Review Details

RT84 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable

Product Rating:

Product Review (submitted on January 13, 2020):

I had been idly contemplating adding a turntable to my bedroom system, and when the Fluance RT84 went on sale during the holiday period, I couldn't resist. The turntable arrived carefully and exquisitely packaged, complete with white gloves and a level. Assembly took a bit of time and patience, but if someone as fumble-fingered as I can manage it, almost anyone can.It's hard to imagine a better sounding turntable for the price I paid; even at its regular price, the turntable is an excellent buy. The Ortofon 2M Blue is an excellent cartridge in its price range (though not universally loved, it should be said). It's rare to find a cartridge of this caliber on a turntable in this price range. The sound it produces is clear and clean; it extracts an impressive level of detail from the record's grooves. All in all, it makes for a very enjoyable listen.The RT84 is not a giant-killer. I have a Rega Planar 3 in my living room, and it's just all-around better. The difference is not as great as the price difference would suggest, though. The differences are most noticeable not in the sound (though the Rega, with Elys2 cartridge, does sound a bit better to my ears) but in materials and build quality. The tonearm cue on the Fluance feels cheap and flimsy--it functions, but it's not a pleasure to operate, and I wonder about its long-term durability. A similar (though less dramatic) difference in quality can be felt when moving the tonearm into a playing position.At its regular price, the Fluance RT84 competes with Rega's entry turntable, the Planar 1. The Planar 1's parts are, unsurprisingly, cheaper than the Planar 3's, but it's still a quality turntable. If I had to choose between the two, though, I might well choose the Fluance. Certainly the Ortofon 2M Blue is better than the Planar 1's cartridge (I say this as the former owner of an RP1, the Planar 1's predecessor). The biggest advantage that the Planar 1 has is a better upgrade path--but that can mean pouring a lot of money into something that started life as an entry-level turntable. The RT84, by contrast, is nearly maxed out. Fluance will sell you the acrylic platter that comes stock with the RT85, but that's about it. It's possible to upgrade the cartridge--indeed, changing cartridges is easier on the Fluance than on a Rega. But given the inevitable limitations of the Fluance's tonearm at this price-point, it probably doesn't make sense to invest much more in a better cartridge--the tonearm won't be able to take full advantage.A final note: If you finish assembly, put a record on the platter, turn the power on, and notice that the turntable is not spinning, don't panic--it just means that the turntable's auto-stop switch is set to "on." As soon as you move the tonearm to begin playing, the turntable will spin. (I forgot about this and had a brief moment of panic before I realized what was going on).(One more final note: I have the piano black, not the walnut, as that was the model that was on sale. It's a very attractive finish, though it does show dust and fingerprints.)