Pro-Ject or Fluance: Who’s Stealing the Spotlight?

Pro-Ject vs Fluance – both companies produce seriously good turntables and have built loyal followings in recent decades.

Each manufacturer provides a great range of product offerings, high-quality turntables, and excellent reviews from experts and audiophiles.

Which company should you choose, and which turntable is best? Read on to find out!

We certainly hope you find this article helpful, informative and unbiased. Just so you know, we may receive compensation if you use the links on this page. If you do, thank you so much!

Do Pro-Ject and Fluance Make Good Turntables?

While Fluance has fewer turntable models, they do have a good range of features and price points.

Fluance turntables have high-quality construction, particularly in attention to detail in their popular RT85 model.

Popular Fluance Turntable Models

Fluance RT85 Turntable with Ortofon Cartridge,...

Fluance RT81 Elite High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable...

Fluance RT80 Classic High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable...

Pro-Ject on the other hand, has a much more comprehensive range of turntables, with specialty lines, features, and designs to cater to different needs and preferences.

Because Pro-Ject has such a wide range of turntables optimized for different needs, they offer a wider choice for audiophiles who want a precise selection of features and specs.

Popular Pro-Ject Turntable Models

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Turntable with Ortofon 2M...

Pro-Ject - Debut Carbon Esprit SB (Black)

Pro-Ject T1 Turntable (Satin Walnut)

Conversely, Fluance offers a superior value in terms of an individual unit sporting exceptional components.

When making a choice between Fluance and Pro-Ject, it’s always a matter of finding good information that helps you make the right decision.

A Little About the Pro-Ject Company

Founded in 1991, Pro-Ject started with the mission to offer the best analogue experience at reasonable prices.

With digital audio media on the rise, and vinyl considered outdated and dead, Heinz Lichtenegger kept his belief in a simple way to enjoy music – turntables.

The aim was to get as many people as possible and deliver a real stereo experience for the lowest cost possible.

The best way to start was with a proper well-built turntable without unnecessary features.

Fluance as a Company

In 1999, Fluance began with founder, Deepak Jain in Niagara Falls, Canada. Deepak found listening to his music at home lacked the impact of live shows.

This formed the ultimate goal of Fluance to develop high-performance music systems that recreate the concert experience.

Fluance has strived to make serious performance accessible to everyone by developing award-winning products for audio enthusiasts.

Pro-Ject and Fluance, How Similar Are They?

For the purpose of direct comparison, let’s look more closely at the Fluance RT85 vs the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC.

What We Looked For

Cartridge

Ortofon cartridges have become incredibly popular in recent years because they offer fantastic all-around sound quality in their price range.

These cartridges are standard and easily upgradable, whichever turntable you choose.

Ortofon 2M Red

The Ortofon 2M Red has a standard elliptical diamond stylus

Ortofon 2M Red

Ortofon 2M Blue

The Ortofon 2M Blue is a nude stylus, with the diamond fastened directly to the cantilever.

Ortofon 2M Blue

The 2M Blue costs more than twice as much as the Ortofon Red because it has a lower mass for more agile tracking, and better reproduction of high-frequency sounds.

Winner – FLUANCE RT85

Why? – Higher quality cartridge

Tonearm

These turntables have significantly different tonearm constructions, which affects the resonance and potential for interference in the audio. Which is better?

Aluminum

Aluminum has been a favorite material for tonearms for decades because of its combination of light weight and stiffness.

Fluance RT85 aluminum tonearm

The Fluance RT85 has an aluminum tonearm with an effective mass of 27.5 grams.

Carbon fiber

The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon line’s claim to fame is their carbon fiber tonearm, which gives exceptional strength at an incredibly low weight, reducing unwanted resonance.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC carbon fiber tonearm

The effective mass of the Debut Carbon DC tonearm is just 6 grams.

Winner – PRO-JECT DEBUT CARBON DC

Why? – Revolutionary tonearm design

Sound Dampening Features

One of the distinguishing characteristics of a high-quality turntable is the selection and engineering of materials to reduce and isolate sound.

This attention to sound-dampening affects every aspect of the turntable’s design and manufacture.

Fluance RT85 Sound-Dampening Features

• Solid wood plinth has a multi-layered wood chassis that inhibits unwanted resonance, with adjustable resonance damping feet
• High-density acrylic platter with a natural resonant frequency that is similar to vinyl, so it cancels unwanted reverberations and dissipates excess energy
• Motor isolation with seven points of silicone rubber and a decoupling isolation ring suppresses motor vibrations and prevents them from reaching the stylus
• Gold-plated RCA outputs suppress unwanted noise

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Sound-Dampening Features

• Carbon tube tonearm decreases unwanted resonance
• High-density acrylic platter with a natural resonant frequency that is similar to vinyl, so it cancels unwanted reverberations and dissipates excess energy
• Low noise AC motor with motor decoupling via TPE-damping provides stability without unwanted vibration
• Gold-plated RCA outputs suppress unwanted noise

Winner – FLUANCE RT85

Why? – Greater sound suppression and isolation throughout the turntable

Wow and Flutter, Speed Drift

Wow and flutter were once measured and rated separately but are now treated as a single measurement of speed fluctuations during playback.

All analog playback mechanisms are subject to some degree of wow and flutter.

Even digital media can have fluctuations due to crystal oscillations; below a certain threshold, these variations are inaudible.

Likewise, there is always some degree of speed variation because of natural fluctuations in energy flow through a turntable.

Winner – BOTH!

Why? – While the Fluance RT85 has better specs than the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC, both turntables have an excellent score for these metrics. The variations are below the level of human hearing.

Final Recount

These turntables really are very similar to each other, and both perform exceptionally well.

The Pro-Ject carbon fiber tonearm is a clear advantage, with an effective mass that is less than ¼ that of the RT85.

However, the Fluance RT85 is the clear winner of this comparison, with a significantly better cartridge and more quality construction and sound isolation properties throughout the entire turntable.

Pros and Cons of Each

Fluance RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable	The Good Orofon 2M blue cartridge Sound isolating plinth reduces unwanted vibrations High-density acrylic platter	The Not So Good Heavy tonearm
Pro-Ject – Debut Carbon DC	The Good Light carbon tonearm Heavy non-resonant acrylic platter Has improved speed control over earlier Debut Carbon turntables	The Not So Good Fewer sound reduction and isolation features

Pro-Ject vs Fluance – Which is the Superior Turntable?

Fluance vs Pro-Ject – both make excellent turntables.

Overall, we found Fluance excels at quality construction and attention to detail throughout their product line.

It’s a good choice for people who want to simply buy a turntable and enjoy their music without a lot of fuss and customization.

However, high-end Pro-Ject turntables may not stand up to direct comparison with other premium record players in their price range.

Overall, while some Pro-Ject turntables will outperform the competition, Fluance is a slightly better brand.

Specifically, the Fluance RT85 has better construction, specs, and attention to detail than the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC offered at a slightly more affordable price.

Fluance RT85 Turntable

We certainly hope you benefit from the information we provide in this article! Just so you know, we may receive compensation if you use the links on this page. If you do, thank you so much!

The Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable In Review: Analog Performance With A Modern Look

Fluance RT85 Reference High Fidelity Turntable with Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge

Fluance RT85 ratings at a Glance:

Overview: Meet The Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable

When picking out a Turntable, it’s always important to know what you’re looking for first. Do you want a versatile, all-in-one sound system?

Or are you just missing a record player or turntable from your audio collection? Fluance’s RT85 is a great option to those in the latter category.

The sleek, modern take on the classic turntable mixes pure analog tone with simple, easy to use controls. The RT85 from Fluance is a low profile turntable with a built-in dust cover, and belt-driven functionality.

Packing in reliable, brand name features, the Fluance company has put together a high quality, compact turntable without surpassing the upper boundary of most budgets.

More on the Fluance RT85 Reference High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable

Fluance’s RT85 is a turntable through and through. There’s no wifi or bluetooth connect-ability here, just an analog, belt-driven turntable. This turntable certainly doesn’t have the long list of audio features that some competitors do.

But on the other hand, Fluance has built a turntable with supreme sound quality and functionality. Everything from reducing micro vibrations to fine speed control is taken into consideration here.

Who Is The Fluance RT85 Best Suited For?

As stated above, this lovely turntable fits a very specific need for audiophiles. With no built-in speakers or bluetooth connectability, this isn’t the most dorm room friendly option on the market.

Furthermore, features like a CD drive or cassette deck prevent this from being your all-in-one audio entertainment system. Fluance’s RT85 Reference Turntable is really best suited for music lovers who need a turntable and nothing more.

It’s a well built, high quality audio device for those who are looking for one of the best turntables on the market. The price isn’t budget shattering, but certainly suggests this is for a more experienced listener as well.

Unboxing The Fluance RT85 Turntable

The theme of high quality features with few bells and whistles carries over to the unboxing portion of our review. With no built-speakers or pre-amp, you’ll have to purchase your preferred external speakers or mixer.

Included with the turntable itself though is the DC 12V power cable, as well as an RCA output cable for attaching to your preferred external speaker system.

Fluance RT85 Features & Specs

The Fluance RT85 Reference is packing an impressive spec sheet for such a stripped down turntable. Solid wood cabinets and dampening feet prevent any interference from micro vibrations.

Speed can be controlled between 33 and 45 rpm thanks to the belt-driven, isolated motor. A high mass, acrylic platter further adds to the sturdy construction, all held within a clear dust cover.

An Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge which houses the needle, providing premium linearity, is also one of our favorites and made our list of the best turntable cartridges.

The back panel houses the RCA output, where you can add external speakers, as well as the power input. All that comes in a package that is less than 5 inches tall too!

RT85 Highlights:

• Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge
• Solid wood cabinet
• Dampening feet
• High mass, acrylic platter
• Dust Cover
• Multi-speed controls

How To Get The Most From Your Fluance RT85

As we said before, this is a turntable that isn’t hard to use or control. To get the most out of it though you will need your own external speakers or preamp, such as a mixer.

Generally, this Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable could be just one component of a larger audio entertainment center. To truly use this to its full extent, you should be ready to spend additional money on speakers.

Other than that, it’s incredibly easy to drop your favorite record into Fluance RT85 and start listening!

Fluance RT85 Turntable Review – Key Points

Check Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable Availability! >>

Try Checking Out These Alternatives:

Fluance RT81 Elite High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable Record Player with Audio...

Looking for something more affordable and with a built-in preamp? Check out the Fluance RT81, another solid wood turntable option.

Very similar to the RT85 Reference, you get a built-in dust cover, solid wood plinth, and a high performance cartridge. Known for its warm sound, the RT81 provides a more vintage voiced, and budget friendly option.

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-SV Direct-Drive Turntable (Analog & USB), Fully...

For something with a few more bells and whistles, check out Audio-Technica’s AT-LP120XUSB turntable. Checking in at almost half the cost, you get great functionality thanks to built in features.

Convert your vinyl to MP3 using the included software or choose between 3 speed options for optimal control.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Turntable with Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge (Red)

If simplicity and high quality sounds are your only concerns, you can still save a few bucks with the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Turntable.

This precision belt-driven turntable has an even smaller, more low profile construction than the Fluance RT85. But you do sacrifice the speed controls and dust cover.

Final Thoughts On The Fluance RT85

With such high fidelity sound and strong construction, it is hard to find a fault in the Fluance RT85. While it certainly is more expensive than some, more versatile competitors, it truly is a superior turntable.

If your audio setup is just missing a turntable, and not an all-in-one system, this RT85 Reference is one of the best options out there. Better yet, the humble design and appearance should fit into almost any space, regardless of the decor or setting.

With top shelf construction meant to remove all extraneous noise and vibrations, the Fluance RT85 is fit to impress any audiophile.

Check Today's RT85 Price! >>