Setup
Fluance RT80, RT81 and RT81+ setup: phono switch, cartridge and leveling
This shared guide covers three current standalone packages because Fluance publishes one v2.6 assembly manual for RT80, RT81 and RT81P (the RT81+ family), and most installation steps are common. Their supplied cartridge, mat and leveling hardware are not interchangeable assumptions, so the separate model sections below preserve those differences. This is a source-based setup checklist, not a report of a unit being assembled or tested.
Start by matching the exact package
Before unpacking, compare the manufacturer item and finish on the offer with the correct edition: RT80 Piano Black (RT80), RT81 in Piano Black, Natural Walnut or Piano White (RT81T, RT81, RT81WH), or RT81+ in Piano Black, Natural Walnut or Piano White (RT81PT, RT81P, RT81PWH). These identifiers distinguish color routes; the RT81 and RT81+ remain functionally different models. Check the cartridge, mat and supplied feet against the exact model, especially if the package is used, open-box or sold with speakers.
Fluance’s shared manual lists the deck, platter and belt, headshell with stylus, counterweight, mat, dust cover and hinges, 45 adapter, RCA cable with ground wire and the supplied power adapter. It cautions that cover hinges are spring-loaded and directs users to place the cover on a soft surface during installation. Keep the provided power adapter with its turntable; the manual says to use the included one.
Assemble the platter and mat before setting the arm
Place the metal platter onto the spindle on a sturdy, level support. Rotate it until the belt-installation ribbon lines up with the motor pulley, then lift the belt around the pulley without twisting it. Turn the platter by hand several times to check that the belt stays seated. Add only the mat supplied for the chosen model: RT80 uses felt, RT81 uses rubber, and RT81+ uses acrylic. Fluance instructs users to place its rubber mat with the logo facing up; the acrylic mat’s label recess should face up. Do not infer that a mat is included with a different package just because the platter is metal.
Set the supplied cartridge’s force, then pick an output path
The three manuals’ cartridge columns share a 2.0-gram recommended starting force and anti-skate setting 2, but the cartridges are different: AT91 on RT80, AT95E on RT81, and AT-VM95E on RT81+. Follow the counterweight balancing sequence in the manual for the exact supplied head and confirm the correct stylus is fitted. If a cartridge has been changed, do not reuse the stock settings without checking its own instructions. Fluance lists a compatible 3.5-to-6.5-gram cartridge weight range; mass alone does not establish alignment, height or tracking compatibility.
Decide which component supplies phono equalization before plugging in. Use LINE from the turntable’s built-in stage for powered speakers with a line input, or an amplifier/receiver line input. Use PHONO to bypass the built-in stage when the receiver has a suitable PHONO input, or when using a separate phono preamp. For an external stage, connect RCA and ground as required, then send the stage’s line output to powered speakers or to an amplifier driving passive speakers. Do not put the turntable’s LINE output through a second phono stage, or send it into a receiver PHONO input. A turntable preamp is not a speaker amplifier; passive speakers still need one. The phono-stage paths guide explains the system distinction.
Leveling differs across the trio
RT81+ has three height-adjustable feet and an included bubble level according to its manual and product page. RT80 and RT81 use fixed feet with only limited horizontal movement; Fluance says uneven surfaces may require separate pads or a platform for a larger correction. Start with a stable support surface and check level rather than turning a fixed foot as if it had the RT81+ mechanism.
Play manually; do not confuse auto-stop with arm automation
The shared instructions tell the listener to select 33⅓ or 45 RPM, unlock the arm, lift the cueing lever, move the tonearm to the desired starting point and lower it. The manual does not list 78 RPM. With auto-stop enabled, the tonearm must first be moved over the record before the platter starts. At record end, the platter is designed to stop after roughly 30 seconds, but Fluance warns that production differences mean some records may not trigger the feature correctly. The arm remains manual: auto-stop does not lift it, return it or provide automatic start.
Use body measurements cautiously
The current product pages for these three models list a 16.5-inch width and 14.25-inch depth. The shared v2.6 manual prints 16.5 × 5.5 × 13.75 inches in width-height-depth order; that differs from the current pages’ depth and nominal height. The RT81+ page lists 6 inches of height with a half-inch tolerance, while RT80 and RT81 pages list 5.75 inches with the same tolerance. The finder uses current page depth for its body-only check, not as a required shelf clearance. Leave room for RCA and power leads, the speed control, arm travel and raising or removing the cover. Recheck dimensions against the exact current product page before arranging the system.