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AFI FLAT Record Flatener

I have had a FLAT (that does have a nice ring to it) for several months and here are my impressions:

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.

5.     I later listened to a 1987 German pressing on Warner Brothers of “Shaka Zulu” by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  I would have had this record for over 25 years but had not played it.  I had washed it with a KLAudio Mk1 in Nov 2014.  It is an excellent recording and pressing. I put it through the FLAT’s Relax cycle and listened to it again.  It is not often that I can compare two events separated by 18 hours and categorically be sure of the outcome.  The recording had a significant increase in ambient information that turned an excellent recording into something special.  I think also that the soundstage was improved in width and solidity.

6.     The Relax cycle will only take out the mildest of warps.  Nearly all warps need the Standard cycle. 

Since, I started to Relax FLAT all my best recordings.  I highly recommend this device to take out warps, and also more importantly for me, to Relax favourite recordings for improved sonics.  I would not be without it.

All the best,
128x128bluewolf
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
One assumes nobody still flattens records using glass sandwich in preheated oven on WARM for about 5-10 minutes. Experimentation with the actual temperature and time in the oven is advised to avoid damaging the record. Weighing down the top glass plate with say, lead weights will assist in flattening the LP, but not a telephone book that would absorb too much heat.

cheers
howardalex's avatar
howardalex
64 posts
 
Hi all,
l've just taken delivery of an AFI flattener too and am quite amazed by it already.
So far I've used it on 6 records. In all cases I used the "relax" setting, and also the "standard" setting (in addition to the relax setting) on 3 of them.
The standard setting got rid of the warps with no problem.
What  I have found amazing is the sonic benefits from the relax mode. Every single record has been markedly improved.
The records I've used so far are a mix 1960 choral recordings, a 1978 MFSL and a 1958 Dave Brubeck original pressing that my dad bought before I was born.
To my ears the relax "treatment" seems to strip away a layer of grain and any residual harshness in recordings. The sense of musical flow and ambience of the recording venue is really enhanced as is the tonal quality of voices and instruments.
In my view the improvement to the sound quality of my system has gone up a huge notch- certainly equivalent to a big upgrade in hardware.
It's not cheap (I bought mine from a friendly Belgium supplier - happy to pass on details if anybody interested) but if you are serious about vinyl then it's definitely up there with the essentials like a good cleaner is my opinion.
Regards
howard.



nkonor
635 posts
 
Howard,

Thanks for your continuation to this thread. I am interested in how to acquire an AFI Flat. Please Do post the details. Also your findings on further use of the Relax Cycle.

 It is a spendy piece of gear; but what isn't in this hobby?

I am a vinyl guy. Two TTs, 3000lps, an Audiodesk, a VPI 16.5 that is now used to "rinse" after AD cleaning and a Furutek D'Mag and D'STAT. Just seems like the logical thing to have in the quest.

Thanks
Norb
nkonor
635 posts
 
Still have not found any distributor in the USA or cost $. Keep hoping someone her can provide a lead on the AFI Flat in the USA.

Thanks in Advance 
howardalex's avatar
howardalex
64 posts
 
Hi Norb
you could try emailing Francis (francis@technologyfactory.com)- he is in Belgium and shipped mine to London having obtained units directly from Germany. I'd be surprised if he couldn't ship to you in the US too.
I've been using the AFI Flat for a week now and continue to be hugely impressed by it on every record used.
The sonic benefits are really obvious - all the usual hi fi things (everything is simply clearer and cleaner sounding), improved dynamism and soundstage: in short it allows your system to perform to its fullest potential as you are giving it a better source. Having spent ££$$ and assembled a system capable of high resolution performance it must make sense to feed it the highest resolution source, which this does (as does keeping records properly cleaned- I also use the Audiodesk and find this comparable in terms of upping the ante of what vinyl can achieve sonically).
What  I am finding is that under close scrutiny most of my vinyl, while not grieveously warped, is at least slightly wobbly - in many cases making the lowering of the stylus onto the beginning of a side a bit fraught.
i have therefore been routinely using the Standard setting and then the Relax setting on all records. It takes a while but if you do the Standard setting last thing at night and the Relaxed one first thing in the morning you have a complete job done for the evenings entertainment !
There are significant sonic benefits just from the Standard mode by the way: I have tried records having just used that and can report that the effects are not unlike the Relax mode - which again makes sense if you think that the stylus isn't having to ride the equivalent of a near tidal wave as it travels across a record.
I can't recommend this AFI Flat too highly.
On a seperate note, how is the demagnetiser ? I was intrigued when I read about it - albeit the AFI seems to do what the reviews I read said the demagnetiser did - maybe they get to the same destination by a different path ?
If the demagnetiser adds to what the AFI Flat does (or vice versa) that would be very interesting indeed !!
Regards
Howard

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