Fluance RT85 vs Pro-Ject Debut PRO
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Fluance RT85 · Pro-Ject Debut PRO.
| Specification | Fluance RT85 |
Pro-Ject Debut PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | Highlighted difference. £480 (used) |
| Category | Hi-fi | Hi-fi |
| Status | current | discontinued |
| Years | 2019–present | 2021–? |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | semi-automatic | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | Ortofon 2M Blue | Pick it PRO Balanced (PRO B) / Pick it S2 C (PRO S) |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | acrylic | die-cast aluminium with TPE damping |
| Tonearm | S-shaped aluminium | 8.6" carbon-aluminium hybrid |
| Wow & flutter | <0.07% | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
On price alone the Pro-Ject Debut PRO costs less, coming in £19 (about 4%) below the Fluance RT85, bearing in mind one figure is a current RRP and the other a typical used price that moves with condition.
Both are belt-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi.
Operation differs: the Fluance RT85 is semi-automatic, the Pro-Ject Debut PRO is manual.
The Pro-Ject Debut PRO is discontinued, so that side of this comparison is really "used Pro-Ject Debut PRO vs new Fluance RT85" — factor in condition, service history and the lack of a warranty against a fresh unit with manufacturer support.
Bottom line: the Pro-Ject Debut PRO has the lower reference price; the table shows which documented features change with the £19 gap.
Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Fluance RT85…
Merchant searches
1 UK merchant stock Fluance — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | marketplace | Prime next-day on many items | Search at Amazon UK ↗ |
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |