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Head-to-head · Best Turntables Under $500

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB vs Fluance RT85

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Fluance RT85 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about Vinyl listeners who already own (or will buy) a phono preamp and want the best pure sound quality under $500. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB
Ranked #2 in Best Turntables Under $500
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB
$399as of Jun 7

The Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB is the most versatile turntable under $500: a direct-drive deck with a quartz-locked motor, a built-in switchable phono stage, USB ripping, and DJ-friendly pitch control. It is unflappably speed-stable and built like a tank. The stock cartridge and felt-over-aluminum platter keep it a notch behind the Fluance on outright sound, but no rival here matches its feature set or convenience.

Strengths
  • — DC servo direct-drive motor with quartz speed lock delivers exceptional speed stability
  • — Built-in switchable phono preamp works with any line input or powered speakers
  • — USB output lets you rip vinyl to digital files on a computer
Watch-outs
  • — Stock AT-VM95E cartridge is good but a step below the Fluance's Ortofon 2M Blue
  • — Aluminum platter with felt mat is less resonance-damping than acrylic
  • — Reviewers note a faint high-pitched whine audible in quiet passages
$399 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Fluance RT85
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Turntables Under $500
Fluance RT85
$549.99as of Jun 7

The Fluance RT85 is the most complete sub-$500 turntable for buyers who want audiophile sound out of the box. Its pre-installed Ortofon 2M Blue, acrylic platter, and servo-controlled DC motor combine for a clean, detailed, speed-stable presentation that reviewers repeatedly described as overachieving for the price. It demands a separate phono stage and is fully manual, but for sound-per-dollar it sets the bar in this group.

Strengths
  • — Factory-mounted Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge punches well above the price class
  • — High-density acrylic platter and isolated DC servo motor keep wow & flutter at a measured 0.07%
  • — High-mass MDF plinth with vibration-isolation feet resists footfall and resonance
Watch-outs
  • — No built-in phono preamp, so you need a receiver or external phono stage
  • — Fully manual operation, no auto-stop or auto-return
  • — Single-speed motor swap (no electronic 33/45 button)
$549.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB

The AT-LP120XUSB is the most feature-complete deck here: unlike the Fluance RT85 and U-Turn Orbit Plus it has a built-in phono stage, and unlike all the others it adds USB ripping and pitch control. Its direct-drive motor is more speed-stable than the belt-drive Sony PS-LX310BT and Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB, though its felt-over-aluminum platter damps less resonance than the RT85's acrylic platter.

Fluance RT85

The RT85 outclasses the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB and U-Turn Orbit Plus on out-of-box cartridge quality thanks to its Ortofon 2M Blue, but unlike the AT-LP120XUSB and Sony PS-LX310BT it has no onboard phono stage. Its acrylic platter and 0.07% wow & flutter measurement are the best in this group.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAudio-Technica AT-LP120XUSBFluance RT85
CartridgeAT-VM95E (moving magnet)Ortofon 2M Blue (moving magnet)
DriveDirect drive, DC servo with quartz lockBelt drive, DC servo motor
PlatterDie-cast aluminum with felt mat12" acrylic, 3 lb
Speeds33⅓, 45, 78 RPM33⅓, 45 RPM
Wow & FlutterLess than 0.2% WRMS0.07%
Phono PreampBuilt-in, switchable—
OutputsRCA (line/phono), USB—
Weight23.1 lb16.76 lb
Signal-to-Noise—76 dB
Tonearm—Static-balanced S-type aluminum
← See the full ranking of best turntables under $500