Fluance Is Spinning Vinyl on their New RT80 & RT81 Turntables

gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
Fluance is dabbling into the audiophile market, first by unveiling their Signature Series speaker like with high end aspirations and now with two turntables. That's right, Fluance wants you to spin vinyl with them and best of all, they are helping you do it affordably with the RT80 ($199) and RT81 ($249), respectively. They both come armed with some serious sonic chops including Audio Technica cartridges and needles and solid wood body construction (RT81), and RCA phono outputs instead of a fixed length cable.

We like what we're seeing here so if your on the fence about dabbling in Vinyl, these two turntables from Fluance may be your best bet.



Read: Fluance RT80 & RT81 Turntables Preview
 
B

Brian King

Audioholic Intern
Please lets use the correct terminology. The piece of diamond at the end of the cartridge cantilever is a STYLUS, not a needle.
 
Johnny2Bad

Johnny2Bad

Audioholic Chief
Interesting article, although reading it brought a few chuckles.

First of all, as someone who sold and set up perhaps 4,000 turntable and cartridge combinations (and who-knows-how-many upgrade cartridges and replacement styli) ranging from entry level Japanese belt-drive Technics and Kenwoods, to REGAs, Thorens, DENONs, on up to SP10's, Missions, Linns and Oracles in my retail audio career, I think we should establish some terminology.

A HiFi-worthy turntable requires a cartridge and a cartridge employs either a fixed or removable stylus. A "needle" refers originally to the steel needles that the first turntables used ... you bought them in boxes of 30 or 50 and replaced them every dozen record plays or so. Later, the 99 cent replacement needles that adorned the cheapest record players with ceramic cartridges took over the term.

No respectable moving magnet or moving coil cartridge used a "needle", they use a stylus. Please never refer to the this part as a needle again; it makes you look clueless about Audio, which I am confident you are not. I am going to put it down to what I assume to be your youth, born after the turntable ceased to be the critical source of a quality music system.

EDIT: Wow, just noticed it was you, Gene, who penned this article. I know you don't need the history lesson, but did you really refer to styli as "needles" in your sales career? Must be a Florida thing ;-)

Secondly, I am sure you would like to rephrase the line:
" ... a ground terminal that ensures warm, true sound. ..."

The ground terminal, of course, is there to reduce or eliminate hum from the turntable's output, and has absolutely no effect on the warmth or "truth" of the sound of vinyl.

As a practical matter, you will find that either hooking up the ground to the phono preamp or not hooking up the ground to the phono preamp will kill the 60Hz (or 50Hz outside North America) AC hum. If your particular table uses a non-polarized 2-prong AC connector, which you won't find today but might on a vintage unit, be sure to try reversing the plug at the AC wall outlet as well.

Generally the option is very system dependent; try both, choose one.
 
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gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
Haha the Fluance press release referred to it as a needle and I just carried over the bad terminology. I corrected all occurrences in the editorial. thx.
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
Gene,
Needle or Stylus, everybody here knows exactly what you're talking about. I kinda like the use of the word Needle, it's as charming as it is a refreshing getaway from the too often use of too serious words to describe an apparatus for entertainment. Get some balls Gene, stick to Needle. I also like Record Player instead of Turntable. Now, I wonder how much it would cost to replace the needle for my Shure V15V-MR? A Needle is surely less expensive than a Stylus. After all, it sounds less complex. Don't things less complex cost less? Hmmm, maybe the word Stylus is the means with which marketers can better persuade suckers to part with thousands of dollars for a Needle.
 
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3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Gene,

Have you had a chance to examine them closely and give em a spin?
 
D

DLeague

Audioholic Intern
Since I started with an AR Turntable when I was just a baby, this looks similar conceptually with minimum stuff that doesn't turn on or off the platter. It's very good Fluance used magnetic anti-skate instead of dangling weights (sine are trying to bring back the 1950s). I just wish someone would do an honest review about the performance, strengths and weaknesses. My old Denon is 7 years old (second turntable), so the 81 is price right and looks good.
 
YammyFan72

YammyFan72

Enthusiast
Gene,
Needle or Stylus, everybody here knows exactly what you're talking about. I kinda like the use of the word Needle, it's as charming as it is a refreshing getaway from the too often use of too serious words to describe an apparatus for entertainment. Get some balls Gene, stick to Needle. I also like Record Player instead of Turntable. Now, I wonder how much it would cost to replace the needle for my Shure V15V-MR? A Needle is surely less expensive than a Stylus. After all, it sounds less complex. Don't things less complex cost less? Hmmm, maybe the word Stylus is the means with which marketers can better persuade suckers to part with thousands of dollars for a Needle.
It's kinda like the gun guys who get all hot and bothered when someone ignorant in the knowledge of all things firearms calls a magazine a "clip". Actually, they have a legitimate gripe, as a clip is something altogether different then a magazine.

A "stylus" and "needle" however is basically the same thing, just like a "violin" and "fiddle" are the same thing, the only difference is that one is played by a guy in a suit and the other by a guy in overalls. :D
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Since I started with an AR Turntable when I was just a baby, this looks similar conceptually with minimum stuff that doesn't turn on or off the platter. It's very good Fluance used magnetic anti-skate instead of dangling weights (sine are trying to bring back the 1950s). I just wish someone would do an honest review about the performance, strengths and weaknesses. My old Denon is 7 years old (second turntable), so the 81 is price right and looks good.
Nothing wrong with dangling weights. They are very effective and accurate. They just don't look nice is all.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
It's kinda like the gun guys who get all hot and bothered when someone ignorant in the knowledge of all things firearms calls a magazine a "clip". Actually, they have a legitimate gripe, as a clip is something altogether different then a magazine.
I think that is only because it became a sort of slang term since they are directly related. The fact is most do not even know there is a difference.
 
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