Fluance RT85 Record Player Review

The Fluance RT85 Record Player is a belt-drive hi-fi turntable aimed at buyers who want a proper component record deck rather than an all-in-one player. It comes with an Ortofon 2M Blue moving-magnet cartridge and an acrylic platter, which are both significant factory-supplied parts for this level of turntable.

This is best understood as a serious first hi-fi turntable, not a convenience-focused record player. It suits listeners who already have, or are prepared to buy, a separate phono stage, amplifier and speakers.

The RT85 also appeals to buyers who like manual operation but appreciate a safety net at the end of a side. Its defeatable auto-stop halts the platter, although it does not return the tonearm automatically.

The RT85 uses a high-mass MDF plinth, an acrylic platter and three height-adjustable isolation feet. The overall design is conventional hi-fi: a separate deck, external connections and manual tonearm operation rather than built-in speakers or wireless features.

Its static-balanced S-shaped aluminium tonearm is fitted with a removable bayonet headshell. That makes cartridge changes more approachable than on fixed-headshell designs, provided the replacement cartridge falls within the supported weight range and is correctly aligned.

The supplied Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge is pre-mounted, and the acrylic platter is used without a mat. Fluance states that a mat is not required with this platter, which may surprise buyers moving from turntables with felt or rubber mats.

Around the back, the RT85 provides RCA outputs and a ground terminal. There is no internal phono preamp, so the build is deliberately centred on analogue component-system use rather than one-cable convenience.

The headline feature is the Ortofon 2M Blue moving-magnet cartridge. It uses a nude elliptical stylus and has a 5.5 mV output, making it a more capable supplied cartridge than the basic cartridges often bundled with entry-level decks.

The acrylic platter is another important part of the package. It adds mass and damping compared with the aluminium platters used on lower Fluance Reference models, and it is part of the reason the RT85 is attractive to buyers who might otherwise upgrade a cheaper deck later.

The belt-drive system uses an isolated DC motor with servo speed control for 33 1/3 and 45 RPM playback. Official specifications list 0.10% speed variation and 0.07% wow and flutter, while 78 RPM playback is not supported.

Practical features include adjustable tracking force, adjustable anti-skate, height-adjustable feet and a defeatable auto-stop function. These are useful, but they do not make the RT85 fully automatic and they do not remove the need for careful setup.

Setup is more involved than with a plug-and-play record player, but it is typical for a hi-fi turntable. The user needs to install the platter and belt, attach the headshell and counterweight, level the deck, balance the tonearm and set the tracking force and anti-skate.

For the supplied Ortofon 2M Blue, the setup chart specifies 1.8 g tracking force and anti-skate set to 1.8. The deck also needs RCA and ground connections to a phono stage or phono input, otherwise low volume or hum may result.

Placement is important. The RT85 should sit on a rigid, level surface away from speakers, and the manual advises removing the dust cover during playback for best audio performance.

Day-to-day operation is largely manual. The user selects speed with the control knob, cues the arm with the cue lever and places the stylus on the record, while the optional auto-stop can stop the platter at the end of a side.

The servo-controlled motor and belt-drive layout are intended to support stable playback while reducing motor vibration reaching the stylus. The published speed and wow-and-flutter figures are competitive for a component turntable in this class, though final results will also depend on correct setup and placement.

Connectivity is simple and analogue-only. The RT85 outputs a phono-level signal via RCA sockets with a ground connection, so it must be connected to an external phono preamp or an amplifier, receiver or powered speaker system with a suitable phono input.

There is no USB, Bluetooth, built-in amplifier or speaker system. That keeps the RT85 focused on hi-fi playback, but it also means it will not suit buyers looking to digitise records or stream wirelessly without extra equipment.

The RT85’s sound should be judged in the context of its cartridge, platter and the system it is connected to. Based on the supplied Ortofon 2M Blue, it is reasonable to expect a clean, detailed and relatively open presentation when partnered with a capable moving-magnet phono stage and suitable speakers.

The 2M Blue is commonly associated with clarity, separation and a more explicit top end than warmer cartridge choices. That can be a strength for listeners who value detail, but it may not be the ideal balance for systems that are already bright or unforgiving.

The acrylic platter, belt drive and isolated servo-controlled motor support the aim of stable, low-resonance playback. However, this is still a turntable that depends heavily on levelling, tracking force, grounding and isolation from speaker vibration.

Because the RT85 has no built-in phono stage, the choice of external phono preamp matters. A basic or poorly matched phono input can limit what the supplied cartridge is capable of, while a better MM stage is a sensible upgrade path.