For record collectors it is not uncommon to come across a warped or dished slab of vinyl that cannot be played correctly. Vinyl flatteners have been around for a number of years now, but a new generation of flattening machines are on the market that can handle two records at a time and even flatten Shellac records! The German made AFI FLAT.DUO is designed to flatten records and can be used to improve the sound quality using a heat setting called ‘Relax’. This review will cover before and after results for Flattening and Relaxing various records from my collection.
Flat Earth
AFI stands for Audio Fidelity Improvement and DUO in the name of this device indicates that it can flatten two records at the same time, plus it features two treatment programs for flattening and relaxing.
Designed by Ulli Kathe and marketed by Oliver Wittmann from Stuttgart’s HiFi-Studio Wittmann the FLAT.DUO is the second, and newest, design for the AFI partnership. The FLAT.DUO significantly reduces the size of the machine and cost, compared to the first flattener called the AFI FLAT.2. Unpacking the AFI FLAT.DUO reveals the flattener packed in a soft fabric bag, allowing the user to pack the machine away safely while not in use. Comprehensive instructions from the manufacturer as well as thoughtful guidelines on use from Secret Chord Analogue, the Australian distributor, are included.
The FLAT.DUO is a compact unit approximately 360mm wide, 430mm deep and 110mm high, it runs off 240 volts AC which is converted to 24 volts DC via a small transformer. This powers the heating element and the comprehensive menu, displayed on a small LCD screen which is coupled to a touch panel with navigation buttons. This allows the user to select from preset heating and dwell time settings for fast flattening or relaxing, the latter having a lower temperature and longer dwell time. The FLAT.DUO also allows for the operator to set up their own temperature and dwell time parameters for those ‘difficult records’. Below, I’ll further discuss the setup modes available.
Construction of the AFI FLAT.DUO is primarily from EPP Expanded Polypropylene which has high strength, is mouldable to create complex shapes, is heat resistant and is a great insulator. The FLAT.DUO is constructed in two parts from EPP, the hinged lid and the main body which carries the heating element, clamping discs, fan, and screen display control panel.
Inside the main body is a circular recess with a metal disc at the bottom and a threaded spindle in the centre. The record is placed over the spindle and onto the metal disc, then another metal disc is placed on top. Another record can be added for treatment, with the last metal disc placed on top. A large plastic puck-nut is then screwed down onto the sandwiched stack and tightened until it clicks. The instructions recommend backing off the nut by half a turn, to allow for thermal expansion of materials and prevent any marking on the vinyl faces. Also noted in the instructions is the recommendation for the vinyl to be cleaned first and be completely dry. Otherwise, you could bake any dirt in the grooves permanently into the vinyl!
The on/off switch is located at the front underside of the unit. Turning on the AFI FLAT.DUO briefly runs the fan and lights the small LED window next to the four touch sensitive buttons that follow the computer keyboard functions of escape ESC, Up Arrow, Down Arrow and Return Arrow.
The opening window shows Program Start which is commenced by pressing the Return arrow and Setup which is opened by pressing the ESC button. Going into Setup reveals 8 different settings that can be changed. Using the arrow buttons to scroll through the menu reveals: Page 1 TARGET-TEMPERATURE, Page 2 DWELL-TIME, Page 3 LANGUAGE, Page 4 TEMPERATURE-SCALE, Page 5 CONTRAST, Page 6 BEEP SETTING, Page 7 FAN -SETTING, and Page 8 CHANGE METHOD.
Each menu page can be adjusted by following the instructions on the screen. For instance, on menu page 8 the STANDARD METHOD can be altered to the RELAX METHOD or the SHELLAC METHOD. The fan can be turned on or off while the beep that signals the flattener cycle has finished can be turned off. Both temperature and the dwell time for the temperature can be adjusted. Following the instructions and suggested settings from the supplied literature will have the user flattening and relaxing records like a professional!
The two set methods of STANDARD and RELAX work like this. The STANDARD is designed for rapid flattening with the temperature preset at 55 degrees with a dwell time of 30 minutes with the fan then turning on for faster cooling. The RELAX program sets the temperature at 52 degrees with a dwell time of 60 minutes and no fan activation. So, the STANDARD program is for fast flattening and the RELAX is for a gentle tempering of the vinyl record.
Just Chill
What is meant by tempering? During the making of a record the lump of molten PVC polyvinylchloride is heated to 200 degrees Centigrade and pressed between the two metal stampers at 100 tons of pressure. While in the press, the vinyl is rapidly cooled. It’s these high temperatures and rapid cooling that can place stresses within the PVC material. The designers’ research at AFI has found a method to temper the material through gradual heating, then soaking the vinyl in heat while being compressed by the FLAT.DUO’s metal plates, with controlled cooling finishing the process.
Proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say. So, how does the AFI FLAT.DUO perform? I used the STANDARD program on a couple of records, the first a copy of The Police’s Ghost in the Machine on the Nautilus label. This record is badly warped with heat ripples around the entire edge. I went with two flattening attempts with limited success because, during the warping, parts of the record stretched. While the FLAT.DUO is a brilliant piece of equipment, it is unable to shrink the PVC material.
The second record was a rerelease of Mercury Rev’s Deserter Songs and after two flattening attempts, the second with a 90 minute dwell time, instead of 60 minutes, and no cooling fan. I achieved a 95% success rate with just a slight ripple of a millimetre in one area. Now, fully playable.
With dished or cupped records, I achieved perfect flatness on the RELAX program setting including some heavyweight vinyl from the Mobile Fidelity ‘One Step’ series and from the Rhino ‘High Fidelity’ series. As vinyl collectors know, purchasing a limited edition LP, then to find it cupped, is a real pain, so passing through the FLAT-DUO and getting great results is a sonic relief!
Before exploration of the RELAX program, I was able to find some double copies of vinyl that had the same date, matrix numbers etc. That allowed me to RELAX one of the records and compare it to the non-relaxed example. All the records were cleaned thoroughly using a combination of a wet vacuum machine and Secret Chord Analogue’s Record Restore.
First up, Dire Straits Communiqué released in Australia in 1979 on the Vertigo label. Listening on the unrelaxed record reveals a dynamic and punchy sound, with the lead guitar prominent and drum work clear and muscular. Playing the RELAXED version, the music sounds like it has been remastered with a big lift in clarity, dynamics and sound depth. Knopfler’s guitar sounds cleaner and clearer and the bass guitar is more prominent in the mix. Drums are even more dynamic and detailed and the vocals much easier to follow during the songs.
The Star Wars soundtrack was released in 1977 on a double album. On the unrelaxed version, the opening Main Title starts with gusto, the brass, the timpani drums and the swelling violin strings providing a thrilling listen. The RELAXED copy further adds to the power of the orchestra, with more clarity given to the whole performance. The brass instruments are more striking, string tones are clearer, and the cymbal clashes are rendered with greater realism. The timpani drums whack with more power and tonal definition. Subtle micro details are revealed, with the xylophone becoming clearer in the mix.
Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness On The Edge of Town, released in 1979. The unrelaxed copy is a little murky in its presentation, with the singer’s vocals hard to decipher in the mix. On to the RELAXED version, and the vocals are much clearer to follow, the drumming tighter with greater power and weight behind the hits. The lead guitar notes have greater definition with the whole song having better clarity. Backing vocals that were previously buried in the mix are now easy to follow.
Conclusion
The AFI FLAT.DUO is very impressive in its ability to flatten out all but the most difficult of warped records. The addition of personalised settings gives the user extra flexibility to deal with difficult warps. Under the RELAX program, the FLAT.DUO becomes a remastering device, the special tempering heat treatment really does work, with the results at times being astounding.
The AFI FLAT.DUO is one of those ground-breaking machines in the RELAX mode, and I can see these machines being bought by collectors and shared between friends because the results are ear opening!
I’m so impressed by the results offered by the AFI FLAT.DUO that I now own one. Proof of the pudding indeed!
… Mark Busby
www.soundstageaustralia.com
Associated Equipment
- Speakers – Yamaha NS-1000M, custom 18-inch subwoofer
- Preamplifier – PS Audio BHK, Music First Audio step up transformer, EMIA two-box tube phono stage
- Amplifier – Yamaha B1, Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Leak Stereo 60, restored Leak Stereo 20
- Sources – Analogue: Technics SP10 Mk3 turntable with Stax UA7 Tonearm, Garrard 410 and SME V arm, Thorens TD 124 Mk1 with Woodsong bearing, SME 3012 silver wired tonearm, Music Maker 3 moving iron & DS Audio DS-003 optical cartridges, Soundsmith Paua, Miyajima Labs Kotetu, Kiseki Blue cartridges, Tube Sound Audio phono stage, Sansui TU-717 tuner. Digital: Marantz CD-12/DAC-12
- Cables – Vertere Pulse-C, Revelation Audio Labs
AFI FLAT.DUO Record Flattener & Relaxer
Price: AU$3990
Australian Warranty: 12 Months
Australian Dealer Finder: Secret Chord Analogue + HeyNow Hi-Fi
Australian Distributor: Secret Chord Analogue
+61 (0) 2 9043 6567
https://secretchordanalogue.au/
HiFi-Studio Wittmann
Brucknerstraße 17
70195 Stuttgart
Germany
+49 711 69 67 74
https://afi-record-flattener.com/index.htm
