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

I did the research and this TT and the Project Debut Carbon EVO came in as the two best in this price range. I was going to try both but after hearing the RT85 with the included Ortofon Blue cartridge, I didn’t see the point in trying the Project. And one feature that I really like is the auto stop feature when it gets to the end of an LP. All the others keep spinning and this can significantly wear down the needle if you forget or fall asleep. I can recommend this turntable to anyone looking in this price range.

Being 65 years of age and growing up with records, I collected over 3,500 albums. I sold many of them during the late 80s when I mostly purchased and played CDs. Ive owned Thorens, Linn Sondek, Ariston, Music Hall, Rotel turntables and others during those years. I still have over 1800 albums in my collection. I read great reviews on the Fluance RT-85 and decided to try it. Simply put, you could not find a better turntable at anywhere near the 499.00 price point. It is exceptional for the money. While other much higher priced tables are equipped with a lower grade cartridge the RT-85 is shipped with the Ortofon 2M Blue cart. That is a 236.00 dollar cart that is included. It is a very good cartridge. I will be upgrading to the Bronze. The RT-85 is a well built and beautiful looking turntable. The price vs performance is off the charts in value. I can not recommend the Fluance RT-85 high enough. If one is on the fence about buying one, dont be. Buy it. Kudos to you Fluance !!

Outstanding sound

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!

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 wasnt 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

The Fluance RT85 is a massive step up from my previous turntable (the AT-LP60), in terms of both sound quality and quality of construction. The combination of the Ortofon Blue cartridge, the acrylic platter, and the overall precision and craftsmanship of the unit is really hard to overstate. This is a beautiful, beautiful turntable with very little coloration to the sound. Once properly grounded, it is dead quiet with no discernible noise or distortion at all.

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

This sounds AMAZING! This is my first introduction into the audiophile range of tables and styli and I am blown away!! I upgraded from a 1980s (maybe even 70s for all know) GE TT1000... blah blah fully automatic TT with Audio Technica AT92E cartridge. Though, it really did not sound bad at all, it was just time for an upgrade.

I could not be more happy with this turntable.

Im not a hi fi expert by any means, but this RT85 sounds great. Powered by a Yamaha and JBL bookshelf speakers. I was concerned about sitting it up, it was a 10 minute easy job. I got the bamboo and am happy with my choice not a big problem with dust and finger prints. Didnt know what I was not hearing on my old cd s. Dark side of the moon has new life. Oh this is my first tt in almost 40 years. I made a good purchase. Found my old records from Army days lots to listen to again.