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,