RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable
Record Player with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge, Acrylic Platter, Speed Control Motor, Solid Wood Plinth, Vibration Isolation Feet
RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable
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 | ▼ |
|---|---|
| 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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Amazing piece of equipment. My expectations were high and I have not been disappointed! I am listening to music more than ever now!
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The RT85 turntable was an excellent purchase; very good quality for the price being asked. Looking forward to really breaking it in and, concordantly, the many hours of listening enjoyment that it will entail.
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I love my new RT85. I'm going from a pro-ject classic which is a decent entry level turntable. This turntable with the Ortofon Blue gave me a clarity and sound stage that I didn't know was possible with my gear.
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This is my 2nd RT-85 turntable. I bought the 1st one for my Son as a housewarming gift. When I heard it, I fell in
Love with it instantly. Had to get another for my listening pleasure.... -
I’ve been wanting to get back into a HiFi system for years. I found Fluance through a friend and coworker. Immediately started researching what I wanted out of system and decided on the RT85. Best idea yet! The packaging was wonderful and everything was secure inside the box. Shipping was prompt especially buying during a pandemic and holidays. Setup was very easy and the provided instructions were very detailed. I had the platter spinning within about 10 minutes.
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I am so happy with this turntable. The soundstage has expanded over my Pro-ject deck, and the bass is more noticable and refined.
The deck is extremely well made and was easy to set up. Couldn't be happier.
I was disappointed in the amount of time it took for it to get to me (Christmas Season), but Brent at Customer Service was incredible helpful and worked to make my purchase an overall enjoyable experience. I did think about cancelling the order and getting something else, but there is nothing comparable at this price point with this stylus. I am so glad I didn't let disappointment in shipping produce a bad decision as this deck is phenomenal. And Customer Service (Brent in this case) really worked to make me happy. Overall an excellent experience with an outstanding product and customer service. -
the turntable looks and sounds beautiful
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Looks and sounds great seems to look like it is well build.
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Haven’t listened to vinyl in decades. This turntable made me understand why that was a mistake. Sounds incredible.
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So far so good. Couldn't be happier. Setup was super easy. The turntable looks and sounds great. I'm no audiophile, but I could immediately hear the vast sound improvement from my AT LP-60.
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very impressed with the deck. easy set up, and it really does sound sweet. Nice job guys. Combination of acrylic platter and Ortofon cart. is a great pairing. Excellent value.
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Simple and precise with attention to detail.
Great sound without breaking the bank.
The acrylic plater is a must.
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Upgraded to a RT85 at Christmas. Don’t know why I waited so long. Couldn’t be happier with it. Quiet, easy to set up and sounds fantastic
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The RT85 is an excellent turntable for the price. The acrylic platter and Ortofon 2M blue cartridge are usually found on turntables costing significantly more. The sound quality is superb and the table is beautifully designed. Set up was easy. I also liked the autostop feature.
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Very please with my RT85 so far. It's a serious upgrade in quality (and looks!) from my prior turntable. The quality of components is unparalleled for the price, plus it's one of the only high-quality turntables to have autostop these days. Setup was pretty straight-forward and Fluance provides lots of helpful videos if you want to make sure you get things just right. Customer service was super responsive as well!
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!.