Review Details

RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable

Product Rating:

Product Review (submitted on March 28, 2021):

This is my present to me; an upgrade to my Numark TT200 that I also purchased at Amazon 20 years ago, that finally gave up the ghost. After much research, the Fluance was my choice for a quality audiophile-like turntable that ticked all the boxes. I am experienced with TTs so setup wasn't difficult. This does require assembly. The box arrived in good condition and when specified. I was very excited to have a new TT. Carefully I removed all the parts and assembled them. Calibrated the TT and enjoyed it in short order. The Ortofon 2M Red cartridge adds a high level of definition and the clear acrylic platter isolates any vibration or noise from the playback. Playback is smooth with the belt-driven motor. The tonearm is a sturdy build and the lift mechanism drops gently onto vinyl. The auto-stop stops the platter from spinning after 30-seconds to prevent stylus/vinyl wear. It does NOT return the tonearm to the rest. It is a predominantly manual TT. There is NO pre-amplifier on this model. All items were packaged neatly and in good condition. I am enjoying hearing my LPs and adjusting between 33 and 45 RPMs is an easy do. The dust cover is hinged and closes and opens gently. All cabling is provided and includes white handling gloves to prevent any smudges or oil from hands onto the components. I am hoping for a long enjoyment of this TT and perhaps upgrading my receiver/amplifier/speakers down the road to expand on the sound that this quality TT provides. I think this is a great choice when selecting a $500 TT. My alternate choice would have been the Rega Planar 1 or 2. Both great choices in this price category. I hope this is helpful. Enjoy your music! Jc