Is it terrible? No. Does it need work? ABSOLUTELY! Off the bat, the counterweight is next to impossible to read. The numbers and markings are faint. And, they are so small that a magnifying glass and a flashlight are requirements. Even at that, setting up is a guessing game (I've set up nearly 50 turntables, so I am experienced). Most disappointing was the Nagaoka MP 110. This was not my first encounter with this cartridge, but this one mirrored previous encounters. It builds static as it plays albums. Not just clicks, either. It builds enough static about ½ was through and album that loud "POPs" (loud enough that I worry about damaging my speakers) are discharged in the form of static. The first two I had (on different turntables) experienced the same issue. This is the only cartridge model I've had this issue with. Others (Ortofon, Shure, AT) I've never experienced this. Sending it back for Ortofon Blue

Great turntable, well finished and fantastic value.

I am not an audiophile, one bit. But I do know what sounds good, or should I say GREAT! The Fluance RT86n is the best sounding turntable I’ve ever owned. I attached it to the Fluance pre-amp then a Sonos 5. Wow! So happy with my purchase.

AMAZING RT85N... Packaging was great and the upgrade with the Nagaoka cartridge and acrylic platter makes a big difference.

The positive reviews online for this turntable are very accurate. It's very well made and sounds outstanding. A quality piece of audio equipment that doesn't break the bank. Highly recommend

The RT85N is an excellent bargain. Acrylic platter, warm sounding Nagakoa cartridge. Not sound bright but tonally right. I like the Auto-stop feature of the table. It also has heft and well made overall. Overall happy with my purchase.

Nice turntable! A bit disappointed the dust cover has some scuffs. Not sure how . Also a bit disappointed they didn't include the famous white gloves! The Nagaoka MP-110 sounds fantastic, it's a bit bright but it is not broken in yet.

Love this Turntable. If you want to know more...https://youtu.be/WxTIfqwdU5U

This was my first LP and based on my experience so far, I would definitely recommend this.
I struggled a bit to set it up but in hindsight it would have gone a lot smoother if I just followed the instruction guide and not watch the you tube video

Unfortunately the product I received had some wild issues with static. I've tested two other turntables with my system: AT-LP60 and AT-LPW50PB, both of which had zero issues. I liked the features and looks. Nagaoka cart sounded great, but due to the (what I'm pretty sure was) defect I had to return this TT.

Support from Fluance was adequate. They usually responded withing few business days and tried to help me fix the issue (although unsuccessfully). Chat is the fastest way to get help, it's the only place where you can get an immediate response (during specified office hours).

I'm giving this TT 3 starts. That consists of 2 for product I've received and 4 for customer service.

• I wanted to upgrade my old Technics direct drive semi automatic turntable. Like many, I wanted to upgrade to a newer semi-automatic because I became so use to this feature I thought I couldn’t live without it. While semi automatic is a handy feature, I hardly miss it at all. The record will stop spinning after 30 seconds at the end of the record with the RT85N. You just have to remember to lift the cue and return the arm to its cradle. The sound difference between the RT85N and my old Technics is what really sold me on this newer deck. I don’t know if it is the plinth, the new cartridge, the acrylic platter or a little of everything but the RT85N was much more detailed with a tighter bass than my old deck. I started listening to all my vinyl again with and without headphones.
• The only difference between the RT85 and the RT85N is the “N” uses the Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge instead of the Ortofon 2M Blue. You may think that the Ortofon is a better cartridge being about $90 more expensive than the Nagaoka, then you may want to listen to the two, side by side. I owned the 2M Blue, for a very short period on my last rig, and thou the Ortofon is a more detailed cartridge, I never liked the harsh treble and low bass output of it. The Nagaoka is a much fuller & warmer cartridge with better low end.
• The first thing I noticed about the MP-110, is how quiet it is and how well it handled surface noise. Complete opposite from the 2m-Blue, which didn’t handle surface noise well at all. The cartridge has great bass extension and an amazing mid-range, without being the least bit “shrill” in the treble. Looking at you 2M Blue.
• Set-up was easy. The cartridge alignment was perfect out of the box. Get yourself a digital scale to check the tracking force weight. When I first set the weight to 1.8grams the scale showed I was only 1.65grams. Next I set the anti-skate to 1.8 and checked it with a groveless piece of vinyl and that also was right on.
• The cue lever for the turntable is only dampened downward. When you lift the arm up it is not dampened at all making it feel a bit cheap. I have no problem using the cue lever. The bridge that holds the arm up when cueing is designed so when you lift the arm up at the end of the record and return the arm to the cradle, it sets the arm into the cradle without having to lowering the cue lever. You can then exchange the vinyl and simply move the arm over to the start point. The arm will lift back up without having to touch the cue lever at all. I find this little feature very useful and can’t believe I’ve never seen this done before.
• The “auto-stop” is also a very nice feature. It has worked every time I’ve used it. It’s also nice that the platter stops turning when you return the arm to the cradle and starts again when you move the arm back over the record again.
• This is a well thought out turntable and rivals those costing twice as much. I’m glad I waited for the RT85N to be available in walnut. I really love the full, warm and surprisingly detailed sound from the Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge.
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• HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Brent from customer service emailed me answers to my RT-85N questions within 48 hours. His concise answers helped me select my final purchase, which I'm making today. Fast, straightforward personal customer service is a rarity these days, and Fluance came through. Brent is one of the major reasons I chose to buy a Fluance turntable.

Love the finish...it is a beautiful turntable. The performance of this turntable is many times better than my old unit with much more clarity and fullness of sound. It is very easy to set up and has very clear instructions for the set up.

Wonderful turntable. Sound is up there with higher priced tables. Also this turntable is absolutely beautiful.