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Dealing with warped vinyl
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shashirao View Drop Down
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Points: 156 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shashirao Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2020 at 5:30pm
A few updates on my journey in dealing with warped records.

Received the Vinyl Flat equipment. The product is well built - the clamp itself can do the work cold - but that will take months to correct a single disc. There are two ways to heat the clamp - in the oven or the heat pouch they provide. I ordered the heat pouch thinking it would be easier/safer than the oven.

Big mistake. The pouch does not have a time or auto shutoff. Comes with a digital thermometer. The idea is to heat the pouch between 130 and 150 degrees F. And keep the clamp for a couple of hours. The problem is - no guarantee on what that sustained heat is. Plus different vinyl material reacts to different temps. Too many variables for a single vinyl.

End result - a couple of vinyls with reduced warp. Two vinyls 'burnt' where it now impacts the sound.

Final thoughts - I may still use this system with an oven. The advantage being - controlled temperature and timer. Plus they provide an oven temp guide for most major record label/types. More to follow.
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shashirao View Drop Down
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Points: 156 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shashirao Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2020 at 5:36pm
Update on the clamp option.

Did some more research on clamps - there are a ton of them...some clamps, most of them weights and some like Furutech spout magical Pure Transmission Piezo Ceramic mumbo-jumbo...that proclaim - “active” materials have a mechanical and electrical damping effect as it “interconverts” thermal, mechanical, and electrical energy for the finest Furutech Pure Transmission LP playback imaginable. I am staying away from magic till they device a Covid-19 vaccine.

I have ignored all the weight systems (since I already have a decent one with my P******t turntable) - and focused on the two clamps:

1. JA Michell
2. Mazzaloni

Went with the Mazzaloni for a few reasons - heavier than the Michell (250gms vs 70gms), size is taller and broader so hoping for more coverage, fits the most turntable spindles.

More updates on the clamp journey in a few days. Meanwhile I have a few vinyls to bake in the VinylFlat LOL
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lfc jon View Drop Down
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Points: 4353 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote lfc jon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2020 at 8:45pm
I'm using the P******t clamp it works for me. But I have only used it on records that are not too bad (warp) The clamp is well made a bit pricey but any thing to do vinyl seems to be
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patientot View Drop Down
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Points: 1778 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote patientot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2020 at 9:07pm
I have the JA Mitchell clamp. It works very well on certain types of warps and not others. I have not used other clamps, just weights, which I don't really use anymore. Fact is, no clamp or weight outside of a very expensive outer ring clamp is going to help with edge warps. Bubble warps and less violent warps are way easier to deal with. 

A friend of mine has the Vinyl Flat - it needs to be used with care and should be tried on junk records before anything else. A lot of folks will hook it up to a power cord timing device (like those used with crock pots) and go for shorter cook times rather than longer. Some thin vinyl from the 70s and 80s you want to be very very careful with. 

My friend has thousands of LPs (he's a DJ) and some very valuable ones that are/were warped. For those he simply puts them in the VF "cold" and sets it aside for a month or more. He says it works, just have to be patient. 


Edited by patientot - 30 Apr 2020 at 9:08pm
SL-1200 MK7 (modified) + Reflex M + PSU-1 used with AT150-40ML, AT VM610 MONO, AT VM95ML, Stanton 680mkII + Ogura, and Shure M35X cartridges.
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shashirao View Drop Down
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Points: 156 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote shashirao Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2020 at 9:56pm
Luckily the two vinyls I burnt can be replaced. But yes - important lesson learnt on VinylFlat.

Since only a few of my vinyls have edge warp - mostly because of thinner material, I do plan to use it under controlled environment - either in an oven or as you mentioned - cold for weeks and months.
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shashirao View Drop Down
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Points: 156 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shashirao Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2020 at 4:16pm
All right - time to summarize my journey to fix vinyl warps:

I received the Mazzolini Record Clamp (picture above) and after a few tries got the hang of it. This clamp does the job - since almost all the warped records I own have to do with the thinner vinyl - this clamp simply holds the vinyl down and firm. The wobble is still there - however the cartridge is able to handle/track this without a hitch.

I am still waiting to receive the Michell clamp - the difference being, this one has a felt mat to place below the vinyl - raising it a bit. So that should make a difference in adjusting the wavy form of the vinyl.

As for the Vinyl Flat - I am staying away from their heat pouch - very difficult and unreliable to manage the temperature and not burn vinyls.

I would however still recommend their main product - the clamp and use it cold. However it would take weeks and months to fix a vinyl.

So lessons learnt - in case you need immediate and temporary fix to warped records - use the clamp. If you need a permanent fix and have loads to time - use the Vinyl Flat product - in cold press mode only.

Cheers
Shashi
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lfc jon View Drop Down
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Points: 4353 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lfc jon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Aug 2021 at 7:51pm
this may not be the place for this post but it's the nearest I can find for what I'm posting.
I have been doing a experiment with my record clamp. since I have had it I have not played a record with out it so to day I decided to play albums with it and with out and my findings were not good as far as my bank account is concerned. Sound wise I did not hear much in the way of improvements, bass was the biggest improvement but that was small (this may have something to me being 55 this week and my hearing is not as good as it used to be) I now with hindsight think that the £75 I paid for it was not worth it, I've heard bigger improvements with different platter mats for less than 1/2 the price. I'm interested to hear what you think on this subject. I do know that a lot of small improvements can lead to one big one but in this case I just don't think it was worth it
Reflex M, Solo (both with PSU-1) CuSat50, Lautus, Spatia & Spatia links cables. Ortofon Bronze.
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