
RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable
Record Player with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge, Acrylic Platter, Speed Control Motor, Solid Wood Plinth, Vibration Isolation Feet


PURE ANALOG PERFORMANCE
The definitive vinyl record listening experience for beautifully warm and natural music, transporting you into the center of the performance

EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL ACCURACY
Immerse yourself in the detailed high resolution sound of the Ortofon 2M Blue elliptical cartridge delivering improved linearity, higher channel separation and reduced distortion

HIGH DENSITY ACRYLIC PLATTER
The greater mass of the acrylic platter damps unwanted vibrations resulting in a more 3-dimentional sound with tighter bass, a fuller midrange, and overall improved clarity

SPEED CONTROL FOR PRECISION PLAYBACK
The isolated motor prevents unwanted vibrations and noise while the speed control mechanism ensures consistent platter velocity (0.07% Wow/Flutter)

SOLID WOOD PLINTH
Revel in the gorgeous solid wood cabinet and adjustable resonance damping feet, ensuring superior isolation from unwanted micro-vibrations (Note: phono preamp not included)
Overview
UNPARALLELED VINYL MUSIC PLAYBACK
Specifications

Cabinet Specifications | ▼ |
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Cabinet Material | MDF |
Finish | Matte Bamboo Real Wood Veneer |
Dust Cover | Yes - Tinted |
Turntable Specifications | ▼ |
Drive System | Belt Drive |
Motor | DC Motor with Servo Controller Analyzes motor speed 500 times/sec |
Motor Isolation | Under-mounted 7-point silicone isolation with decoupling isolation ring |
Speed | 33 1/3 RPM, 45 RPM |
Speed Variation | 0.10% |
Wow and Flutter | 0.07% |
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Weighted) | 76 dB |
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Unweighted) | 65 dB |
Platter | Acrylic |
Diameter of Platter | 12 inches (30 cm) |
Weight of Platter | 3 lbs (1.5 kg) |
Height of Platter | 0.62 inches (16 mm) |
Auto-Stop | Yes |
Turntable Mat | Not Required |
Tonearm Specifications | ▼ |
Tonearm Type | Static Balanced, S-Type |
Supported Cartridge Weight | 0.18 – 0.25 oz (5.0 – 7.5 g) |
Counterweight | Yes – 3.60 oz (102 g) - Adjustable |
Anti-skating Adjustment | Yes – Adjustable |
Pivot Bearing | Yes |
Cueing Lever | Yes |
Tonearm Material | Aluminum |
Tonearm Wire | 36 AWG Litz Cable / 7 Strand |
Effective Tonearm Mass | 0.97 oz (27.5 g) |
Overhang | 0.76 inches (19.2 mm) |
Effective Tonearm Length | 8.82 inches (224 mm) |
Headshell Mount | H-4 Bayonet Mount |
Cartridge Specifications | ▼ |
Cartridge Type | Moving Magnet (MM) |
Cartridge Model | Ortofon: 2M Blue |
Replacement Stylus | 2M Blue |
Stylus | 0.3 x 0.7 mil |
Cantilever | Aluminum |
Mount | Half-inch |
Frequency Response | 20 - 20,000 Hz (+2/-1 dB) |
Frequency Range | 20 - 25,000 Hz (-3 dB) |
Channel Separation | 25 dB at 1 kHz |
Channel Balance | < 1.5 dB @ 1 kHz |
Load Impedance/Capacitance | 47k Ohms/150 - 300 pF |
Output Voltage | 5.5 mV |
Cartridge Weight | 0.25 oz (7.2g) |
Headshell Weight | 0.35 oz (9g) |
Cartridge Height | 0.71 inches (18 mm) |
Recommended Tracking Force | 0.06 - 0.07 oz (1.6 - 2.0 g) |
Vertical Tracking Angle | 20° |
Rubber Belt Specifications | ▼ |
Rubber Belt Design | Continuous loop (joint-less) |
Width | 0.17 inches (4.5 mm) |
Length | 36.02 inches (915 mm) |
Thickness | 0.02 inches (0.6 mm) |
Output Specifications | ▼ |
Connector | RCA (Gold-plated) |
Preamp | No - Separate Phono Preamp Required |
Phono Output | 5.5 mV |
Ground Terminal | Yes |
Power Specification | ▼ |
Input | 100 – 240 V AC (50/60 Hz) |
Output | 12 V / 500 mA |
Consumption | 1.5 W |
General Specifications | ▼ |
Dimensions | 5.5 x 16.5 x 13.75 inches / 14.0 x 41.9 x 34.9 cm (HxWxD) |
Unit Weight | 16.76 lb (7.6 kg) |
Operating Temperature | 41°F to 95°F (5°C to 35°C) |
Wireless Playback | No (Requires Bluetooth or WiFi transmitter connected via RCA connection to transmit audio wirelessly) |
Fluance Speaker Size Comparison Chart |
Customer Reviews
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Excellent sound. Works so well with the Fluance preamp, great delivery, well packaged, excellent functionality.
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Amazing turntable for the price. Shipped fast, packed well, and setup is straightforward. I also bought the Fluance preamp and it's great for the price
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You know all those professional reviews you see that say this is the best turntable for under $500? They're right.
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I am very happy with my purchase. The turntable looks elegant and of high quality. The sound is at the height of the company.
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Speedy delivery, great packaging, not only an amazing turntable, but a beautiful piece of art to play music.
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Did alot of research before buying. After 1month of use we continue to be thrilled with our purchase. Excellent addition to our audio system. Exceeded our expectations.
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The Fluance RT 85 is a work of art. Just standing back and gazing at this turntable you know you have something special. The attention to detail is far beyond its competition . I've had many high-end turntables but this is the sweetest , warmest sounding turntable I've owned. It start you out with all the upgrades ( Ortofon 2M Blue, Acrylic platter,) that you would normally expect on a $1000 turntable. I just cant say enough nice things about the sound and craftsmanship of this gem. I am running the RT85 through 2 hot-rodded Carver amps and a C-1 Carver pre-amp with both Klipsch 8000's and Bose 901's speakers depending on my music selection. Also the sales women Laura is just as kind as one could only hope for. I have had zero issues and setup was a breeze. This turntable is all i will ever need . Do yourself a favor and buy this now you wont be disappointed .....
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Heard of the Fluance name on marketplace, and took interest. Via word on the web, it is the best, or others are. I sat in. Bought the marketplace RT80 to get introduced. Joined a Fluance site, and bought a few updates. Before I ever placed a record on it0, I bought my RT85. In this price range, and for this price, as an audiphile , this is near perfect. My winner for life.
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I've had the RT85 for a couple weeks now and it is performing great. I have the walnut base and it looks great. easy and straightforward setup. I've coupled it with a Schiit Mani phono preamp which performs admirably. The Ortofon 2M blue is a nice cartridge. I'm also using a AT VM95ML. I was also considering a similarly priced Pro-ject turntable...I believe I made the best decision going with the RT85...I have several different cartridges and swapping is a breeze with the Fluance tonearm. I'm a totally satisfied customer!
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Amazing turntable superb value,looks and sounds fantastic.
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Amazing turntable that will just blow you away. Best bang for your buck with a turntable.
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Loving it
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Well, I am going to start this review off differently. Most of you have probably already read many glowing reviews on the RT-85 Turntable submitted by the hundreds of fans. I will also write a quick review of the turntable itself in a bit, but let me start off a bit differently and discuss the company and their service.
I received my turntable a couple weeks back and was so excited to unbox it and get it going. When I unboxed it, I noticed a small very light (hardly noticeable) 6” scratch on the dust cover. Other than that, the turntable was in perfect condition. I contacted Fluance via their website and told them about the scratch and sent pictures. Within one day, they contacted me back and offered to give me a 5% discount to make up for the problem. I explained to them that I appreciated the offer, but I was not looking for money and how the scratch, although it was so small, bothered me. I explained to them that I knew it sounds petty, but that I had just gotten a NEW, beautiful and fantastic TT, but the scratch just drove me nuts.
They LISTENED….. and within 10 days or so, they sent me a brand-new dust cover. Now, I don’t know about you but being in sales most of my life, you can’t beat service like that. Most companies today have lost all sense of fairness and service. But not Fluance. Any company that will take care of their customers like they took care of me is a company that I want to do business with, recommend to others, and will continue to do business with. Excellent and Thank You Fluance!!
Now for the review:
I have had a few TT’s in my life, most notable was the Technics 1200. As life goes, I got rid of it and most of my record collection during the 90’s. The last year with having to be locked-up all the time with Covid, I decided to get back into music. I got a cheap beginner’s Sony TT and started collecting so of my old favorite records. Within 6 mouths I was enjoying the return to vinyl so much, I decided to get a new TT, did my research and settled on Fluance RT-85. I ordered my RT-85 a few weeks after Christmas and had to weight about 4 weeks to get it in. I guess the holiday sales and Covid had them backed up. Was it ever worth the wait!!
The RT-85 comes well boxed. There was no visible damage on the outside of the box. When unboxed, all the parts were there and setup was more than simple. The TT is just beautiful and I highly recommend the RT-85 for not only the Ortofon Blue cartridge, but also the acrylic platter. If nothing else, the acrylic platter really enhances the look and feel of the turntable. Anyway, I used the online video for setup which is quite useful and makes it simple. I balanced the tonearm/cartridges, installed the weight and set it at the required weight. I then checked the weight with a separate arm load meter and it was spot on. I also checked headshell alignment and it too was spot on. Fluance couldn’t have made the whole process easier. Be sure and use the provided white gloves because the high gloss finish will readily show fingerprints.
When I turned it on, it is absolutely deadly quite with no auditable HUM what-so-ever, like I had in the Sony. Hooked up the Sony TT also and compared the two. The sound is incredible from the RT-85. You get higher highs and lower lows, better separation and distinct, crisp sounds, and it presents a bigger stage. I couldn’t be happier.
My only negative if you could call it one is the wall-wart plug. I would have preferred a standard plug with the transformer inside the TT itself. But that is me just being picky to come up with a con. We got a jillion wall-warts on everything these days.
In Summary, I know you can’t get a better turntable for the price out there today. It is every bit as good if not better than the Technics I had back in the day and 1000% easier to set up. It does all that I need in a TT to do and does it outstandingly. That combined with the impeccable service I got from Fluance, makes this purchase and company a hands down winner in my mind. It really is a no-brainer. Just do it.
And by the way, as soon as my daughter heard it, she was so impressed that she wants one too! Looks like I have a second Fluance TT to buy before Christmas this year.
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Beautiful turntable that sounds amazing. My vinyl collection has never sounded better.
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Really loving my RT-85 so far. Feels like I've got a worthy set up now. The ortofon blue sounds great. I'm still getting a little static but I think its because I need to clean my records. Would definitely recommend buying to anyone who has the money. Great value.
See all reviews
Resources
Video
Manual
FAQs
An amplifier is only needed if you’re connecting the turntable to passive speakers such as the Signature Series Bookshelf Surround Speakers.
If you’re looking for an option without a separate amplifier, the Ai40 Powered Bookshelf speakers fit the bill.
With the Ai40, all you need to do is connect the included RCA cables to your preamp, then to the speakers and you’re ready to listen to the music the way it was meant to be heard.
If you intend to use your Reference series turntable with powered bookshelf speakers such as our Ai40 model, a preamp will be required.
The preamp will boost the signal to line level (similar to a headphone jack) so you can play it on speakers with RCA or AUX inputs.
If you have a home theater or stereo receiver/amplifier, you will need a preamp if the amplifier does not have a PHONO input. If you have a PHONO input, you may have a preamp already built in. Be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s specifications or manual for confirmation!
This design choice was made with a number of factors in mind. The main reason was to separate electronics from the turntable’s signal path to maintain the purity of the analog signal. Many listeners also like to customize their listening experience and choose specific components such as preamps based on unique sonic qualities. Using separate components also allows for optimization of cartridge and phono stage compatibility. If you upgrade your cartridge in the future, you can pair with an optimal phono preamp to maximize performance and achieve the sound profile you desire. !
What's new! | What does it mean? |
The motor is located away from the platter | Allows the use of an acrylic platter, reduced rumble at the stylus. |
90pF RCA cables | Upgraded RCA cables with higher capacitance to protect and maintain the purest signal path. |
No internal preamp | Provides a clean signal, with no electronics in the path for increased audio quality. |
Spring loaded adjustable feet with built-in isolation | Allows the turntable to be leveled on any surface, bubble level included. Spike-shaped feet prevent outside vibrations from affecting audio quality. |
Servo controlled motor | Improves speed consistency and reduces wow and flutter by checking the speed up to 500 times per second! |
Ortofon Stylus | All Reference turntables are compatible with Ortofon OM10, Blue and Red Cartridges. |
112g Counterweight | Heavier counterweight to accommodate the Ortofon stylus. More diverse upgrade options. |
Compatible with an acrylic platter (included with RT85) | Heavier, denser material reduces resonance and improves speed consistency, not to mention great looks! |
Customizable | All Reference turntable components are compatible with each other giving you a clear upgrade path! |
These new turntables include a servo belt drive motor.
What does this mean for you?
This means that you have a sensor checking and adjusting the speed of the motor up to 500 times a second to make sure the speed of your turntable is consistent with no manual adjustments, bringing wow and flutter under 0.7%!
Reference turntables are compatible and shipped with with moving magnet cartridges such as the Ortofon OM Super, 2M Red and 2M Blue, giving you the ability to customize your system for top tier performance.
Cartridges must be between 3.5 to 7.5 grams to be balanced correctly.
Acrylic is an extremely stable and dense material. This greatly reduces resonance that can be picked up by the cartridge from the environment such as people walking by, large vehicles passing or other sounds that create a lot of vibration.
This also gives it considerably more weight compared to an aluminum platter of the same size. The extra weight of the platter during rotation helps the platter to spin flatter and at a more consistent speed, reducing wow & flutter.
There is no need to use a platter mat with the acrylic platter!
If a platter mat is used, it may interfere with the vertical tracking angle of the stylus.
Additionally, the resonance of acrylic is very close to vinyl so a mat is not needed.
As an added bonus, the acrylic looks fantastic!
All Fluance Reference turntables are sold with an Orotfon cartridge included.
We do know that our users love to customize their decks and there are many options out there, so we designed our Reference series to have extensive upgrade potential! The Reference tables can easily accept other Ortofon cartridges such as the often requested 2M Bronze and Black!.