I know this is 5 months later. Very nice. Also love how your colored LED lights shine through and cause the acrylic platter to light up with the same colors. Cool indeed. I've seen other reviews and videos of the Fluance RT-85 and if I ever need to replace my trusty ol' 1980s vintage Technics SL-QL15 linear tracker, that is the turntable I am seriously considering. Now, the Technics is still working like it is brand new (and I just recently upgrade the cartridge on that thing to a $200 LP Gear Reference VS cartridge on it - almost like a whole new turntable!). I really do like how the Fluance RT-85 looks and everything that I've read/saw is that it really sounds very good, especially for a $500 US turntable. Excellent and hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it. I don't know what you had before, but that does look like a significant upgrade to you.
I like your enthusiasm. I have two AT turntables with S-shaped tone arms. I've acquired a handful of cartridges and headshells. I've convinced myself that I want two more features these TTs don't have: one is auto-stop. The other is that I want no electronics built in. The fact that this Fluance satisfies both of those, AND will accept my existing headshells, AND at a decent price - I think maybe I should give it a try. The only other choices I've found with similar attributes are double, triple or more in cost.
Hey there! Yes- those qualities are good to have and this Fluance TT checks both of those boxes. I love the wooden plinth on this TT and the lack of electronics inside. I feel like it really makes a difference and I definitely would recommend this TT. It’s widely used in the Vinyl Community and now I know why. For the price point it can’t be beat! Thanks for tuning in!
Hey thanks a lot! I am sure you will love your RT85! No regrets from me. Here’s a link to the lights in my room. I’m pretty sure these are the ones, although unfortunately it looks like they are sold out! There are some other options available on the website though. Good luck and enjoy! ca.govee.com/products/govee-100ft-wi-fi-led-strip-lights?Title=Default%20Title
It it’s a great turntable I have the RT 84 I chose to not get the acrylic platter not a fan of acrylic I have a leather platter mat I’ve used for years
I want this so bad. But i might have to settle for the 81+. Im just getting into vinyl and dont know if i should get the 85 already. Should i just spend the 200 more to get this one?
I can’t really answer this one for you. There are many factors to consider, including what you are comfortable spending on a turntable. When I started off, I had a lower end turntable for many years and I was very happy with it. Also consider what kind of records you are going to be playing. Are they brand new and Mint or are they used and slightly scratched up? If most of your records are not in the best condition, then I would focus on improving the quality of your records before spending big on a new turntable. It’s an expensive hobby and it can all add up fast. Also take a look at your collection right now and ask yourself, could this money be better spent on some nice records, or on this turntable? The best advice I can give to anyone getting started is to take your time, don’t rush it, and enjoy yourself along the way. Good luck!
@@StylusMeetsVinyl perfect advice! Thank you. Right now i have a cheap audio technica turntable. The only reason im considering the 85 or 85n is because over the past 3 years i have been upgrading my speakers and receiver. And with those i went through some cheap one first and now i have 3 pairs of speakers just collecting dust and making the wife mad. Lol. But most of the records i have are new remastered ones. I have a few used ones but i do think ill be getting newer ones. I got my cousin the 81+ since he has a large collection of vinyl and it sounds way better! I do think ill save up for the 85N. But ill keep this AT fir a while. Thanks again for the advice
Hey! So mine Was an RT-83, but after about a year, I upgraded to the Fluance acrylic platter and the stylus from the 2m red to the 2m Blue. I call it an RT-85 ever since. Correct me if I’m wrong. A much more costly route Now but I got this when they were still fairly new. Anyway I’ve had the RT-85 for about 5 yrs now and it is Fantastic! Everything about it is Exactly how it was when I got it! Dependable! I don’t know How Fluance does it at this price point…. But I will argue that the RT-85 is NOT an entry level table! It’s exceptional in build quality and sound. Beautiful deck. Definitely audiophile sound after proper break in period, especially! I doubt I’ll ever change turntables. My 2 cents
Nice! I’d say that counts as an RT 85 for sure. I’m glad you like it! Still breaking mine in and I’d agree, it’s definitely not “entry level” (to me). All the feedback I’ve gotten has been positive. Thanks for sharing!
I've owned my Fluance RT-85T for several years. It's a great value for the money. Mine was equipped with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I'm pleased that it is belt-driven, too. Incidentally, use a decent vinyl cleaning system to improve your listening results. I use a Kirmuss Audio ultrasonic cleaner, but if you use a Spin Clean, it will help too.
Awesome, I’m glad it’s working well for you! It’s a great table. I’ve got a Spin Clean and I am pretty diligent about cleaning my records. Time consuming though. Maybe someday I’ll have an ultrasonic but for now the Spin Clean will have to do. Thanks for weighing in.
Enjoy your new RT-85, for what you get you can’t beat it. That stylus is 250 bucks alone! Bought myself the same last year, bamboo. Not an audiophile either, but it sounds so warm. Definitely could hear a difference between that and my LP 120.
Thanks William. I am enjoying it! I’ve got the stylus broken in and it’s sounding incredible. Warm is an excellent way to describe. No regrets at all with this one and I think anyone would be pleased with this TT. Thanks for watching!
Hahaha. I don’t know what I was thinking when I said that! Didn’t realize it until I rewatched the vid. I guess I was excited about the TT! Couldn’t think straight.
My old Marantz bit the dust last Spring and I ordered the RT83 with Red Ortofon cartridge after doing a lot of research. I could not be happier. Congratulations on this new acquisition!
Enjoy! I have the same model, but in black. Mine has treated me well for the 1.5 years I've owned it. Big upgrade over my original cheapo model. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the autostop doesn't work on mine. It might be user error too.
Thanks! That’s a bummer about the auto stop. Mine works but takes a solid 30 seconds before it stops. Did yours come like that or stop working over time?
Hey Dood thanks! I definitely appreciated your video and recommendation about the TT! I used that knowledge to drop all of the hints to my fiancé and she got it for me! 😂
Great to hear and see your review! Glad you're happy with it. I'm not an audiophile by any definition, and I try to get gear that's a good value, but I do believe if you're going to upgrade gear you may as well get something that's a significant improvement over what you had - it sounds like you did that for sure.
Thanks AG! My friends and I have a motto for camping equipment, which I think applies to audio gear as well: “Buy once, cry once!” There’s no sense in buying something crappy that you will inevitably have to upgrade later when it breaks or you become unsatisfied with it. Just splurge on the good stuff and it’ll last!
Have you experienced how easy the dust cover is to scratch ? I may reach out to Fluance and ask. I used the gloves provided with the turntable to dust it and now it’s all scratched
Oh damn, that stinks! No, I haven’t had any scratching issues yet. I also haven’t dusted or polished it yet though. In the manual it says to use a microfibre cloth, so I will try to use one when I do. You would think that the gloves would have been ok!
I know this is 5 months later. Very nice. Also love how your colored LED lights shine through and cause the acrylic platter to light up with the same colors. Cool indeed. I've seen other reviews and videos of the Fluance RT-85 and if I ever need to replace my trusty ol' 1980s vintage Technics SL-QL15 linear tracker, that is the turntable I am seriously considering. Now, the Technics is still working like it is brand new (and I just recently upgrade the cartridge on that thing to a $200 LP Gear Reference VS cartridge on it - almost like a whole new turntable!). I really do like how the Fluance RT-85 looks and everything that I've read/saw is that it really sounds very good, especially for a $500 US turntable. Excellent and hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it. I don't know what you had before, but that does look like a significant upgrade to you.
I like your enthusiasm. I have two AT turntables with S-shaped tone arms. I've acquired a handful of cartridges and headshells. I've convinced myself that I want two more features these TTs don't have: one is auto-stop. The other is that I want no electronics built in. The fact that this Fluance satisfies both of those, AND will accept my existing headshells, AND at a decent price - I think maybe I should give it a try. The only other choices I've found with similar attributes are double, triple or more in cost.
Hey there! Yes- those qualities are good to have and this Fluance TT checks both of those boxes. I love the wooden plinth on this TT and the lack of electronics inside. I feel like it really makes a difference and I definitely would recommend this TT. It’s widely used in the Vinyl Community and now I know why. For the price point it can’t be beat! Thanks for tuning in!
great video! just ordered one can't wait. Where did you get those lights? Link? Thanks!!!
Hey thanks a lot! I am sure you will love your RT85! No regrets from me. Here’s a link to the lights in my room. I’m pretty sure these are the ones, although unfortunately it looks like they are sold out! There are some other options available on the website though. Good luck and enjoy!
ca.govee.com/products/govee-100ft-wi-fi-led-strip-lights?Title=Default%20Title
It it’s a great turntable I have the RT 84 I chose to not get the acrylic platter not a fan of acrylic I have a leather platter mat I’ve used for years
That would work too! I didn’t have a mat so I’m happy with the acrylic. Happy spinning!
Very cool my friend, new gear is always awesome! Sorry it took a while for me to watch, but glad I did.
Love the Timelapse!
Enjoy Chris!!
Hey Racer Joe! Thank you very much for checking this one out! I am happy with the new gear so far.
I want this so bad. But i might have to settle for the 81+. Im just getting into vinyl and dont know if i should get the 85 already. Should i just spend the 200 more to get this one?
I can’t really answer this one for you. There are many factors to consider, including what you are comfortable spending on a turntable. When I started off, I had a lower end turntable for many years and I was very happy with it. Also consider what kind of records you are going to be playing. Are they brand new and Mint or are they used and slightly scratched up? If most of your records are not in the best condition, then I would focus on improving the quality of your records before spending big on a new turntable. It’s an expensive hobby and it can all add up fast. Also take a look at your collection right now and ask yourself, could this money be better spent on some nice records, or on this turntable? The best advice I can give to anyone getting started is to take your time, don’t rush it, and enjoy yourself along the way. Good luck!
@@StylusMeetsVinyl perfect advice! Thank you. Right now i have a cheap audio technica turntable. The only reason im considering the 85 or 85n is because over the past 3 years i have been upgrading my speakers and receiver. And with those i went through some cheap one first and now i have 3 pairs of speakers just collecting dust and making the wife mad. Lol. But most of the records i have are new remastered ones. I have a few used ones but i do think ill be getting newer ones. I got my cousin the 81+ since he has a large collection of vinyl and it sounds way better! I do think ill save up for the 85N. But ill keep this AT fir a while. Thanks again for the advice
Hey! So mine Was an RT-83, but after about a year, I upgraded to the Fluance acrylic platter and the stylus from the 2m red to the 2m Blue. I call it an RT-85 ever since. Correct me if I’m wrong. A much more costly route Now but I got this when they were still fairly new. Anyway I’ve had the RT-85 for about 5 yrs now and it is Fantastic! Everything about it is Exactly how it was when I got it! Dependable! I don’t know How Fluance does it at this price point…. But I will argue that the RT-85 is NOT an entry level table! It’s exceptional in build quality and sound. Beautiful deck. Definitely audiophile sound after proper break in period, especially! I doubt I’ll ever change turntables. My 2 cents
Nice! I’d say that counts as an RT 85 for sure. I’m glad you like it! Still breaking mine in and I’d agree, it’s definitely not “entry level” (to me). All the feedback I’ve gotten has been positive. Thanks for sharing!
I've owned my Fluance RT-85T for several years. It's a great value for the money. Mine was equipped with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I'm pleased that it is belt-driven, too.
Incidentally, use a decent vinyl cleaning system to improve your listening results. I use a Kirmuss Audio ultrasonic cleaner, but if you use a Spin Clean, it will help too.
Awesome, I’m glad it’s working well for you! It’s a great table. I’ve got a Spin Clean and I am pretty diligent about cleaning my records. Time consuming though. Maybe someday I’ll have an ultrasonic but for now the Spin Clean will have to do. Thanks for weighing in.
Enjoy your new RT-85, for what you get you can’t beat it. That stylus is 250 bucks alone! Bought myself the same last year, bamboo. Not an audiophile either, but it sounds so warm. Definitely could hear a difference between that and my LP 120.
Thanks William. I am enjoying it! I’ve got the stylus broken in and it’s sounding incredible. Warm is an excellent way to describe. No regrets at all with this one and I think anyone would be pleased with this TT. Thanks for watching!
Great turntable. Congrats. I own the 85N in piano black. I'm super happy with it. Cool video, man, enjoy.
Glad you like the 85N! I was curious about it as well, but I’m happy with the Ortofon Blue. Enjoy!
44 rpm??? What, is that some kinda Canuckdian Metric thing?
It's a beauty Chris, enjoy.
Hahaha. I don’t know what I was thinking when I said that! Didn’t realize it until I rewatched the vid. I guess I was excited about the TT! Couldn’t think straight.
My old Marantz bit the dust last Spring and I ordered the RT83 with Red Ortofon cartridge after doing a lot of research. I could not be happier. Congratulations on this new acquisition!
I’ve seen that Fluance in your videos Mike and always wondered what model you had. Glad you enjoy it!
Enjoy! I have the same model, but in black. Mine has treated me well for the 1.5 years I've owned it. Big upgrade over my original cheapo model. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the autostop doesn't work on mine. It might be user error too.
Thanks! That’s a bummer about the auto stop. Mine works but takes a solid 30 seconds before it stops. Did yours come like that or stop working over time?
Hey Chris, this is a perfect gift for you. It's great to hear your thoughts on this TT and I'm happy to hear that you like it.
Thank you Brian! The perfect gift indeed.
Good review there Chris. Always nice when you get some new equipment and you can notice a difference with the audio.
Absolutely! It’s sounding great. Thanks for dropping by Grant. Gotta love new equipment!
So happy for you man. I’ve heard nothing but great things about that set up. Enjoy!
Thanks Jason!
Great vid! Happy to see you got the RT85 enjoy 🙌 🙏
Hey Dood thanks! I definitely appreciated your video and recommendation about the TT! I used that knowledge to drop all of the hints to my fiancé and she got it for me! 😂
So glad you upgraded! I own the same turntable & I love it! For the $$ it’s amazing 🤘🏻 Enjoy my friend!
Thanks Anthony !
Also, I totally thought I was already subbed to you but I was surprised to see I wasn’t. I just fixed that! 🍻
@@StylusMeetsVinyl omg no worries amigo!
That stuff happens to me all the time! 👊🏻
Great to hear and see your review! Glad you're happy with it. I'm not an audiophile by any definition, and I try to get gear that's a good value, but I do believe if you're going to upgrade gear you may as well get something that's a significant improvement over what you had - it sounds like you did that for sure.
Thanks AG! My friends and I have a motto for camping equipment, which I think applies to audio gear as well: “Buy once, cry once!” There’s no sense in buying something crappy that you will inevitably have to upgrade later when it breaks or you become unsatisfied with it. Just splurge on the good stuff and it’ll last!
@@StylusMeetsVinyl "Buy once, cry once" is a great motto!
Have you experienced how easy the dust cover is to scratch ? I may reach out to Fluance and ask. I used the gloves provided with the turntable to dust it and now it’s all scratched
Oh damn, that stinks! No, I haven’t had any scratching issues yet. I also haven’t dusted or polished it yet though. In the manual it says to use a microfibre cloth, so I will try to use one when I do. You would think that the gloves would have been ok!
@@StylusMeetsVinyl Those are cotton gloves. Do as the instructions say and use a good quality microfiber cloth if you need to dust the thing.
What was your old turntable?
I had my father's old JVC JL-A20, circa 1977. I will still keep it as a backup player. It needs a tune-up but it's repairable.
Congrats on the new turntable. My father in law has had one for a few years and he loves it.
Thanks Nick! Seems like everyone who has one really enjoys theirs!
Oh word new tech!!!!!!
Sounds great! 🤘
Got it and LOVE IT !!
That seems to be the general consensus!