Brand New Warped albums!

stereo5,

I have been a Music Direct customer since the beginning. #0001. I received the new Beatles, "White Album" , Rocky Racoon had  a skip pressed into it. Called MD customer service and they emailed a return FedEx shipping label that afternoon. The next morning, I drove to MD and they cancelled the return, notified their shipping dept. and exchanged my copy for a new copy. The best, as always. Yes, it is nice to live a 40 minute drive away. MD will take care of you.

I agree, that is a lot of warped records, in such a short time. No, that is Not being too fussy. Flat Records play and sound better. Flat records is what we should all expect. Back in the day. I was fussy and returned all records that had too many tics & pops, warps etc. Never a problem, just exchanged for new copy of the same: as I did with MD and the White Album.

Except for a few albums that I bought used and escaped my visual inspection, 99% of my records are mostly flat. A lot of albums do have (for lack of a better description), a "Wave" They play fine, the tonearm does what it is supposed to do. Still, I do think that the records could play and sound better if they were really flat. Just play a record that is flat and a copy that has a "Wave" or play a new MOFI UD1S or a UHQR and watch your tonearm. I think that, you will agree.

This is exactly why I have been saving my "nickles". I am, almost ready to purchase an "AFI Flat". A record flattener made in Germany. It not only flattens records; It has a, RELAX Cycle, that relieves the stresses introduced to the record when pressed. Yes, It is Spendy. 2850 euros.

It is a risk, for an esoteric audiophile tweak. Aren't they all ?  I thought the same thing when I got a VPI16.5, Furutech De Stat and De Mag,  Ultrasonic cleaner, TipToes,  First pair of ICs  and many that I would be embarrassed to mention. I have a boxful.

All of us, should be fussy. Especially about our Source / Records. It all starts here.

Best on your Journey.

@nkonor,

Is their a dealer network set up for the AFI yet?

@bdp24 ,

I may start a thread for the Vinyl Flat /user’s tips if there's noting out there already good enough to add on to.

@slaw 

No, Other than the Wittmann site and the Roy Gregory Review: there is little info that I can find. I have been in contact with 2 A' gon members that use and recommend the AFI Flat.  More info and user reviews and actual use would be appreciated. I forget the dealer in Canada, who offered me an AFI Flat for 2500.00 shipped. It was right then, right now, no return. He was looking to become a distributor; Don't know if that came about.

IF you have one and start a thread, that would be great.

Best

@slaw @bdp24
There is a long thread or two on the Hoffman board from a few years ago with people comparing notes, but it isn’t definitive- more a trading tips and questions thread- the main difficulty was treating edge warps. I did have a Vinyl Flat and Groovy Pouch and it does work--i used a very incremental approach, and repeated heating/cooling cycles, to avoid what some users complained about with overheating and orange peel. I suspect part of the problem is overtightening of the wing-nut which in my view is unnecessary given how heavy those plates are.
I think a thread on this would be valuable @slaw - go for it!