT85. After a few days use I can say this is well worth the money spent. The turntable looks great and sounds very dynamic. I love that they even give you the small bubble to make sure the turntable stays level. It’s the little things that make all the difference. My only gripe is the turntable lever feels very basic and does not suit the rest of the turntable which looks classy and sounds so sweet. However that still does not stop me from giving it all 5 stars. You will have to spend a lot more to get all the features of the RT85 in another turntable.

My vinyl collection came out of retirement and never sounded better!

Had this turntable for many months now and it has been great the sound is amazing.I don't have the best stereo but hooked up to my Kenwood ka-88 and vintage series II Bose speakers. Compard to my old technics turntable night and day. I would buy this turntable again In a heartbeat.

Great sound and quality, Very happy with this purchase, would recommend.

I set up turntable. really not a problem, took about 1 hr. I took my time. Sounds good , really easy to use, no need for a fully automatic. It has some nice features like auto shut off and the tone arm locking mechanism. Has worked flawlessly for a couple of months now.

Quick background: I have had a Technics P-Mount turntable and a Pioneer PL-512 for a while now. Even though my Pioneer has the very great Nagaoka MP110 paired with the Schiit Mani phono preamp, I still wondered about the Ortofon Blue cartridge. So many other-the-top reviews of that thing.... Also, the high respect Fluance gets in general... Made me want it. If you are like me, you are always keeping on eye out for anything that will take your HiFi analog audio system to the next level. I could never relax and appreciate what I was hearing when I played vinyl. Are you like that too? Well, that OCD behavior ended when I got this TT!Pros: * The acrylic platter - dampens vibrations so WELL and also the static is way less because of it. * The thing is so darn quiet. You turn it on and it starts spinning and you cannot tell it's even on! Quiet as a mouse. * the thing is just so crustal clear. I definitely noticed a big time improvement of sound once I got maybe 30-40 hours of play time on the Ortofon Blue. * No SIBILANCE! Maybe the first TT I have ever had that pulls that off completely. Now, many think it's the Ortofon cartridge, but I think it's more in the quality of the TT itself. The tone arm is excellent. The TT tracks so well. The TT ships pre-aligned with the cartridge head alignment (or the VTA) spot on. I did have to adjust the Counterweight Balancer to get it within the 1.50 - 2.00 grams. I feel the things I mentioned above to be the real reason Sibilance is gone completely on my records with this TT. Records in various degrees of condition (good, mediocre, bad) all track so well with this cartridge and TT. * No Inner Groove Distortion (IGD). The inner most song on each side of a record can suffer from distorted sound. Since the tonearm and cartridge come so perfectly aligned... that is the reason I feel there is no IGD. * The feet (3 of them) are so easy to adjust to get your TT leveled (which will make a difference). The RT85 comes with it's own leveler to help you see how level (or not) your TT is! * looks aren't super important to me, but I gotta say this thing looks awesome (I got the "lucky bamboo" model).Cons: * the TT has "auto stop". I have had many turntables with auto stop. Comparatively, this is the WORST auto-stop you can get. The manual claims 30 seconds after it gets in the "filler" grooves that the TT will stop spinning. 30 seconds is a long darn time. I've had it go into the record's label and the sound was sickening when that happened causing me to run to the turntable to get it to stop. I wish you could adjust this 30 second thing. I am used to it now, but at first, it was nerve wracking. I cannot believe how awesome the deck is engineered and they couldn't get auto-stop to work correctly (bizarre!).* The tone arm lifting lever is a thin piece of plastic. it seems so cheap....so again, why? Could they not have put a metal tonearm on this?For once, I put a record on and I never have the feeling I need to tweak something. I seriously can listen to my records now instead of over-analyzing my system and not even paying attention to the music that is playing. I thought I'd never get to this point, but I have. Get this TT...you will not go wrong!

RT85 TURNTABLE WITH PA10 PRE AMP paired with Denon receiver 3 way Cerwin Vega tower speakers with 12" woofers Crystal Clear Perfection

I am from the generation that grew up on Compact Discs and MP3's, so I never owned (or even heard) an actual record player. Therefore I am a neophyte when it comes to rating the performance of a piece of equipment that I have no experience with. However, the RT85 is an absolute pleasure to listen to, I love it.

I love my new turntable. It's beautifully designed. The plinth with the damping feet is magnificent. The packaging is impressive - especially the white gloves. My only concern is that the cueing lever feels is a little flimsy. The customer service provided by Brent was unsurpassed. He assisted me with my purchase and guided me as I installed the unit. I have already recommended Fluance to a friend.

don't regret a thing, very easy to setup

After much research and reviews , I decided on the fluance Rt85. I was looking for a high quality turntable that would pamper my precious records, sound great , and be something to look at as well. This checks all the boxes. I chose the bamboo finish. The turntable showed up quickly and well packed . I was even able to sign up for a promo code to save a little off the price before ordering. I will admit the setup of this is not entry level stuff but with patience and help from some other knowledgeable friends , I got figured out in a couple of hours. First off , all the components of this unit are of high quality : from the cartridge, to the platter and plith . The tone arm and belt motor are solid and have a quality feel to them. Upon spinning some of my first choices of vinyl , I could immediately hear an upgraded listening experience. I would highly recommend this turntable for people who are serious about quality and great sound.

I am very glad that I listened tp all of the reveiws on you tube.

All of the reviews are correct!!! This is beautiful and sounds amazing!
I am so glad that I took the chance to order it even without seeing one in person....so the reviews on you tube sold it. I do wish that it had a small led to help when it is dark.

Pleasing sound; easy to set-up. No problems observed after two weeks of operation. On some records, the auto-stop does not work; but Fluance website says it is because of the way the final grooves are cut on them. It is only a minor inconvenience.

Ordered the RT85, and received it in a few days. Set up was simple. The quality seems excellent. I ordered this one in piano black and the finish his superb. Sounds great and so far very happy.

This is a true value for an Audiophile that wants beauty along with practicality. It was nearly instantaneous to assemble and setting the balance and anti-skating was easy.

Love the way it works and looks. The directions for set up were easy to follow and everything sounds great

The only reason I gave two stars is because of the ortiphon blue cartridge. This cartridge is absolutely beautiful. The deck itself is sub par. It takes twenty or thirty seconds to get up to speed and has a loud motor sound. After emailing them during my return period I was assured that this was normal. I’m sorry, but at this price range I shouldn’t be leaning against the wall for thirty seconds just to drop the needle. The motor is so weak that even lightly applying a carbon fiber brush will stop the motor. Really any other $500 turntable would be better than this. My biggest regret is not returning it in the first thirty days. I didn’t buy this to end up feeling like I am settling. I’m going to cut my losses and buy another turntable somewhere else. At least I have an overpriced ortiphon blue right?

I've had my RT85 for a couple of weeks, so this review pertains to my initial impressions. The direct order processing and shipping speed is easy and fast! The packaging is well constructed and the setup was straightforward including setting the correct tracking weight and anti skate settings. I'm currently using it through my 40 yo Bang & Olufsen Beomaster 8000 amp and Klipsch RP600M's. (A new Rotel A11 tribute amp is in transit). So far, I couldn't be happier! It is a beautiful turntable, and the piano black finish is striking. With the exception of glitching one-time, where the platter did not start turning when I moved the tonearm into place, it has worked and sounded beautifully. As with any Hi fidelity turntable/cartridge it's imperative that you are playing clean vinyl, and have a clean stylus (a nice addition would be a stylus brush). My only minor complaint, is that the cueing lever does seem a little undersized and cheap, and can be slightly hard to see in a dimly lit space. All in all I'm completely satisfied with my purchase. The auto-stop is a great feature (I'm not sure I'd get a table without it). At this price point there really isn't anything that close considering the Ortofon blue is $236 separately, and it includes a heavy acrylic platter. I expect the sound clarity to improve further mated with a new amplifier. The test will be it's longevity, but so far I'm very impressed. Get it, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Beautiful piece of functional art. I didnt realize how much stress my previous tables were giving me, always in a panic to catch the needle. This is something u can turn on then leave the apt to make happy hr. Or if u happen to be in the bathroom a little longer than planned woooopse. 5 stars if the pitch wasn't wobbly on activation, hoeever the benefits outweigh this.

I didn't need to go to the expense of a direct drive DJ, super heavy-weight turntable as I was using it in the home. I researched the options of other turntables. This, the piano black, top of the range, Fluance looks beautiful and sound delicious. The attractions included the fact the the turntable stops once reaching the end of the LP, after a short interlude, an essential requirement, as often, I've fallen asleep when the music has washed over me. The lever for raising the arm and the hydraulic lowering so that the stylus hits the record softly is a plus and, as I get older will protect the collection. The turntable sits on three adjustable and dampening feet. You are provided with a bubble level to set the table. The cartridge comes assembled and the rest it easy to set up, to start enjoying your music. The acrylic plater looks novel and terrific. The lid is damped so it raises and lowers smoothly. All for £500, and you have an Orfoton 2M Blue cartridge, which would cost, currently, £189.00. I love it, married to my Cambridge amp and speakers, it's gorgeous, and, I'm enjoying my old LP's over again, and buying new.

Fit and finish is first rate. (Walnut finish) Set up went fine. First record selection sounded great. This is going to be a lot of fun, re-listening to my record collection. Great turntable! Thank You Fluance for a first rate product.

Great sound and appearance. I have a large record collection and I am hearing details in music I haven't heard before. I had a problem (my fault) with set-up and support staff (Rebecca & Julie) were outstanding in solving the issue in a timely manner, both were personable, professional and quick and efficient.

Une table tournante de qualité qui a un beau look et livrer en 24 heures a ce prix,c'est imbattable. Il faudrait voir pour avoir des instructions en francais. L'installation a été un charme.

I never knew my stereo system could sound so good!

I really regret buying this, but it's too expensive to send back from New Zealand. Sounds is good, quality of finishing is good. But the sound isolation (I'm not sure of the correct term) to the tonearm, platter and body is terrible. Even the slightest touch to the lid or body and you can hear it through the speakers. When you touch the tonearm to move it you hear everything, and you get the resonance though the speakers. I tried my old Technics turntable and its isolation is far superior.

When I first turned on the turntable I had the amp a bit too loud and actually and got a terrible feedback for the first time ever.

Otherwise it's good, but this sound isolation has really spoilt the experience, every time I lift the lid or move the tonearm I cringe.

Fantastic player and fantastic service. The set-up is easy and the sound is amazing. Rebecca from the Customer Experience Team was super helpful and friendly, and really went the extra mile to help me with my purchase. Overall, zero regret.

Overall I love it great turn up very loud but when you listen to music with lots of bass it fades out and comes back up again and then does it again when there’s loud bass overall just turn down the bass but it won’t sound the same I like my music very loud.

Amazing deal for a turntable. I replaced my Technics 1200MKV with this one and could not be happier. My records never sounded better. Beautiful white turntable and love the auto start and shut of feature. My only criticism is the location of the cueing arm. I don't have great lighting by the turntable and have to fumble for it everytime. Sometimes move the tone arm over the record while searching. Customer service has been great and very responsive.

I bought this turntable from Amazon and received it on 10-13-2021. I also bought the Fluance PA10 phono amp. As a beginner the instructions on balancing the tonearm were a little confusing, but I figured it out. This thing is INCREDIBLE. I did a lot of research and it came down to the Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO manual belt drive which sells for $599. I chose the Fluance based on the reviews, the auto stop and the $100 price difference. I am thrilled that I did! I can't believe how amazing the music sounds. The depth of the sound is incredible, I feel like I am listening to the music in surround when I am listening to it in stereo. I hear instruments in songs I didn't even know exist. One thing that I noticed the most is the crispness of the cymbal crashes. I cannot recommend this turntable high enough. I have re-discovered vinyl.

Really enjoying this turntable! Looks fantastic in the living room and, even more importantly, it plays exceptionally!

Fantastic sounding turntable. I purchased this for my girlfriend and I liked it so much I'm thinking of selling one of my more expensive $2,500 tables and replacing it with a RT85.

Sounds great!! Simple set up made me feel like a wiz!

more than pleased with this, in particular the platter is just as hoped, it's quiet. The setup was easy (for once in my life i read the instrux and watched the vids BEFORE starting) and everything checked out the first time. It's my first experience with a cartridge of this type and it will take a little getting used to/some EQing for my room to get it just right. The white frame is great because i can use it in a semi-darkened room for relaxation. Hope to never buy another kind of tt.

I'm surprised that this has such perfect reviews! I was disappointed that it was skipping. And I know how to set up a turntable correctly. Same with my other record player I bought from fluance. The R81. It costs $70 to mail to have problems fixed with their warranty. I might as well buy a new one. Sigh

This turntable is a great value if you look at the cartridge and acrylic platter included. I primarily elected to purchase this over a Pro-Ject or other competitor due to the included auto-stop feature in case I ever forget to stop the turntable or get busy doing other things. With that said, I tend to actively listen to my records with an IFI Zen Phono Pre-amp, Schiit Magni 3+ amp, and Sennheiser 6XX headphones. I don't have another higher value turntable to compare but the sound from this is an improvement over the JVC linear tracker I was using. I followed the setup instructions to set the tracking force and checked afterwards with a scale. The value was dead on at 1.80g.

My nearly fifty year old Dual 1218 turntable was having serious problems that I couldn't fix, but I was skeptical about buying a new turntable having been told that "they don't build them like they used to." It used to be that top quality turntables were all direct drive, while the cheapest were belt drive. But modern technology such as electronic speed control have changed everything. Anyways, the performance of this turntable with its Ortofon 2M Blue stylus is a vast improvement over my old Dual 1218 with its Acutex stylus. It's also nice that it is supplied with premium quality RCA cables. I'm amazed with the sound clarity on all my records, each instrument sounds just right, the vocals are clear and the artist's voices are true to what they sounded like when I heard them live, the channel separation is excellent and all the subtle background sounds can be heard as well. There is a downside to this sensitivity in that every little scratch and nick in my old worn records can be readily heard as snaps and pops. As to the speed, it's spot on as verified with a strobe light and disc. The speed controller really does its job so there's no need for a manual pitch control like in the old days. The turntable runs completely silent with no mechanical or feedback noise, so you really can't tell its even turned on until the stylus contacts the record. The auto stop feature is great since it not only stops the turntable at the end of a record, but also only starts it when the tonearm is removed from its rest and placed over the record. Since it is connected to a switched power outlet at the rear of my receiver, I simply leave it turned on all the time with the speed set to 33.Initial setup was almost trouble free, except for the instructions telling me to slip the counter weight onto the rear of tonearm until it clicks and then turn it until the tonearm is balanced. So, I turned and turned and turned without getting even close to the balance point. I viewed a few online videos, and realized that you have to keep pushing the weight past the first click until it clicks again and then again and then again, four times in all before it is finally truly installed. After that, two quick turns and I got it balanced. Phew ! Also, the markings on the tracking force and anti-skating dials are a greyish color that are very hard to see, so I needed a bright work light to see them clearly to make the adjustments. I did appreciate that the cartridge was already installed and aligned on a separate carrier that screws into the tonearm. This should also make stylus changes much easier.I've had the turntable for over a month, and not experienced any problems. I went ahead and purchased the 1.7 lb weight from Fluance, although frankly I can't hear any difference. One thing I would not advise is running a cleaning brush on a record with the turntable turned on, since the motor is not very powerful and it could cause the belt to slip and wear as the speed controller attempts to maintain the set speed.So, overall, I am very pleased with this purchase, and at it's current $500 price I think it's a steal.

The Rt85 was everything I wanted and more. I absolutely love it. If you’re looking for a quality turntable look no further.

Great features for the price. Very glad to to own!

Great packaging. Good directions. Easy set-up. Beautiful bamboo. Love the performance. I am hearing more of my music. Thank You

This table is wonderfully built. The setup was straight forward. Balancing the tone arm and leveling the table was easily done. The table has a wonderful sound. The amount of upgrades are well worth the initial purchase price.

The only con I have is the provided RCA Red/White cables were defected and made a horrible signal artifact. When I reached out the customer service they asked for way to much proof to replace the cables. Someone who pays $500 for a table is trying to scam $20 cables. I pitched better cables off Amazon and now this setup is everything I dreamed it was.

Found my old LP collection from the 80-90's. I bought this to listen to them. The vinyl sound is much better than I remember. This is a great-sounding turntable at a very reasonable price.

This deck is fantastic, everything it is reported to be. Reduced the value purely because I was not advised that there would be duty to pay which was charged at my door (£95). Also 4 stars for simplicity as power adaptor is North American so had to buy an adaptor. Multi-option plug power adaptors are available and would be a better option.

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Simple to set up. Counterbalance the tonearm by feel. Sounds great with my vintage setup.

I've been researching turntables for some time now. I kept coming back to the Fluance RT85. I feel that the RT85 is a great value.It comes with an acrylic platter and a solid plinth. The best upgrade is that it comes with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. Alone this cartridge cost $200.I feel you won't be disappointed.

We liked everything.

The bamboo color base is really cool. There was a bit of newbie fumbling to balance the tone arm but after I figured it out with the help of a useful video, I was really impressed with the sound. I grew up listening to LPs and kept many of the ones I had bought in the late 70s through the 90s. Aside from the nostalgia factor the thing I like most is that the Fluance RT85 with 2M Blue cartridge sounds noticeably better than any turntable I've had previously. Three Cheers!!

Plays excellent. Very detailed. Paired with schiit mani. Get a stylus scale. Take your time setting it up. Make sure it's level.

The sound quality is amazing, the quality and workmanship is by far the best I have seen.

very happy,great!!!!!

For the price point, you're going to be hard pressed to beat it. Maybe the music hall could rival but not in terms of the cartridge. The only real area of criticism would related to the tonearm, of which i've had zero issues. In fact, I would argue any discrepancy in build quality of the tonearm is more than negated by the cartridge. So while it may be nice to see a little more refinement in that area, to match the rest of the features the TT offers, it really is a great package. 3 feet leveling system is the way to go, couldnt have been easier to get leveled. Would like to see the weight stabilizer included with the table, honestly think the difference it made to my overall sound would qualify it as an essential accessory. But really I couldn't be happier with this turntable, so glad I went with the RT85.

What a good looking turntable,easy set up and excellent performer.

I watched many positive reviews and saw that this was on many "Best Gear" lists so decided to try one. Shipping speed was good and all. I had issues with the turntable humming even with the ground wire properly hooked up to the amp. Secondly, I had issues getting the counter weight to thread correctly on the end of the tonearm and once on, found it nearly impossible to get it to track correctly after setting it to the 1.8 grams of force and the anti-skate to 1.8 (as best as I could see because the markings are minuscule). During install the belt slipped off the acrylic platter and that in itself was a struggle to get back on.Aside from hum, the whole mdf plinth acts like a microphone and you could talk next to it and hear slightly through the speakers...In the end, I prefer the AT-LP140 over this and in my mind it is a better turntable sans the Ortofon 2m Blue.Any how, I am no noob to audio gear but this experience was frustrating. I am not sure where all these fivestar reviews are coming from...

Couldn't have asked for a better experience. Loving my new RT-85 and Signature Hi-Fi speakers.

Easy to assemble. Good idea to watch a video about how to set the thing up. Its pretty simple, even for someone who has not had a vinyl player for about 20 years. I initially thought the entire ortafon stylus was the 'protector' piece, luckily I didn't toss the thing since its about 200 bucks. Make sure you get a pre amp and the fluence speakers seem to work well. My only gripe is that it sometimes goes quiet and then 'pops' loudly. I guess its part of the break in process for the system. Hopefully it works that out after use.

Everything that I have been missing all this time from my vinyl records, I am hearing it finally. There is nothing else to say but: AWESOME to the max! Can't recommend it highly enough.

I stumbled on Fluance products through an online ad, shocking, I know. But then I dove in and researched the product line because I was in the market for a new vinyl set up. Turns out the brand is well designed, the pieces are not only beautiful but sturdy and most important: THEY SOUND GREAT! The Piano White RT85 Reference turntable with acrylic platter, Ortofon cartridge and matching bookshelf speakers with a 10" sub woofer and my listening room just took a huge step up, all for less than $1k - Amazing value.
Like many, I've had a cobbled together vinyl set up for ages and have endured it out of habit. I finally treated myself to an upgrade and I couldn't be more pleased with everything: from the packaging to the white glove set up and the highest quality components. I love my new audio set up and I now love this company. I look forward to many years of listening enjoyment and can't wait to try some of the other products. WELL DONE FLUANCE! *****

As expected.

Set up instructions are a bit wonky so be thorough reading them before you get started. Nice turntable though, no complaints on performance.

Having owned the RT-85 for over a year now I thought it was time to finally do this review. Our RT-85 gets used four or five times a week for at least a couple of hours each use.

The Piano Black finish is what we dislike the most about the RT-85. It's not durable at all. Meaning, when you clear a record off and all the debris falls on the plinth, you have to do something to clean that debris off every once in a while. You can't use a soft swiffer or even use the softest micro fiber cloth on the RT-85 plinth because you will scratch the finish! For this reason the only thing you can safely use to clear off the plinth is a can of compressed air. The finish is so easily scratched we actually have couple scratches around the speed selector and have no clue how they even got there, had to be from just turning it on and off. So the slightest touch can actually scratch the piano black finish. We can't use the white gloves every time we play records! Thought those were just for the setup. Anyhow, if we had it to do all over again we certainly would never have chose the piano black.

The cue lever feels extremely cheap, this is my only other complaint about the RT-85. But I need to remember the extreme value of this turntable purchase, the Ortofon Blue is a $236 cartridge and the acrylic platter is a $120 upgrade. So in reality the RT-85 is a $143 turntable that comes with $356 worth of upgrades. When I remember this, I suppose the cheap feeling cue lever is not really something to complain about.

My 2 star deduction is solely based on what I feel is a very poor durability finish. We take pride in our HI-FI gear around here and want to keep our gear looking beautiful for as long as possible. With the RT-85's Piano Black finish and our regular use, I don't believe that will be possible. I'm considering disassembling the turntable and taking it somewhere to have it professionally vinyl wrapped. I can't think of any other solution to cover the poor durability finish.

IMO, the best turntable for the price, probably even a higher price point. Great sound, no noise, and the 2m Blue is a nice plus. Easy to set up, the only trouble I ran into was getting the pulley cover on right, but no big deal.

I have been enjoying this 'Fluance RT85 Reference Series High Fidelity Turntable'. It has been over six months now since the purchase and setup, and the listening quality of the albums that I played is unsurpassed in comparison to others.The tone-arm and cartridge are great, well balanced, smooth skate and glide and the Blue M2 Ortofon cartridge has a very noticeable gain in the range of sounds picked up.I would definitely recommend this turntable for anyone who is looking for audiophile sounds without breaking the budget!

It took my husband forever to figure out how to set up the tone arm properly, using the instructions, internet/youtube advice and how-to videos. But everything else was pretty easy between the two of us figuring it out (instructions are, as with most electronic equipment these days, not always easy to decipher). But I cannot ignore the fact that it looks fantastic and albums sound awesome. I have many Fluance speaker systems throughout the house, and this is my second Fluance turntable. I have always been entirely satisfied with their products. This was no exception.

Pros: easy to set up. It comes with everything needed to get it properly set up and running.Price: at $500 it is a good value considering the cartridge.Motor: dead quiet. No audible rumble.Sound quality is excellent.Cons: For those wanting auto return, it stops at the end of play but no auto return.Overall i am happy with my purchase with no desire to upgrade anytime soon.