Fluance RT85 Review, A Turntable Record Player with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge

Regardless of how much the world evolves, specific traditions never die. They are preserved with diverse methods and are handed down from one generation to the other. One such tradition is the Vinyl/ turntable tradition. The tradition of playing vinyl records through turntables continues to persist from one generation down to the other.

As a result, various companies have jumped on the vinyl wave to release various turntable editions. One such company is the Canadian company, Fluance. Although Fluance became a household name by selling high-quality speakers, they have joined several other companies in making turntables.

One of the turntable versions they’ve released is the RT85. Curious about what Fluance has to offer in this turntable? Then, please take a seat and let me enlighten you.

Fluance RT85 specification

• Brand: Fluance
• Model: RT85T
• Weight: 16.76 pounds
• Dimension: 13.75 x 16.5 x 5.5 inches
• Material: Wood
• Color: Piano Black
• Connectivity: Wired
• Motor Type: AC Motor
• Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Blue nude elliptical
• Cover Type: Hinged plastic dust cover
• Tone Arm: Static, balanced S-type aluminum
• Platter Type: 12-inch acrylic platter
• Motor Isolation: Under-mounted 7-point silicone isolation with decoupling isolation ring
• Channel Balance: 20-25,000Hz/ 25dB at 1kHz/ 1.5dB @ 1kHz

PERFORMANCE RATINGS

• Ease-of-use: 4.7/5
• Design: 4.8/5
• Cartridge: 4.9/5
• Value for money: 4.6/5
• Set up: 4/5
• Sound Quality: 4.8/5

PROS and CONS

Benefits of Fluance RT85

• It is designed with an acrylic platter that gets rid of irrelevant vibrations.
• The sound quality is highly luxurious and detailed with a consistent sonic signature.
• Easy setup plus detailed instruction manual. 
• The isolation feet are fantastic

Drawbacks of Fluance RT85

• Although it plays details, it is nothing compared to higher-end turntables.

Related Fluance Turntable Review: Fluance RT81 

Review Methodology:

When the RT85 was delivered to my doorstep, I have to say I felt the rush of excitement. My Fluance turntable finally arrived after a couple of days of waiting in anticipation. Well, it came in a brown carton as it was perfectly wrapped. Once I opened the carton, every single part of the turntable was sitting pretty in nylon wraps. It also comes with hand gloves. Perhaps to prevent you from littering the turntable with your fingerprint.

So, I wore the rubber gloves and then proceeded to take the turntable and the other equipment out of the box. Then, I started setting it up. Of course, I'd gone through a turntable setup phase before. So, it was pretty easy for me to handle. Aside from that, the RT85 is generally easy to set up. If you can't find your way around, use the instruction manual as a guide. The turntable lacks a built-in preamp or speaker. Hence, I had to invest in a good preamp.

Connecting your speaker to the RT85 is an easy task. All you need is the RCA output cable that comes with the package. It helps you quickly connect the turntable to your external speaker. A DC 12V power cable has also been included in the package.

Part of the setup requires you to mount the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. Generally, my experience with the unboxing and the setup was pretty smooth and easy.

While I got busy with setting up this turntable, I could tell that it would be a good turntable in the end. Of course, my certainty transcended the gut feeling as I have spent years religiously reviewing every single turntable that hits the market. I'm pretty big on the vinyl wave. I started this journey of reviewing turntables ages ago out of my love for enjoying ages-long vinyl records that I inherited from my grandparents.

After falling victim to series of sham turntables, I took it upon myself to diligently review every turntable on the market. Having garnered years of experience reviewing turntables (both good and bad ones), I can instantly tell when a turntable will either be everything terrible or nothing short of amazing. And from the setup phase of the RT85, take it from me when I say that this turntable is worth every penny you spend on it.

Product Detailed Review

Design

Undoubtedly, Fluance put careful thought into the design and build quality of this turntable. You can feel the aura of luxury and class written all over the design with its acrylic platter and solid yet glossy wood. The combination of these two designs gives it a modern outlook. It perfects its look with a tinted dust cover to prevent dust from accumulating on the surface.

Sound Quality

When you think you've seen all that the RT85 offers, Fluance shocks you with the sound quality. I must admit that after eagerly mounting the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge that came with the turntable, I did a quick test run with one of my favorite records. Surprisingly, the sound I got nothing short of fantastic. The soundstage took me by surprise with the amount of detail it released, details that I probably had never really heard before.

Then it did something to the bass. The bass all through the record was just perfect and profound. I enjoyed how it released all of the juicy details hidden in the record I played. At a point, it made me doubt that I ever knew the song as I heard it from an entirely fresh perspective; the perspective of the RT85.

Modern Features

Aside from the modern and sleek look of the RT85, it uses the modern auto-stop feature to stop your spinning records after it has been exhausted. Nevertheless, the RT85 is still old school at heart as it doesn’t have the built-in Bluetooth feature. You also cannot connect any device to this turntable via a USB cable.

Acrylic Platter

The acrylic platter of the RT85 judiciously contributes to the impressive sound quality it produces. Thanks to its density and mass, it reduces unnecessary and disturbing vibrations while simultaneously ensuring the turntable rotates at a consistent speed. The acrylic also contributes to the impressive mid-range while improving the signal clarity.

Fluance RT85 Alternatives

• Rega Planar 1 Plus
  Although this award-winning turntable sells at an affordable price, it follows a very sleek and high-end design. It has a built-in MM phono stage that is of high quality. The motor on this turntable was explicitly designed to damp the annoying vibrations that rear its head while you're trying to enjoy your record. The motor is also low noise and an excellent alternative for the RT85.

• U-Turn Orbit Custom
  With moving magnet cartridges, the U-Turn Orbit turntable delivers a high-quality audio signal directly from your record. Coupled with the acrylic platter, you’re in for a real eargasm as it cleanly interprets every detail embedded in your record.

Verdict

In the end, the RT85 from fluence delivers up to the standard expected of it from its design. The acrylic platter and the high-quality cartridge (Ortofon 2M Blue) are the major forces behind the detail it produces. I remember how a simple test run turned into a full-blown music session that had me digging through the rack of vinyl records.

I mean, I had my favorite records and those that I didn't like so much. However, I dug out those not-so-loved records and sampled them on the RT85. And guess what? This turntable helped me discover the beauty in those not-so-loved records.