In this article, I’ll review my top 5 cartridge upgrades for the Fluance RT81. Then I will pick the one that stands out as the very best one to replace the stock AT95E cartridge on the Fluance RT81 turntable.
Vinyl enthusiasts often ask me how I would go about upgrading the cartridge on the Fluance RT81. I have done a lot of research on cartridge upgrades for affordable turntables and have had success with the cartridge upgrades I have chosen for my turntables. So I should be able to give a few good tips on good cartridge upgrades for the Fluance RT81 as well.
A cartridge upgrade is a great way to make a turntable sound a lot better. My experience is that the music becomes a lot more open, detailed and dynamic with a higher-quality cartridge than the AT95E that comes standard with the Fluance RT81. Vinyl records simply become more engaging and enjoyable to listen to with a higher quality cartridge.
On my AT-LP120 turntable, I replaced the stock AT95E cartridge with the fantastic VM540ML cartridge and it absolutely transformed the sound of the turntable.
The Fluance RT81 is similar to my AT-LP120 in many ways. It is designed around the same AT95E cartridge. Same tonearm design. And same price point.
So, we should expect a very similar increase in sonic performance when upgrading the cartridge on the Fluance RT81.
I think a healthy price range for a cartridge upgrade for the Fluance RT81 is from $150 to $300.
I think cartridges below $150 will give to small of an upgrade from the stock AT95E cartridge to give the turntable the bump in sonic performance that we are looking for.
And I think that cartridges above $300 might start to get too expensive for a turntable that costs about $300. At that point, it might start to make more sense to first invest in a higher end turntable.
So, $150 to $300 is a healthy sweet spot. It is also in this price range that the majority of the most popular cartridge replacements for the AT95E seem to be found.
Top 5 cartridge upgrades for the Fluance RT81
I have put a lot of effort into finding the 5 best cartridge upgrades for the stock AT95E. Here are my top 5.
- Audio-Technica VM530EN (AT120E)
- Denon DL-110
- Audio-Technica VM540ML (AT440MLa/b)
- Ortofon 2M Blue
- Grado Prestige Gold
Let’t review each of them in more detail.
1. Audio-Technica VM530EN (AT120E)
Dual magnet (MM) cartridge with 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical nude stylus.
The VM530EN replaces the discontinued AT120E.
Specifications
| Output Level | 4.5 mV |
| Channel Separation | 27dB |
| Recommended Load Impedance | 47k ohms |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 2.0 grams |
| Stylus Shape | 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical |
| Mount | Standard / Half Inch |
Pros
- Smooth neutral sound
- Not analytical
- Low price
Cons
- Might not totally eliminate inner groove distortion. But does a much better job than the AT95E that comes as standard.
- Totally been left in the shadows by its bigger brother, the VM540ML, by the vinyl community.
- Lacks X-Factor
Click here to check price on VM530EN on Amazon.
2. Denon DL-110
High output Moving Coil (MC) cartridge which can be used with the ease of MM type cartridge.
Specifications
| Output Level | 1.6 mV |
| Channel Separation | 25 dB |
| Recommended Load Impedance | 47k ohms |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 1.8 grams |
| Stylus Shape | 0.1 x 0.2mm elliptical diamond |
| Mount | Standard / Half Inch |
Pros
- Good tracker
- Clear and neutral without being too analytical
- Good control in the bass range
- A very good cartridge for the price with lots of fans in the vinyl community.
Cons
- Basically nothing worth mentioning…
- Minor: Will work close to perfect on a MM preamp but might need a MC preamp to truly shine
- Minor: The relatively low signal output level (compared to MM cartridges) might require quality equipment with good signal-to-noise ratio to keep noise levels in check. Might also cause volume problems in some systems.
Click here to check price on Denon DL-110 on Amazon.
3. Audio-Technica VM540ML (AT440MLa/b)
Dual magnet (MM) cartridge with MicroLine stylus.
The VM540ML replaces the discontinued and very popular AT440MLa/b.
Specifications
| Output Level | 4.0 mV |
| Channel Separation | 28 dB |
| Recommended Load Impedance | 47k ohms |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 2.0 grams |
| Stylus Shape | 2.2 x 0.12 mil MicroLine® |
| Mount | Standard / Half Inch |
Pros
- Good tracker
- Known to totally eliminate inner groove distortion
- Regarded as the leader in its segment when it comes to control, definition, separation and depth (sound quality)
Cons
- It is very hard to find any negative reviews or opinions at all when researching the VM540ML and its predecessors. It might be just perfect.
- Minor: Regarded by some as being a fraction on the bright/analytical side in some systems.
Click here to check price on VM540ML on Amazon.
4. Ortofon 2M Blue
The Ortofon 2M Blue is the Ortofon 2M Red’s bigger brother and the Ortofon 2M Bronze’s little brother. So it fits right between the Red and the Bronze.
Specifications
| Output Level | 5.5 mV |
| Channel Separation | 25 dB |
| Recommended Load Impedance | 47k ohms |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 1.6 – 2.0 grams |
| Stylus Shape | Nude Elliptical |
| Mount | Standard / Half Inch |
Pros
- Good tracker
- Detailed
- Precise
- Outperforms its little brother, the 2M Red, by quite some margin
Cons
- Regarded as a bit quite bright and analytical by many
- Might not be the best choice if warm smooth sound is your preference
Click here to check price on Ortofon 2M Blue on Amazon.
5. Grado Prestige Gold
The Gold are hand selected from Silver production runs which meet higher test specifications. Approximately 5% of the run usually exhibits these specs and become a Gold.
Specifications
| Output Level | 5.0 mV |
| Channel Separation | 35 dB |
| Recommended Load Impedance | 47k ohms |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 1.5 grams |
| Stylus Shape | Elliptical diamond |
| Mount | Standard / Half Inch |
Pros
- One of the warmest sweetest sounding cartridges on the market
- Smooth silky sound
- Lots of charm and soul
- Made in NYC (which is cool!)
Cons
- Prone to inner groove distortion
- Very sensitive to tonearms. Can be a tracking nightmare one some tonearms. (Regarded to work best on low-mass tonearms.)
- A cartridge you either love or hate. Nothing in between. Might be a terrible investment. And might not.
- Unshielded. Prone to hum on some turntables.
Click here to check price on Grado Prestige Gold on Amazon.
Conclusion: Best cartridge for Fluance RT81
All 5 cartridges above are good quality and highly regarded cartridges. All of them will significantly increase the sonic performance of the RT81.
But I promised you to pick one winner. So, here is how I rate these 5 cartridges for the Fluance RT81.
The VM530EN will definitely increase the sound over the stock AT95E, but might not have the quality to really take it to the next level. It might, however, be the best lower budget upgrade from the AT95E.
The Denon DL-110 and Grado Prestige Gold are also great cartridges that receives a lot of praise in the vinyl community. But they might not be the safest bets for most people due to the low voltage level of the Denon and the risk of hum and noise with the Grado.
For my money, the choice would be between the Ortofon 2M Blue and the VM540ML.
The Ortofon 2M Blue is the cartridge that Fluance has chosen for their higher quality turntable, the RT84 and RT85. That makes it a very safe choice for the RT81 as well. And it is a great cartridge. Two potential downsides to consider are that it is regarded as bright by many and that it is often left in the shadows by its bigger brother, the much more expensive Ortofon 2M Bronze. To me, it seems like the Blue is the “almost there” cartridge in the Ortofon 2M range. Not the true star of the range. The Bronze is.
My top pick is the VM540ML. It replaces the legendary AT440ML, it has a huge following in the vinyl community, it has a close to neutral sound character and very few reported downsides. I have a lot of firsthand experience with this cartridge, and it is fantastic.
Below is an awesome video from Vinyl TV, where he talks about how the VM540ML / AT440ML cartridge saved him from selling his vinyl collection.
The VM540ML absolutely changed how I enjoy vinyl. And I am confident that it will transform your Fluance RT81 as well.
Resources
https://www.stevehoffman.tv
https://www.needledoctor.com
https://www.vinylengine.com
https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/site/b535f9ffd4a85477/index.html