LP flattener

[djsina2]

Anyone here decided *not* to spend big and go for the $250 Record Pi (prev Record Flat)?

I had the Vinyl Flat before the Orb. The Orb is easily worth the extra money. One of the best, if not the best, audio purchases I have made. I’d say 75% of records I purchase are warped (including new ones).

 

[spiritofmusic]

I had the Vinyl Flat before the Orb. The Orb is easily worth the extra money. One of the best, if not the best, audio purchases I have made. I’d say 75% of records I purchase are warped (including new ones).

In what way? Surely this is one of the "simplest" concepts to execute and get right in our over complicated and pricey hobby.
How does the Orb better the Flat (now Pi)?
And if the Orb is so good, could not the AFI be even better, especially w it's relax function?

 

[rDin]

What is "raised edge"?
New one on me.

The edge of the record rises/elevates/bumps/lifts/is thicker/whatever you want to call it. It’s designed to help stop the stylus falling off. Pick a record, any record, and inspect the edge. Chances are it has this. I have very very few completely flat records (no edge guard)…

 

[rDin]

So I can only use my Orb if the record has the edge guard. Most of my records don’t. I guess that’s the issue. Always thought that was a lame design choice. No such limitation with the AFI. You put it in and it works.

No, it’s likely the other way around. Records without edge guards are rare in my experience. The Orb+ comes with adapters for those records, as well as 7” and 10”

 

[oeno]

I have Orb DF01ia and it has worked flawlessly. It does have a cool down period that is most likely similar to the Relax function on the other flattener.

Note that Zeotrope's problems are with another Orb model. None of us using the Orb DF01ia are having any problems with it.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I have Orb DF01ia and it has worked flawlessly. It does have a cool down period that is most likely similar to the Relax function on the other flattener.

Note that Zeotrope's problems are with another Orb model. None of us using the Orb DF01ia are having any problems with it.

Well spotted, that could well be it.
You used the Vinyl Flat back in the day as well?

 

[oeno]

Yes I have years of experience with Vinyl Flat....years of unsatisfying experience. Hit or miss, and some mangled lps to boot. I would imagine a similar outcome with the UK Record Pi. A Hoffman thread on it indicates the same sort of experience I had with Vinyl Flat.

I would recommend to anyone getting the Orb that they also use felt lp sized spacers sandwhiched around the lp, which ensures no contact of the lp with the glass. I have flattened at least 100 records using it in this manner, including supposedly un-flattenable ones that weight under 140g...

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm sure there are some fancy 12" square felt pieces at audiofool pricing.
I'm a sucker for Quantum Thingy in the name of accessories.

 

[djsina2]

In what way? Surely this is one of the "simplest" concepts to execute and get right in our over complicated and pricey hobby.
How does the Orb better the Flat (now Pi)?
And if the Orb is so good, could not the AFI be even better, especially w it's relax function?

I never got great or consistent results with the Vinyl Flat. I guess if you only had a small number of records to do it’d be worth a try to fiddle with it. I’ve done 100’s with the Orb. It’s similar to vinyl cleaning, how much time and effort do you want to put into it?

The felt mats were mentioned and the US distributor for Orb suggests them. I personally don’t like it and feel it doesn’t flatten as well. I can only assume pressing the record between two hard glass surfaces is better than into soft felt that has some give. I also found fibers in the grooves after using them. Better to just put the sensitive records on for less time. You can long press the button at any time to switch to cooling mode.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I never got great or consistent results with the Vinyl Flat. I guess if you only had a small number of records to do it’d be worth a try to fiddle with it. I’ve done 100’s with the Orb. It’s similar to vinyl cleaning, how much time and effort do you want to put into it?

The felt mats were mentioned and the US distributor for Orb suggests them. I personally don’t like it and feel it doesn’t flatten as well. I can only assume pressing the record between two hard glass surfaces is better than into soft felt that has some give. I also found fibers in the grooves after using them. Better to just put the sensitive records on for less time. You can long press the button at any time to switch to cooling mode.

I guess if you're gonna compress the LP btwn two pieces of glass, make sure you've properly cleaned the album first...

 

[djsina2]

I guess if you're gonna compress the LP btwn two pieces of glass, make sure you've properly cleaned the album first...

The grooves don’t touch the glass if there’s groove guard like most records.

 

[oeno]

The grooves don’t touch the glass if there’s groove guard like most records.

True, but placing the record in the felt sandwich removes all doubt. I have a number of guard-less records (early Blue Notes and other 50s era jazz pressings) so I don't have to worry about it.

The one real limitation of the Orb is its inability to certainly flatten lightweight records, ie 140g or less. So if your collection runs to oil crisis vinyl or Dynaflex, you can only use the Low setting on the Orb...and it may or may not work.

I just tried this out on a DG Benedetti Michelangeli recording of Debussy. I bought the record sealed, and used the Low setting on the Orb to flatten an obvious warp. Worked fine.

​

 

[djsina2]

True, but placing the record in the felt sandwich removes all doubt. I have a number of guard-less records (early Blue Notes and other 50s era jazz pressings) so I don't have to worry about it.

The one real limitation of the Orb is its inability to certainly flatten lightweight records, ie 140g or less. So if your collection runs to oil crisis vinyl or Dynaflex, you can only use the Low setting on the Orb...and it may or may not work.

I just tried this out on a DG Benedetti Michelangeli recording of Debussy. I bought the record sealed, and used the Low setting on the Orb to flatten an obvious warp. Worked fine.

​

I don’t have a single record without groove guard so in my experience the felt only prevents better results. I do have, and have ruined a couple, oil crisis records though. I found better results in shorter cycles without the felt.

 

[spiritofmusic]

God, I'm gonna have to get some weighing scales. Anyone know any audiofool priced ones? Ooh, $2k sounds about right.

 

[Zeotrope]

The AFI is much better that the DF-01 Orb. Just treated a dozen albums that the Orb did not flatten. All perfectly flattened with one treatment on the AFI. I’ve never seen a flatter record!

Yes, it’s 3X the price, but it’s 10X better.

Also, the Relax program is very interesting. The benefits are backed by material science. I don’t have two copies of the same album to do back to back testing, but those who did try this all said it makes a noticeable difference.

Main Differences vs Orb:
More precise temperature control.
Two heating cycles: first goes to 40C, second goes to 60C (adjustable)
Controlled cooling
Orb goes to 65C then turns off. 65C may damage some records. Not adjustable.
Orb doesn’t have the “Relax” program.
no annoying “only treats records with an edge guard” requirement.

From a German review:
This careful, absolutely clean cooling with identical conditions above and below the LP is also the biggest difference to the ORB-DF 1i record iron.
This heats the LPs to 65 degrees and then turns off. However , the sophisticated heating technology of the AFi flat.2 has unfortunately at a price.

 

[Zeotrope]

Notice the two temp targets and the gradual cooldown:

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

The DFI is much better that the DF-01 Orb. Just treated a dozen albums that the Orb did not flatten. All perfectly flattened with one treatment on the AFI. I’ve never seen a flatter record!

Yes, it’s 3X the price, but it’s 10X better.

Also, the Relax program is very interesting. The benefits are backed by material science. I don’t have two copies of the same album to do back to back testing, but those who did try this all said it makes a noticeable difference.

Main Differences vs Orb:
More precise temperature control.
Two heating cycles: first goes to 40C, second goes to 60C (adjustable)
Controlled cooling
Orb goes to 65C then turns off. 65C may damage some records. Not adjustable.
Orb doesn’t have the “Relax” program.
no annoying “only treats records with an edge guard” requirement.

From a German review:
This careful, absolutely clean cooling with identical conditions above and below the LP is also the biggest difference to the ORB-DF 1i record iron.
This heats the LPs to 65 degrees and then turns off. However , the sophisticated heating technology of the AFi flat.2 has unfortunately at a price.

Do you mean the 'AF' not 'DFI' record flattener 'Zeotrope' ? i.e.;

AFI flat.2 Vinyl Record Flattener / Relaxer / Improver

Save your warped records from the trash and get playing them again. The Audio Fidelity Improvement FLAT is the latest generation of vinyl disc press.

www.analogueseduction.net

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Do you mean the 'AF' not 'DFI' record flattener 'Zeotrope' ? i.e.;

AFI flat.2 Vinyl Record Flattener / Relaxer / Improver

Save your warped records from the trash and get playing them again. The Audio Fidelity Improvement FLAT is the latest generation of vinyl disc press.

www.analogueseduction.net

Ooops I mean 'AFI' not 'AF' lol

 

[djsina2]

You seem to have an old Orb or something. Mine has 3 temp levels. Yesterday I received an older record with the worst edge warp I have ever seen. It flattened perfect with one full cycle on Low temp. I also received a modern colored pressing with a bad edge warp and that flattened with only a 30 min cycle on low.

 

[Zeotrope]

Do you mean the 'AF' not 'DFI' record flattener 'Zeotrope' ? i.e.;

AFI flat.2 Vinyl Record Flattener / Relaxer / Improver

Save your warped records from the trash and get playing them again. The Audio Fidelity Improvement FLAT is the latest generation of vinyl disc press.

www.analogueseduction.net

Yes, thanks! Edited