Fluance RT82 Reference Turntable Review: Taking vinyl to the next level

Reference turntables from Fluance give a pure analog signal to the listener for complete control. How does the entry level RT82 perform?

Follow us:

Other channels:

[jimbosmith]

I gotta say, reading through these comments contradicts almost everything else I've read about these turntables. I have had my eye on an rt82 for a while now because of all the good things I keep reading about them. I've been doing lots of research into my turntable purchasing options and this model (walnut finish) has me the most excited. Not sure what dark corner of the internet these comments came from. I am sure there are better options if you are willing to drop more money but probably not for $299. Idk seems like a pretty solid turntable to me. Lots of other trusted sources say the same thing.

[marbleman]

I am 68 and the last time I had any stereo equipment was way...way..back in the early 1970's when I was in the U.S. Navy. I had a Dual 1229 Q turntable with a Shure M91-ED cartridge. I had it running from a Kenwood amp @70 watts RMS per speaker, a matching Kenwood tuner, and a couple of great sounding Lyric 3 way speakers. My life got real busy after I got out of the Navy and I never had the chance to upgrade anything ( why should I, what I had was a good system ), got married & had two children; working full time to support my family. I love music and was raised with music; Mother giving piano lessons from home, her teaching choir ( even had her as my choir teacher once ), and myself always in the school choir; really liking the acapella singing the most, listening to the great musicals such as Oklahoma !, South Pacific, Carousel, at home on the phonograph player ( there's an old term for 'ya..! ). With that background, I developed a good 'ear' for music; I can sing on pitch and keep time just fine and love hearing and singing along with the harmony part. But these days, all I seem to read and hear about; like here on YouTube, is the latest & greatest 'what-ever', and all of the technical specs, but I very seldom if ever, hear or read about the most important piece of gear...the Human 'ear'; how a person actually hears the music and the ability to hear the nuances of the instruments being played and the subtle harmonies. Many people are tone deaf and have a "tin" ear, and having a super expensive system won't help them one bit. They would be better off just buying a simple & inexpensive little stereo system from Amazon or Wal-Mart. Does it really require a multi-thousand dollar system to have great sounding music? Of course not, but that's what everything is about these days, isn't it...having the "best" equipment; the most expensive equipment, the ones with the best specs. My Lyric speakers were only..back then...about $100.00 for the pair. Thee was another guy in the barracks that spent a lot more money for the Advent 2-way speakers for his system. One day he stopped by my barracks room and I had an album playing; one that I knew he also had. I could tell that he was concentrating on something, so I asked him. He said that he was listening to the album and was hearing stuff that he had never heard through his more expensive Advent speakers. I had caught some flak for having my "cheap" speakers, but after that, I noticed other guys buying those same Lyric speakers. Ha...I rest my case..!!

[Frichilsasta]

That Alabama Shakes album is great. Can't imagine how it sounds on some decent speaker setup

[boristahmasian]

I am using my RT82 with a DJPre-II preamp and the sound is great. So far so good. The sound from my internal Onkyo TX-NR787 phono was not good at all so I opted for the DJPre as a cost effective alternative to more expensive preamps.

[douglasbonner]

Nothing against Fluance but Reference series, models, etc, is a term used far too often in the audio industry and many times simply not true to what the word reference would imply.

[recordspinner]

Nice overview 👌 thanks ! Have you had any trouble with a grounding "hum" in the background ? I've read several reviews of the RT82 that stage there is a him that needs to be dealt with hence the 2nd grounding cable that came with the turntable. No other turntable comes with two, odd

[rphotographer]

How was the motor speed right out of the box?....33 and 45? did you have to make any adjustments?
Thanks!

[Artcore]

Thoughts or experience with the Pro-Ject Debut Recordmaster USB turntable? The newer one with the 2M Red. I intend to listen in real-time via USB through my HTPC going straight through my Khadas Tone Board, this way I can use a high quality digital EQ (my custom speakers absolutely require the use of an EQ to boost bass).

[startreker]

Play it my high end head phones had been ready❤

[dannymcneal]

I noticed in the video that when showing the rubber isolation feet, one of the was cockeyed, looked to be extended too much? Best to start with them all screwed all the way in and then begin loosening them. I’m sure there are no stability issues, just didn’t look solid to me. Thanks for a great summary!

[unwiserjester]

What’s the headphone stand that he’s using?

[ttownscott]

This is a nice cartridge. Just update the stylus for more performance.

[RilakkumaGirl]

do you have to buy the wire separate ?

[bhongski]

hi! sir, can i use fluance SX6W high definition spaekers in this model (fluance rt82)? thanks

[dsilber]

My pre compact disc turntable must have been reference. If was purely analog because digital was around and I played a record dropping down the needle my self. A lot of fun when I got around to creating WAV files of all my records and then gave up, made MP4's and to this day play the music on my iPod

[JacobFrey]

Your explanation of "reference" doesn't make much sense to me. Whether a turntable's audio output has gone through a phono preamp or not, it's still a "pure analog signal". A phono preamp is an analog circuit.

[Jammerk]

I like this turntable but it has a few flaws and one is the tone arm could have been built better and the dust cover and plinth are prone to scratches! Why I say the tone arm is because they use only one screw under the part you attach the head shell and it's just sloppy I mean by that it moves side to side some! At least mine does!

[JamesHLee-unun]

Can this turntable cartridge or platter upgradable?

[xfoolsgoldx]

What the difference between this and the 81

[yeahbutytho]

Another review that does not mention bearings or motor quality and isolation.