I have had my Fluance RT-81 turntable for about 3 years now. It’s been great for me and it plays everything well.
Praise
Home Entertainment
Fluance RT81 Turntable
The Fluance RT81 is a belt-drive turntable with an Audio-Technica AT95E elliptical stylus cartridge, aluminum S-Type tonearm, high-mass MDF walnut plinth, and a built-in Texas Instruments preamp with gold-plated RCA outputs. It includes Bluetooth connectivity and lists at $354.99 CAD.
8 mentions · 3 threadslast mention Dec 20257.2/ 10
ClearPick Score
Mixed Reviews
Score informed by 8 owner mentions across 3 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
5 positive1 mixed2 negative
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Fluance RT81 Turntable
$354.99 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
View on Amazon.ca →Opens Amazon.ca · Affiliate link✅ Ships to Canada
✅ Prime eligible (most orders)
✅ 30-day Amazon returns
✅ No extra cost to you
Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
As a die hard Technics guy and a current Fluance owner I’d keep both tbh.
Praise
Yeah I wanted to get the 82 but I couldn’t turn this down for the price and I thought I can always upgrade in the future.
Praise
Just like McDonalds, it hits a sweet spot for price. Honestly though, the company behind the brand doesn't have audiophile roots any more than if a fry cook at Maccies wearing whites and a toque makes them a chef.
Complaint
There's nothing wrong with the RT81 by the way, it's just that Technics made absolutely indesctructible brick sh*t house direct drive turntables with speed accuracy rivaling the cutting lathes that made your records themselves.
Comparison
The Fluance is a nice turntable for the price if you’re just starting out and want to buy new but the Technics will beat it hands down.
Praise
it seems like the 82 is just overall better for someone trying to get into a new hobby vs getting the 81 & being stuck without a chance for potential advancement
Complaint
That's the one I started with, it works great, and you can even do some at home upgrades to it (a little sketchy though, the upgrades).
Praise
✅ What Works
- Reliable long-term performance (3-year ownership, reliable performance mentions - 2 mentions)
- Strong value at the price point, cited as a reason to skip the pricier RT82 (2 mentions)
- Regarded as a solid starter turntable for new hobbyists (2 mentions)
- Considered worth keeping even by owners with higher-end vintage decks (1 mention)
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- Lacks audiophile brand heritage compared to legacy manufacturers (1 mention)
- Speed accuracy and build solidity reportedly fall short of vintage direct-drive decks like Technics (1 mention)
- Buyers note limited upgrade headroom versus the RT82, describing themselves as stuck without a clear path to advance (1 mention)
- At-home upgrades are possible but described as a bit sketchy to execute (1 mention)
ClearPick Verdict
Owners **report years of trouble-free play**, with one Redditor logging three years of consistent use straight out of the box. The praise clusters around value: buyers repeatedly say they couldn't turn down the price even when eyeing the step-up RT82, banking on future upgrades instead. But the split shows up in comparison threads, where the same fans admit the RT81 has no audiophile pedigree and gets outclassed on speed accuracy by vintage direct-drive decks like the Technics. Others flag a real ceiling: go in on the RT81 and you're reportedly stuck without much room to grow, a gap the RT82 is said to close. This reads as **a solid entry-level pick for new listeners on a budget**, not a long-term upgrade path for anyone already chasing audiophile-grade tracking.