2. analog
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Fluance RT85N Reference Turntable - budget, or not ?

So, last year I sold my entire rig (don't ask, it's complicated), but I still had around 300 albums with nothing to play them on.

With my  Bluesound Pulse Mini, I was able to stream my digital collection and since it had a analogue input, I thought about getting a budget turntable to play the vinyl.

I looked at several brands and investigated both U-Turn and Fluance in detail.

Both brands has some very nice features and design points, but since I like to buy "Local" whenever possible, I opted for the Fluance RT85N Reference Turntable 

The model I opted for has...

  • a very nice piano white gloss finish
  • great design features like...
    • Heavy plinth with suspension feet to reduce vibration transfer
    • Platter rim belt drive for stable speed control
    • no subplatter issues to contend with
    • Acrylic platter - for great details, clarity and bass
    • 33/45 speed switch
      • no fussing with changing the belt on the pully located under the platter like on a Rega
    • a decent arm,
      • with removable headshell
  • Their lineup comes with a variety of cartridge options but the RT85N comes with the Nagoka MP-110

Now, on paper, this TT pails in comparison to the turnable I sold with my rig in every way - except one - SOUND QUALITY!

  • OK so it's not as good as my previous TT with..
    • the 10 pound plnith
    • the bronze cone feet
    • the Audiomods Series III Arm with one piece harness
    • the Soundsmith modified Denon DL103

But it does play music in a very rich and sure-footed manner.

I also opted for the seperate Fluance Phono Stage and not a model that has the  included phono stage, because it provides better upgrade possibilities (if needed)

As with all things audio, I consider cables to be the heart of any system, so I built two pairs of interconnects based on the HELIX DIY design...

The Pulse Mini already had an upgraded power cable

The resulting sound provided a very pleasant detailed reproduction that did not disapoint my ears

  • very pleasant details
  • pleasant high end
  • nicely controlled sibilence
  • a rich and well controlled bass performance 

Unfortunately, using the Puse Mini does not really allow me to discern the imaging capabilities of this TT, but there is nothing to suggest it would not provide adequate performance in this area

So if you are looking for an entry level turntable, I would recomend taking a look at the Fluance line

OR - it you are looking to buy a second TT to try/compare different cartridges - this TT might be a very useful tool for that purpose

Regards - Steve

williewonka
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,970 posts
 

Ah, I didn’t think about plinth weight. Something to consider, thanks.

And of course I meant Fluance.

Honestly, I’ve got to start spell checking the spellchecker!

Just went to the Fluance site. Extremely attractive prices for what you get. 

I'm not looking for anything high end, just something that's going to sound good when I feel like playing an album. Absolutely worth looking into.

williewonka OP
3,099 posts
 

@thecarpathian my previous TT was a labour of love, tweaked over many years, so I learned a lot about what can improve sound quality.

Moving from a light plinth, supposedly designed to shed vibration quickly, to a more robust style that is designed not to vibrate in the first place, was a game changer.

But then you have to isolate it. I achieve this quite simply by using two ceramic tiles...

  • The first sits on some small felt furniture feet from the dollar store and sits on the supporting cabinet or shelf
  • Then I place a layer of drawer liner (from the dollar store)on top of that
  • And then place the second tile on that an the TT then sits on top
  • This "sandwiched" approach using materials of different densities is used in many high end vibration prevention devices costing $$$

The Fluance also has very basic suspension feet which helps.

Regards, steve

blackbag20
515 posts
 

Steve,

Great discussion ... all digital now; thinking of entering the analog world.  Learned a lot!

Thanks!!

dynacohum
674 posts
 

I post on Reddit r/turntables, and the Fluance line is extremely popular on that site. The Orbit Theory does look to be a strong contender in the next level up category, but so are the AT-LP8 and Technics SL100C. The middle ground between them is occupied by the TEAC TN4-D and the Pro-Ject EVO2. I have come to prefer removable universal headshell type arms, so the Pioneer PSLX1000 is in there too, if you don’t mind the DJ style. 

williewonka OP
3,099 posts
 

@blackbag20 - the following might be considered heresy on this forum...

Dipping your toe into the vinyl pool can end up being an expensive proposition - I know, I’ve spent over 20 years tweaking.

It all started back in 1981 when I bought my first TT - a Rega Planar II

I dabbled with 2 channel audio, multi channel audio an then back to 2 channel and then vinyl

So I started tweaking my old 1981 turntable about 20 years ago

  • It started with trying various mats (waste of money)
  • I tried various isolation methods/feet/shelves and "sand trays" (very small benefits achieved)
  • I replaced the arm wiring with a one piece harness (a good upgrade)
  • I upgraded my phono stage three times
    • start out buying a good one like those from Simmaudio Moon - well worth it
  • I upgraded to a moving coil cartridge - Denon DL103
  • I tweaked that cartridge with the addition of a brass plate
  • I replaced the tonearm counterweight with one that had a lower center of gravity
  • I purchased an ACRYLIC platter to replace the original glass platter (a fantastic upgrade)
  • I replaced the plastic sub-platter with an all metal one - another nice upgrade
  • I then replaced the entire arm with an Audiomods Series III arm with a one piece harness (a fantastic upgrade)
  • I upgraded the Denon cartridge to a Soundsmith version (a fantastic upgrade)
  • I built a much heavier plinth (a fantastic upgrade)
  • I had bronze cone feet made for the new plinth - great upgrade
  • and purchased a new stand with better support - it worked very well
  • and implemented the "Tile Sandwich" approach mentioned above
  • along with all of this were various cables & plugs upgrades as well

At the end of the day I had a vinyl rig that performed extremely well - but so did my digital components

Digital music has come a long way from the gear available back in the 80’s and the allure of vinyl is still intriguing to many.

But I must admit, after converting one of my more characterful vinyl albums to digital...

  • on side by side playback comparison, I could no longer tell the difference between the digital or the vinyl tracks.
  • Not only me, but also for a few of my friends.

The biggest improvement to my systems has been with cables and responsible for achieving an extremely detailed reproduction. Take a look at the cables links in previous posts

So, this response is simply to make you aware that - pursuing the vinyl "Rabbit Hole" can drag you into a very complicated and expensive area of this hobby

For other readers - Don’t get me wrong - I do love my vinyl, but knowing what I know now - I could have saved a lot of time and money - but the experience was very educational

And please remember - this is just my opinion based on my ears

So, go ahead, dip your toe into the vinyl pool, but beware of the aligators :-)

Regards Steve

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