Extremely well thought out turntable ---- Lots of pros:
** Price point
** Ortofon 2M Blue cart
** Gorgeous piano gloss black finish
** Belt drive operation untra silent and stable speed
** Three point suspension system is height adjustable
** Allows for your own RCA cables
** Acrylic platter is perfectly flat and silent
** Overall 14-15 pound turntable with some mass

The only con (if you can call it one) is that the appearance of the plinth on the box and on the advertisements is thicker than it actually is --- not a biggie but I think the pictures are deceiving.

Just a great turntable at a great price point with excellent sound quality and well engineered for people of all listening levels! Well done!

I am in love with this table. I upgraded from an AT LP60. The sound is simply crisp, clear and amazing. It was like I was sitting in the studio during recording. The acrylic platter is beautiful and the plinth is gorgeous. You will not find a better table for the price... Especially one that come with 2M Blue! You will not regret purchasing this TT.

I received this turntable on Dec. 28th , set up was a breeze and it sounds terrific with the Ortofon 2m blue cartridge , the acrylic platter looks great against the walnut finish on the plinth , I checked rpm with a phone app and found it dead sold , the build quality is great and the sound is awesome coming from my vintage JBL L36 three ways , well worth the purchase price !

I had an RT81 for a while. I ended up trading it in for something else. My biggest complaints were the build in pre-amp and the hum I just couldn't isolate no matter what I did (with the pre-amp on or off). I just attributed most of my issues to the bulit in pre-amp as I've heard other tables with similar issues that also had a built in pre-amp.

I was most intrigued when I read about the release of the new higher end tables. I ordered the RT85 (go big or go home), and it arrived yesterday. I unboxed it, and it's just beautiful and well built. The acrylic platter is very heavy and the entire unit just feels well constructed. Instructions were clear, and unlike every other turntable I've bought, this table comes with high end RCA cables that are gold plated. Also a pair of white gloves were included. Not necessary, but a clever touch. I also felt under dressed for the occasion.

Got it all hooked up, and turned it on for the test. Biggest first test, NO HUM. Zero (I ran it into a Yamaha AS-701). Then I did a few speed checks (that's an issue I didn't have with my RT81 but one I know many have claimed to have). I did a few strobe light tests and a few tests with an app I have on my phone. Both tests returned very excellent results. All within +-.03 (better than the advertised .07). So the speed is dead on. I also checked the accuracy of the counter weight numbers, and they were pretty close to perfect as well according to my digital scale. I then checked the alignment of the cart and it too was spot on.

Threw on a few records to begin my listening test. This table sounds great. There's really no other way to word it. I got zero feedback (which I did sometimes with my RT81), no issues with inner groove distortion on anything I've played. I've played it with lid open, down and off, and haven't heard any differences in the three. I still need more time to break in the Ortofon Blue, but once it's broken in, I have zero doubt everything will really open up. I've used Blues in the past and I know they do take around thirty hours to break in.

In closing, this truly is an audiophile table at a great price. There isn't a VTA adjustment, but as long as you're using the included cartridge (or upgrade within the Ortofon 2M family), I shouldn't think that would be a major issue. It sounds great and it outshines the competition in it's price range by a long shot (looking at you U-Turn Orbits). I'd even venture to say it's better than the Pro-Jects in this price range as well. It also has something the competition doesn't. Automatic stop at the end. That doesn't sound like a big deal to many, but to me it is. I've gotten over the fact that nobody today is going to make an audiophile grade fully automatic table (that dream died in the 70s and 80s apparently lol), but just having the auto stop option at the end puts this table (and the previous Fluance tables) a step above the competition to me.

Final verdict. Total knock out home run. It looks great, it sounds great and I love it. I'll be using this for years to come. Buy it today. I don't think you'll regret it.

I would love to be the 1st yo review but unfortunately wont br able to purchase it till the new year....