PLATTER & PLINTH

The Best Cartridges for a Fluance Turntable

Every Fluance takes a standard half-inch cartridge, so the limit is not the mount — it is the mass. Fluance publishes a supported cartridge weight for its arms, and the most-recommended upgrade in the category sits outside the entry deck’s window.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

The verdict

For almost every Fluance owner the cartridge to buy is the Audio-Technica AT-VM95E: 6.1 g, a 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical stylus, a standard half-inch mount, and — the part that decides it — a mass inside the 3.5 to 6.5 g supported cartridge weight Fluance publishes for the RT81 arm, which is the deck most people reading this own. That makes it the one answer correct on every rung of the range. If you own an RT82 or higher, the window opens to 5.0 to 7.5 g and the Ortofon 2M Red becomes available to you — Ortofon publishes it at 7.2 g, above what Fluance states for the RT81 arm and inside what it states for the RT82. If you want the biggest single step and you own any Fluance, the AT-VM95ML is the same 6.1 g body with a micro-linear tip. And if your deck already came with an Ortofon 2M Blue or a Nagaoka MP-110 from the factory — the RT85, RT85N and RT87 do — the honest answer is that you do not need anything on this page yet: buy a replacement stylus when the one you have wears out.

Fluance makes this decision easier than most brands do, because it publishes the figure that actually constrains the choice. Every RT-series deck uses a standard half-inch mount on an H-4 bayonet headshell, so physically almost any moving-magnet cartridge in the category will bolt on. What differs between rungs is the arm: its effective mass, and the supported cartridge weight Fluance states for it. The mount being compatible is not the same as the arm being happy — too much mass and the counterweight runs short of travel.

The second thing to know is what your deck already has. Fluance fits a real cartridge at every price: an Audio-Technica AT95E on the RT81, an AT-VM95E on the RT81+, an Ortofon OM 10 on the RT82, an Ortofon 2M Blue on the RT85 and RT87, and a Nagaoka MP-110 on the RT85N. Two of those are cartridges people buy as an upgrade for other turntables. So on the upper rungs the right move is often a stylus, not a cartridge — and on the RT81 the right move is a cartridge, because Audio-Technica has discontinued both the fitted AT95E and its ATN95E replacement stylus.

The ranking below applies to RT81, RT81+ and RT82-class decks, which is where a cartridge purchase makes sense. The fitment table comes first, because on an RT81 it rules out two of these five picks on mass alone.

How this is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when to skip one. Full disclosure.

Quick picks

Read the fitment table below before the prices — two of these five are published at 7.2 g, above the supported cartridge weight Fluance states for the RT81 arm. Every figure here comes from the maker’s own published specification or the listing cited under each product, read on the date shown there. Prices are live and dated on each button. We have not measured these cartridges; here is exactly what we do instead.

#ProductBest forPrice
1
Audio-Technica AT-VM95E

Audio-Technica AT-VM95E

The upgrade almost everyone should make first: a moving-magnet cartridge with an elliptical stylus that pulls noticeably more detail from the groove than the conical pickups on budget decks — for a modest price. It shares the VM95 body, so you can later step up just the stylus.

Best overall
$63.25 · View on Amazon

$74.0015% off

Price as of October 10, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

2
Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML

Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML

The same VM95 body as the elliptical AT-VM95E with a 2.2 x 0.12 mil micro-linear stylus on top. The micro-line profile sits deeper in the groove and touches parts of it a conical or elliptical tip never reaches — which is why this is the single biggest audible upgrade available to most turntables under $500.

Biggest step up that still fits an RT81
$170.00 · View on Amazon

$179.005% off

Price as of October 10, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

3
Nagaoka MP-110

Nagaoka MP-110

The enthusiast's warm pick: a Japanese moving-permalloy cartridge with an elliptical stylus, prized for a smooth, full-bodied tone that flatters older and busier pressings. If the 2M Red reads a touch bright to you, this is the antidote.

Best warmer alternative
$156.40 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 10, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

4
Ortofon 2M Red

Ortofon 2M Red

The step-up standard: an elliptical moving-magnet cartridge that's the factory choice on many mid-price decks, with a clean, slightly forward sound and a well-known upgrade path (fit a 2M Blue stylus later). A safe, widely loved improvement for a good tonearm.

Best for an RT82 and up
$109.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 10, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

5
Ortofon 2M Blue

Ortofon 2M Blue

The 2M Red's body with a nude elliptical diamond instead of a tipped one — the same upgrade logic as the VM95 family, and the reason the Blue is the standard step-up in this range. It is what Fluance fits to the RT84 and RT85 from the factory.

Best when the stylus alone is unobtainable
$188.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 10, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

The picks in full

#1Best overall

Audio-Technica AT-VM95E

The upgrade almost everyone should make first: a moving-magnet cartridge with an elliptical stylus that pulls noticeably more detail from the groove than the conical pickups on budget decks — for a modest price. It shares the VM95 body, so you can later step up just the stylus.

Strengths

  • Elliptical stylus tracks more of the groove than a conical
  • Shares the VM95 stylus mount — upgrade the tip without a new cartridge
  • High output that suits any moving-magnet phono input

Trade-offs

  • Needs a tonearm with adjustable tracking force to get the best from it
  • Moving magnet, so it won't satisfy someone chasing moving-coil detail
TypeMoving magnet (MM)
StylusElliptical (replaceable)
Output4.0 mV
Tracking force1.8 - 2.2 g (2.0 g typical)
MountStandard 1/2-inch

Note. Its killer feature is the shared VM95 body: start with this elliptical, and you can drop in a VM95ML microline stylus years later for a big jump with no re-alignment.

Specifications read from the manufacturer / product listing, on July 24, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#2Biggest step up that still fits an RT81

Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML

The same VM95 body as the elliptical AT-VM95E with a 2.2 x 0.12 mil micro-linear stylus on top. The micro-line profile sits deeper in the groove and touches parts of it a conical or elliptical tip never reaches — which is why this is the single biggest audible upgrade available to most turntables under $500.

Strengths

  • Micro-linear stylus (2.2 x 0.12 mil) retrieves detail an elliptical tip cannot reach
  • Same VM95 body as the cheaper models — if you own one, you can buy the stylus alone
  • Threaded body inserts mean two screws and no fiddly nuts during mounting

Trade-offs

  • Costs more than several of the turntables it is designed to upgrade
  • Micro-line tips are less forgiving of sloppy alignment and tracking force
TypeDual moving magnet (MM)
StylusMicro-linear, 2.2 x 0.12 mil (replaceable)
CantileverAluminum
HousingLow-resonance polymer, threaded inserts
CompatibilityAny AT-VMN95 replacement stylus
OutputNot published on this listing

Note. If you already run an AT-VM95C or AT-VM95E, do not buy the whole cartridge — buy the AT-VMN95ML stylus and snap it onto the body you own. Same result, less money, no realignment.

Specifications read from the manufacturer / product listing, on August 11, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#3Best warmer alternative

Nagaoka MP-110

The enthusiast's warm pick: a Japanese moving-permalloy cartridge with an elliptical stylus, prized for a smooth, full-bodied tone that flatters older and busier pressings. If the 2M Red reads a touch bright to you, this is the antidote.

Strengths

  • Smooth, warm, musical character that suits a wide record collection
  • Elliptical stylus with excellent tracking for the price
  • A long-standing enthusiast favorite

Trade-offs

  • Less widely stocked than Audio-Technica and Ortofon
  • Warm tone is a preference — detail-chasers may want the elliptical ATs
TypeMoving magnet / moving permalloy (MM)
StylusElliptical (replaceable)
OutputNot published (high output, MM-compatible)
Tracking force1.5 - 2.0 g (1.8 g typical)
MountStandard 1/2-inch

Note. Nagaoka doesn't publish an output figure as prominently as Ortofon; it runs as a standard high-output MM into any moving-magnet input, which is what matters for compatibility.

Specifications read from the manufacturer / product listing, on July 24, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#4Best for an RT82 and up

Ortofon 2M Red

The step-up standard: an elliptical moving-magnet cartridge that's the factory choice on many mid-price decks, with a clean, slightly forward sound and a well-known upgrade path (fit a 2M Blue stylus later). A safe, widely loved improvement for a good tonearm.

Strengths

  • Refined elliptical stylus with a detailed, lively presentation
  • Fit a 2M Blue stylus later for a drop-in upgrade
  • A known quantity found on many respected decks

Trade-offs

  • Higher tracking mass suits a mid-quality arm, not the flimsiest ones
  • Some listeners find the top end a touch bright
TypeMoving magnet (MM)
StylusElliptical (replaceable)
Output5.5 mV
Tracking force1.6 - 2.0 g (1.8 g typical)
MountStandard 1/2-inch

Note. Like the AT-VM95, the 2M series shares stylus assemblies, so the Red is the on-ramp to Blue and beyond without buying a whole new cartridge.

Specifications read from the manufacturer / product listing, on July 24, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#5Best when the stylus alone is unobtainable

Ortofon 2M Blue

The 2M Red's body with a nude elliptical diamond instead of a tipped one — the same upgrade logic as the VM95 family, and the reason the Blue is the standard step-up in this range. It is what Fluance fits to the RT84 and RT85 from the factory.

Strengths

  • Nude elliptical diamond tracks more accurately than the Red's tipped stylus
  • Drops straight onto a 2M Red body — buy the stylus alone if you own a Red
  • Universal half-inch mount fits essentially every standard headshell and tonearm

Trade-offs

  • Roughly twice the price of the 2M Red for a real but not dramatic improvement
  • Ortofon's own 2M Bronze and Black sit above it, so the upgrade ladder keeps going
TypeMoving magnet (MM)
StylusNude elliptical (replaceable)
MountUniversal half-inch
Upgrade pathStylus-only swap from a 2M Red body
OutputNot published on this listing
Tracking forceNot published on this listing

Note. Ortofon publishes full figures on its own product pages; the retail listing does not, so we have left those rows unpublished here rather than restate numbers we did not read from the source we cite.

Specifications read from the manufacturer / product listing, on August 11, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

The fitment table

Find your deck in the left column. The third column decides what you are allowed to buy; the fourth is what Fluance already gave you.

Your FluanceBuilt-in preampSupported cartridge weightCartridge fitted at the factory
RT81Yes — switchable, full bypass0.12 - 0.23 oz (3.5 - 6.5 g)Audio-Technica AT95E (discontinued by Audio-Technica)
RT81+Yes — switchable, full bypassPublished as the RT81 table, row for rowAudio-Technica AT-VM95E (6.1 g)
RT82No0.18 - 0.25 oz (5.0 - 7.5 g)Ortofon OM 10
RT85NoNot published in Fluance’s RT85 tableOrtofon 2M Blue (7.2 g)
RT85NNoNot published in Fluance’s RT85N tableNagaoka MP-110 (6.5 g), on a 9 g H-4 headshell
RT87NoNot published in Fluance’s RT87 tableOrtofon 2M Blue, or an AT-VM95ML on the alternate configuration

Three rows deserve a note rather than a guess. Fluance publishes a supported cartridge weight for the RT81 and the RT82 and not for the RT85 series, so we do not print a window for those decks. What we can say is what Fluance does: it fits a 7.2 g Ortofon 2M Blue to the RT85 and RT87 itself, which is the best available evidence that those arms are built for that mass. The arms differ as well — Fluance publishes 21.78 g effective mass for the RT82 arm, 27.5 g for the RT85 and 21.1 g for the RT85N — which is part of why the factory cartridge differs between two decks that share a platter.

How we ranked them

  1. Does it fit the RT81 arm? The RT81 is the Fluance most owners have, and Fluance caps it at 6.5 g. The AT-VM95E (6.1 g), the AT-VM95ML (6.1 g) and the Nagaoka MP-110 (6.5 g) are inside that window. Ortofon’s 2M Red and 2M Blue, both published at 7.2 g, are not. A cartridge that fits every rung ranks above one that fits most of them.
  2. Published stylus profile. Conical, bonded elliptical, nude elliptical, micro-linear — in that order, and the step most people hear most clearly is from conical to elliptical. The AT-VM95E publishes a 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical; the AT-VM95ML a 2.2 x 0.12 mil micro-linear; the 2M Blue a nude elliptical with r/R 8/18 micrometers.
  3. Whether there is a stylus ladder above it. A cartridge whose tip can be upgraded without touching alignment is worth more than its own specification. Every AT-VM95 body accepts any VMN95 stylus; an Ortofon 2M Red body accepts a 2M Blue stylus; Nagaoka sells the JN-P110 for the MP-110. All three are real ladders, which is why none of these picks is a sealed design.
  4. Tracking force against what your arm can set. Every Fluance RT deck has an adjustable counterweight and anti-skate, so any of these is settable: 1.8 to 2.2 g for the AT-VM95E, 1.5 to 2.0 g for the MP-110, 1.6 to 2.0 g for both Ortofons. This row is what makes a Fluance a different proposition from a fixed-arm automatic, where none of these cartridges can be used at all.

The money-saving rule on an RT85, RT85N or RT87

If your deck came with an Ortofon 2M Blue or a Nagaoka MP-110, you already own a cartridge other people buy as an upgrade. The correct spend is a stylus when the one you have wears: Ortofon’s Stylus 2M Blue drops into the body you own, and Nagaoka’s JN-P110 does the same for the MP-110. No screws, no lead wires, no protractor, no change in alignment. Our replacement stylus picks cover that route, and cartridge vs stylus explains the distinction if the two words have been used interchangeably at you. The one case for buying a whole cartridge on these decks is the one our 2M Blue review documents: when the loose stylus is harder to buy than the complete cartridge.

What to do about the RT81’s discontinued AT95E

The RT81 ships with an Audio-Technica AT95E, and Audio-Technica has badged both that cartridge and its ATN95E replacement stylus as discontinued on its own site. The deck is unaffected — it takes any standard half-inch cartridge inside its published weight window — but it does make the RT81 the Fluance where planning a cartridge purchase rather than a re-tip is the sensible default. The AT-VM95E is the current descendant of that fitting, which is why it leads this page. Fluance itself sells the RT81+ as the RT81 with exactly that swap already done, which is about as clear an endorsement of the pairing as a maker can give; our Fluance range page lays out how the rest of the ladder differs.

Fitting it without undoing the benefit

A new cartridge that is badly aligned sounds worse than the old one that was aligned correctly, and on a Fluance there are three jobs: overhang, tracking force and anti-skate. The H-4 bayonet headshell helps — the RT85N and RT87 publish a removable headshell, so the cartridge comes off as an assembly and you can keep the old one on its own shell as a swap-back. Our cartridge setup guide walks through alignment, our tonearm balancing guide covers the counterweight arithmetic, and a tracking force gauge is how you confirm the number instead of trusting the dial. If you are buying a second headshell to make swaps painless, our headshell guide covers what fits.

One thing a cartridge will not fix

No Fluance above the RT81+ has a phono preamp inside it, so if you own an RT82 or higher and your records sound thin and quiet, the problem is the missing phono stage rather than the cartridge. That is a different purchase entirely, and on an RT82 it is a mandatory one. Worth knowing before you spend: a better cartridge into no phono stage is still inaudible.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cartridge for a Fluance RT81?

The Audio-Technica AT-VM95E. Fluance publishes the RT81 arm's supported cartridge weight as 0.12 to 0.23 oz (3.5 to 6.5 g), and the AT-VM95E is 6.1 g with a 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical stylus on a standard half-inch mount. It is also the cartridge Fluance itself fits to the RT81+, which is otherwise the same deck. For a bigger step in the same body, the AT-VM95ML micro-linear is also 6.1 g.

Can I put an Ortofon 2M Red on a Fluance RT81?

Check the weight before you buy. Ortofon publishes the 2M Red at 7.2 g and Fluance publishes the RT81 arm at 3.5 to 6.5 g, so the cartridge is above the maker's stated window. It will physically mount, because the half-inch fitting and the H-4 headshell are the same across the range, but you are outside what Fluance says the arm supports. The RT82's published window is 5.0 to 7.5 g, which does admit it.

What cartridge does each Fluance turntable come with?

Fluance fits a real cartridge at every price: an Audio-Technica AT95E on the RT81, an AT-VM95E on the RT81+, an Ortofon OM 10 on the RT82, an Ortofon 2M Blue on the RT85 and RT87, and a Nagaoka MP-110 on the RT85N. The RT87 is also sold with an AT-VM95ML instead of the 2M Blue at the same list price.

Is it worth upgrading the cartridge on a Fluance RT85?

Usually not yet. The RT85 arrives with an Ortofon 2M Blue, a nude elliptical cartridge people buy as an upgrade for other decks. The sensible spend there is a replacement stylus when the fitted one wears, which keeps your alignment untouched, or a phono preamp if you do not already have a good one - the RT85 has no built-in stage at all.

Do Fluance turntables use a standard cartridge mount?

Yes. Every RT-series deck uses a standard half-inch mount on an H-4 bayonet headshell, the most common fitting in the category. That is why the constraint on this page is mass rather than compatibility: what varies between rungs is the supported cartridge weight Fluance publishes for the arm, not whether the cartridge screws on.

What tracking force should I set on a Fluance?

Whatever the cartridge maker publishes, not whatever sounds about right. Audio-Technica publishes 1.8 to 2.2 g for the AT-VM95E with 2.0 g typical; Nagaoka publishes 1.5 to 2.0 g for the MP-110; Ortofon publishes 1.6 to 2.0 g for both the 2M Red and the 2M Blue. Every Fluance RT deck has an adjustable counterweight, so set the figure with a gauge rather than trusting the dial.

Will a new cartridge make my Fluance sound better?

On an RT81 or RT82, usually yes, and the clearest change is a better stylus profile - conical to elliptical, or elliptical to micro-linear. On an RT85, RT85N or RT87 the honest answer is that the cartridge is already one of the better parts of the deck, so the money is better spent on the phono stage, on isolation, or on cleaning the records you already own.

Is the Nagaoka MP-110 a good match for a Fluance?

It is the warmer of the two obvious answers, and Fluance fits it itself: the RT85N is the RT85 with an MP-110 in place of the 2M Blue, at the same list price. Nagaoka publishes it at 6.5 g, which is exactly the top of the RT81's stated window, and 1.5 to 2.0 g tracking force. Choosing between it and an Audio-Technica or Ortofon is a question of character rather than of tier.

Sources

  • Fluance — RT81 Elite turntable, published specifications — Manufacturer specification table, read live: belt drive, DC motor on three-point rubber isolation, 33 1/3 and 45 RPM (78 RPM "No"), speed variation +/- 1.00%, wow and flutter 0.2%, signal-to-noise "67 dB or higher (A-weighted, 20 kHz LPF)" and "60 dB or higher (unweighted, 20 kHz LPF)", aluminum platter 12 in / 1.22 lb (553 g) / 0.62 in (16 mm) with a rubber mat, static-balanced S-type aluminum tonearm 8.82 in (224 mm) effective length and 0.99 oz (28.2 g) effective mass, adjustable 100 g counterweight, anti-skating, cueing lever, pivot bearing, H-4 bayonet headshell 0.38 oz (10.7 g), "Audio Technica: AT95E" dual moving magnet cartridge with a 0.4 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical diamond on an aluminum cantilever at 2.0 g tracking force, 20-20,000 Hz, 20 dB channel separation at 1 kHz, 3.5 mV phono output and 140 mV (-17 dBV) line output, switchable PHONO/LINE preamp with full bypass and a ground terminal, MDF plinth in real wood veneer, tinted dust cover, defeatable auto-stop, suspension isolation feet, 14.1 lb (6.4 kg), 1.5 W. Listed at 299.99 USD on the access date with no discontinuation notice. Re-read live on 2026-10-05 for the RT81 vs AT-LP120XUSB head-to-head and the 2M Blue review, every figure above unchanged and still listed at 299.99 USD; two rows quoted on those pages are confirmed verbatim from the same table — "Supported Cartridge Weight: 0.12 to 0.23 oz (3.5 to 6.5 g)", which EXCLUDES the 7.2 g Ortofon 2M Blue, and "Cartridge Weight: 5.7 g (+/- 0.5 g)" (accessed September 26, 2026)
  • Fluance — RT81+ Elite turntable, published specifications — The third deck at the RT82's price, and the reason this comparison is not a two-way. Fluance's own comparison chart presents it as a separate current model rather than a replacement for the RT81, priced at 349.99 USD — the same sticker as the RT82 — and changes exactly three things against the RT81: the cartridge becomes the current Audio-Technica AT-VM95E (0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical, 4.0 mV, 20-22,000 Hz), the platter becomes damped aluminum 1.25 lb (566 g) under an ACRYLIC mat instead of rubber, and the feet become three adjustable rubber isolators. Everything else is the RT81's published table verbatim: same DC motor and three-point rubber isolation, same 0.2% wow and flutter, same +/- 1.00% speed variation, same 67 dB A-weighted signal-to-noise, same 28.2 g effective-mass S-type arm, same H-4 bayonet headshell, same switchable Texas Instruments PHONO/LINE preamp with 140 mV line output and full bypass, same MDF plinth, same 14.1 lb. A bubble level is added to the box (accessed September 26, 2026)
  • Fluance — RT82 Reference turntable, published specifications — Manufacturer specification table: belt drive, servo-controlled DC motor, 0.07% wow and flutter, 68.5 dB weighted S/N, aluminum platter 553 g / 16 mm, static balanced S-type aluminum arm 224 mm / 21.78 g, H-4 bayonet headshell, Ortofon OM 10, no built-in preamp, 6.8 kg. Re-checked live on 2026-10-05 for the 2M Blue review, which quotes one further row from the same table verbatim: "Supported Cartridge Weight: 0.18 - 0.25 oz (5.0 - 7.5 g)", the range that DOES accommodate a 7.2 g Ortofon 2M Blue where the RT81's does not. Still listed at 349.99 USD (accessed September 3, 2026)
  • Fluance — RT85 Reference turntable, published specifications — Manufacturer specification table: 0.07% wow and flutter, 69 dB weighted S/N, acrylic platter 1.56 kg / 16 mm, static balanced S-type aluminum arm 224 mm / 27.5 g, H-4 bayonet headshell, Ortofon 2M Blue 0.3 x 0.7 mil nude elliptical, no built-in preamp, 7.6 kg (accessed September 3, 2026)
  • Fluance — RT85N Reference turntable, published specifications — Manufacturer specification table: 0.07% wow and flutter, 68.5 dB weighted S/N, acrylic platter 1.56 kg / 16 mm, static balanced S-type aluminum arm 224 mm / 21.1 g, H-4 bayonet headshell 9 g, Nagaoka MP-110 with a 0.4 x 0.7 mil superfine polished elliptical bonded diamond, no built-in preamp, 7.6 kg (accessed September 3, 2026)
  • Fluance — RT87 Reference dual-plinth turntable, published specifications — Manufacturer specification table: dual plinth, motor on 7-point silicone isolation, 33 1/3 / 45 / 78 RPM, 0.06% wow and flutter, 71 dB S/N, acrylic platter 1.85 kg / 22 mm, one-piece carbon-fiber straight arm 230 mm with 6 mm VTA adjustment, removable H-4 headshell, Ortofon 2M Blue, no built-in preamp, 9.5 kg (accessed September 3, 2026)
  • Audio-Technica — AT-VM95E cartridge — Manufacturer specs: 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical stylus on an aluminum cantilever, 4.0 mV output at 1 kHz / 5 cm/sec, 1.8-2.2 g tracking force (2.0 g standard), 20-22,000 Hz, 20 dB channel separation at 1 kHz, half-inch mount, AT-VMN95E replacement stylus, and the maker's own statement that "all VM95 Series share the same body" so the stylus "can be replaced with any of the six interchangeable AT-VMN95 replacement styli". Re-read on the access date below, which corrected a tracking-force range previously noted here as 1.8-2.3 g (accessed September 26, 2026)
  • Audio-Technica — AT-VM95ML cartridge — Manufacturer page for the micro-linear VM95 cartridge and its stylus profile (accessed August 11, 2026)
  • Audio-Technica — VM95 Series cartridges — The shared-body VM95 range and its interchangeable stylus upgrade path (accessed July 24, 2026)
  • Audio-Technica — AT95E dual magnet cartridge (DISCONTINUED) — The cartridge the RT81 ships with, on its own maker's site, badged "Discontinued" above the product name and listed at 49.00 USD with no specification table rendered. The page's own description is the marketing copy Fluance's listing echoes: "The half-inch standard mount AT95E phonograph cartridge offers outstanding clarity and detail" with an "elliptical diamond stylus". Cited for the discontinuation itself, which is a fact about buying the RT81 in 2026 rather than a spec: the VM95 series is Audio-Technica's current half-inch line and the AT95E is not in it (accessed September 26, 2026)
  • Audio-Technica — ATN95E replacement stylus (DISCONTINUED) — The other half of the discontinuation, and the one that actually costs an owner money: the only replacement stylus Audio-Technica lists for the AT95E body is badged "Discontinued", priced 52.00 USD and reads "We're sorry, but this item is unavailable." Its description is "0.3 x 0.7 elliptical replacement stylus for these cartridges: AT95E" — which also puts Audio-Technica's own tip figure for this cartridge (0.3 x 0.7 mil) at odds with the 0.4 x 0.7 mil Fluance publishes for the same cartridge. Both figures are reported on the page; neither is picked (accessed September 26, 2026)
  • Nagaoka MP-110 — published specification table (Fluance) — Published specs for the cartridge Fluance fits to the RT85N: moving magnet, 0.4 x 0.7 mil superfine polished elliptical bonded diamond, 5.0 mV output, 1.5-2.0 g tracking force, 20-20,000 Hz, 23 dB channel separation at 1 kHz, dynamic compliance 20 x 10-6 cm/dyne at 100 Hz, 6.5 g, 47 kOhm load, JN-P110 replacement stylus (accessed September 3, 2026)
  • Ortofon — 2M Red, published specifications — The other half of the comparison, read live the same day and cited for the three rows that actually move between the two cartridges — and the four that do not. Published: output voltage at 1 kHz, 5 cm/sec "5.5 mV", channel balance at 1 kHz "1.5 dB", channel separation at 1 kHz "22 dB", frequency response 20 Hz - 20 kHz "+ 3 / - 1 dB", tracking ability at 315 Hz "70 um", compliance (dynamic, lateral) "20 um/mN", stylus type "Elliptical diamond", stylus tip radius "r/R 8/18 um", cantilever "Aluminium", tracking force range "1.6-2.0 g (16-20 mN)" with "1.8 g" recommended, internal impedance "1.3 kOhm", internal inductance "700 mH", recommended load "47 kOhm" and "150-300 pF", cartridge weight "7.2" g. Listed at 99,00 EUR and "Unavailable" in Ortofon's own store on the access date. The identical rows are the point: same tip radius, same compliance, same weight, same tracking force, same output, same load (accessed October 5, 2026)
  • Ortofon — 2M Blue, published specifications — The maker's own table, read live on this date: output voltage "5.5 mV", channel balance at 1 kHz "1.5 dB", channel separation at 1 kHz "25 dB", frequency range "20-20.000 Hz + 2 / - 1 dB", tracking ability at 315 Hz "80 um", compliance (dynamic, lateral) "20 um/mN", stylus type "Nude Elliptical diamond", stylus tip radius "r/R 8/18 um", tracking force range "1.6-2.0 g (16-20 mN)" with "1.8 g (18 mN)" recommended, tracking angle 20 degrees, internal impedance (DC resistance) "1.3 kOhm", internal inductance "700 mH", recommended load resistance "47 kOhm", recommended load capacitance "150-300 pF", cartridge colour "Black/Blue", cartridge weight "7.2 g", cantilever "Aluminium", coil wire "OFC Wire". Listed at 199,00 EUR and showing "Unavailable" in Ortofon's own European store on the access date — the cartridge is current, but Ortofon is not the channel to buy it from (accessed October 5, 2026)
  • Ortofon — OM Series — Manufacturer specs for the OM 10: 4 mV output, 1,25-1,75 g tracking force (1,5 g recommended), elliptical stylus r/R 8/18, 20-22.000 Hz — and the stated upgrade path, "upgrade the performance of an entire music system very easily by upgrading the stylus" (accessed September 1, 2026)
  • Crutchfield — Phono cartridge guide — Reference on cartridge types, styli and mounting (accessed July 24, 2026)

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