AFI FLAT Record Flatener

1.     I love the look and what appears to be very solid German design and construction.

2.     Its operation is straight-forward and it has performed without any issues.  The only thing I would note is that, as stated in the user manual, the cool-down cycle will not function properly in very warm ambient temperature.  It basically cannot fully complete the cool-down cycle.  After confirming this for myself (I am guessing the room temperature was around 27 or 28 C) I from then on ran it with my aircon on (24 C ambient temperature) for the cool-down cycle with no issues.

3.     I have found its ability to flatten records excellent, five stars. This is described as the Standard function. I thought that I would have limited use for this feature, but since getting the FLAT I have been much more observant and found that quite a few new records that I have bought are dished.  The Standard cycle has successfully flattened all my warped records.

4.     It also has another function, Relax, which is of much interest. This is a milder version of the Standard cycle.  Unfortunately, there is zero description, apart from how to operate it, that I could find in the 19 page user manual on this.  I wanted to know what Relax is meant to accomplish and whether it can be used on both played and unplayed records, and new and old.  I have been told, but have not been able to substantiate, that the designer believes it to release something trapped in the vinyl during pressing. I wanted to know whether there is any audible difference using this cycle so I managed to find two identical unplayed records in my collection of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”. They are US pressings but not the original 1971 pressing but must have been a subsequent Warner Bros/Reprise “Super Saver Series” reissue which I picked up around 1987-88.  I checked that they had identical Matrix/Runnout identifiers.  I cleaned both with my KLAudio Mk2 cleaner and used the Relax cycle on one.  A day later I played the non Relaxed record with a friend with excellent audio ears.  The recording quality was not the best.  We then put on the Relaxed record.  We were both amazed.  There was a very significant difference.  The non Relaxed record was irritating and the Relaxed record was transformed to listenable.