Just wanted to add that after a few months use, my Record Pi has become a necessity. Not only have i fixed harder to get records (right now im fixing a 1978 1st press of Rolling Stones - "Some Girls" on translucent orange vinyl from the Netherlands that skipped due to a warp) I've also fixed records i got cheap ($5) that would be worth $30 but the seller had written them off as junk. I now find myself not worrying if a record is warped because ive fixed some extreme warps and made them flat as glass. I love my Record Pi and it has almost become a secondary hobby fixing records because i find it so satisfying.
Hey Chris! I can attest that the Record PI is the shit! What a great product!!!!I’ve had it for a month now and I have flatten 7 records. Records that were warped as fuck, now they are completely playable, some were not flat all the way, but finally I was able to listen to 30 plus years waiting for this product. One of my grail was Wayne’s World soundtrack it was so warped that I could not hear listen to either side. Now I can definitely say that the Revord Pi saved my 30 year old wax! My method is for old records (140g) I baked it for 2 hours at 138F, let it cool for 1 hour and you have a fixed record. Cheers bud JC/Miami
This was my first Record Attack video and I can already say with confidence that I’ll be a regular. I love the delivery & overview as I’ve been contemplating buying this for some time. It does look great however I’m sure it’s just a matter of time until a unit comes on the market that makes a ‘perfectly flat’ record. Playable is great. A perfectly flat limited edition pressing is wonderful. What I’m looking for is a device that deals with the edge warp & bowl warp that all of us deal with far too often. Extremely warped (new) records are quite rare where edge warp or bowl warp are a real problem. Until proper quality control is implemented, I’ll keep looking for a product that eliminates the kind of warp that most of us deal with. Thanks for the great review!! I’m already a fan.
I was contemplating buying a record pi but on all the reviews I'd seen to date, none gave ne the confidence or assurance that it would do what it claims. Your video was however, was the tipping point for me and now I am going to go and get one. Thank you for all your great review videos.
Works, was hesitant at first but pulled the trigger. I’m 3 weeks in and have fixed multiple warped records to almost and many times perfection. Trouble is becoming to OCD as my threshold or living with a small wobble is much lower. My sweet spot for a standard warp or dish record is 133 for 2.5 hous and .5 warm up, so 3 hours. For the cooldown kill the power and let it sit 30 minutes in the pouch, then pull it out of the pouch but still clamped for another 30 minutes. Best results I’ve found for dished records is placing the coned side up and let the top plate compress it down/flat. Fixed an absolute ridiculously warped record, older and the vinyl composite was a very rigid material but got it 98% there after multiple bakes and in the end sounds great, no audio degradation I can tell. It was a very worthy purchase IMO just like the Degritter, but that’s another story.
I've been personally waiting for your review on this,been checking it out for a while and your review makes the difference on what to do next and that is to buy one. I used to just replace the record but now I'm saving money in a sense! Great review once again!! Thanks and cheers to you!
Sold! Literally was planning on ordering a vinyl flat this week....just finished watching your video and my opinion has changed....well done sir....hopefully someone from the Record Pi staff is reading this post👍
I just ordered mine today and i read reviews watching many videos bit the bullet and now after seeing this review of yours I’m now even more excited and at ease about it and money spent, yes i have quite a few records that are warped one on side A so bad that it stays in a locked reverse skip, after moving the tone arm in a minute or two stops skipping, and as I buy on line or at my local Vinyl stores i can but with confidence that if warped 98/99% ill get it flat and not deal with returns hassle driving gas ware and tear on the carvor having to gamble on buying another one. Note if a record is hit directly by heat/fire and melts/stretches the grooves then there is nothing Pi can do about that. The Pi will fix warp records fine but not melted/distorted grooves.
It astounds me that I can go to the record shop, grab any random LP from the 70's or 80's, and almost every single time they are dead flat. Modern pressing standards are abysmal.
being a dj who started on vinyl I always was shocked at how well the promo records id get would come. flat, sounded great and tough to damage while in a club/party setting. you are right, todays pressings can be so bad!
I've been using the Record Flat for 8 years with excellent results. I also use about 8 metal clips around the edge to make sure there is a enough lite pressure complete, Instead of just the center wing nut.
Excellent review. I've been using a Michell Record Clamp for about 15 years now to flatten records, it's a brilliant product that works on almost every warped record that I own. Of course, clamps don't correct warps, so I would definitely consider this product if/when I need to sell any warped records.
I watched this months ago and based on your review Chris, I asked my adult kids to get me one for Christmas. I'm on my third Pi Bake, and very happy with the results. I did use a very accurate thin needled temp probe to verify the temperature. Mine reads 123-124, but is actually 10-11 degrees lower than that. No big deal. It maintains this consistently and there is calibration setting for temp deviation, just set the deviation for -9 degrees and I call it good enough
I bought the Vinyl Flat about 8 years ago which is exactly the same as this, I did buy a groovy pouch aswell, but as I live in the UK which meant I had to buy a voltage step down, which was extremely expensive. Luckily I was having my Kitchen refurbished, so I bought an oven with a Dough Proofing option (allows heat to be set at 40 - 55) which is perfect as the vinyl flat recommends 54 degrees. So far I've had probably a 75% success rate, generally I do 1hr first pass, then add 10mins per additional attempt. However any more than a total 3 passes I've found the edge grooves can sometimes be damaged and is audible, but overall I'm happy with it.
Your videos are always so professionally done and of great help. You, Paul at BarakaPDub , WCB and Mike at the In Groove, are some of the most informative vinyl channels on the "Tube". Thanks for the head-sup on Dearborn Music.
Nice review. I've made my own flattener that gives me granular control over temperature and time. I've found 53c and 75 minutes works well for most records. It's nice to see similar numbers for other devices. I haven't dared crank it up to 65c for stubborn records, but it's good to know that temperature for 13 hours didn't seem to damage the record.
I've had mostly great results with my record pi. Copies of titles like Acid Bath-When the Kite Strings Pop and Alt J The Dream (nightmare version) flattened out great (these were both damaged in shipping. My vintage copy of Yes- fragile on the other hand, while I haven't gone over 130 degrees has had nothing done to the gnarly edge warp it has.
After watching your video I purchased a Record Pi and I’ve had a field day flattening LPs. Of the dozen or so LPs I’ve flattened only one remained too warped to play though it did flatten somewhat. Overall I’m very happy with the results, so thanks for your recommendation.
I’m glad to hear that it’s working out for you. There are indeed some records that just don’t seem to cooperate, but I find the ratio of records fixed well worth the price.
You are the Mitten Billy Gibbons! 4 hr roadtrip might be in order "for the record" to Dearborn Music from IN. Thank you for an awesome channel, tech and new music experiences!
I'm going to look into getting this as the app has sold me. The fact that you could cut it off from a phone app is impressive. This sounds better than the Vinyl Flat. Chris you might be more than just right in your assessment as I have a Vinyl Flat and got angry with a record just as you did and left it cooking, just like you did and the grooves of the record were damaged. This has prompted me to start to look for a better solution.
Chris, fantastic review! I’ll definitely put this on my list of gear to get. Most if not all of my new records are good but most of my purchases of older pressings are warped. You can see it but I don’t necessarily hear it. Talk soon!
I bought the VinylFlat about 2 years ago, before the Record Pi was released. I'd have bought the Record Pi for sure, over the VinylFlat in a heartbeat. It's similarly priced, but the Record Pi is obviously a more advanced product, that offers far more control over the heat level. That said, though much trial and some error, I've learned how to get good results from the VinylFlat. First off, the 3 way heat "controller" on the VinylFlat might as well be an on/off switch. Low won't do shit, no matter what felt rings you use, or how long you leave it in the bag. The high setting gets way too hot and will flatten the groove and distort the surface of the record when left on north of 2 hours. Second, the steel plates do a fairly good job of distributing the heat throughout the record, but using the silly digital temp probe that ships with the VinylFlat, you can still measure temps through the Velcro closure that varies considerably from one side to the other. Also, the VinylFlat doesn't have a timer, so you have to buy a timer to plug the heater into if you want the session timed. I've probably "flattened" at least 300 LPs since I purchased the VinylFlat. Some have taken multiple sessions, some as little as 5-6 hours, others 12+. Depending on the nature of the warp, one can use the different felt rings in different ways, stack them, or as I often do, use a small disc, like a 45 adapter, to physically push the center of a dished record down into the void created by the open felt ring. I'm tempted to get the Record Pi, as a second flattening devise, as I get a LOT of warped records at my store. I'm also tempted to buy an ORB, as even though it's considerably more expensive at $1200, the results seem much more predictable and faster.
Thanks for the information on the Vinyl Flat. I'm sure people will find that helpful. I'd love to try an Orb, but with the grief I get for the expensive products I review already, I'll probably wait a while to contact them.
Thanks for this review Chris! I happen to have the vinyl flat and yes; the pi bag looks superior to the Velcro bag of the vinyl flat. However, I’ve had total success in getting my most stubborn warped records flattened to the point that they are playable and don’t look annoying as they spin. Bottom line, if it works…problem solved! I now can buy records with a little less apprehension about warps and such.
I tried the oven method to mixed results...too many variables. I had two big floor tiles and two pieces of tempered glass and baked at 170 for 45 min to an hour. The Pi seems much more consistent. Thanks for the review.
I have always heard of people carefully using sunlight for heat and have mostly heard of ovens being used only as an inferior method to a commercial product. obviously the glass is not weighted, just fastened together to create a flat surface, with paper used to allow the record to move.
thanks for reviewing this interesting product! i built a cart to start seedlings indoors and it has that same tangle of wires lol (wall to main unit, main unit to heater mat, main unit to thermometer). agree that this looks like a product worth buying rather than diy-ing
I've just bought the Record Pi. I'm in the UK so it ended up costing me nearly £400 with tax, delivery and import duty. First impressions are good. It flattened my original pressing of Queen II (my personal favourite Queen album). I'm currently at war with record one of Status Quo 12 Gold Bars Vol 1 & 2. It's quite thin vinyl but it has got the record to a playable state. I'd like to get it flatter if I can. I've more records to do so only time will tell. I also find the nut on the top to be an absolute pain in the arse to thread. A standard wing nut would be much better. The bolt is prone to slipping as stated in the video. I've taken the plastic cover off the bolt so I can grip it when tightening. I do feel this would be better welded in place. Over all though I'm very happy with my piece of American Pi.
You may consider just buying a wingnut at the local hardware store to replace the one that comes with the unit. Otherwise, this thing is worth every penny.
I don't find it that bad. Btw, I did just buy a new screw, its a quarter inch. The screw it comes with is 1 inch long. I bought a 1 1/2 inch, and I am now trying it with 6 records at the same time, with felt fabric in between that I cut using the metal plate as a template...
Thanks so much Chris for that great video. It seems that I have that bad luck of getting vinyl records that are warped. Yesterday I got a Behemoth album and it was warped. Right after I watched your video I went online and ordered a Record Pi. If it works which I believe it will I won't have to send back. Again Chris thank you so much.
Have been looking at this as it would always been nice to have if I ever need it. Thanks to your review I will be looking to buy one of these in the near future.
it is nice that time has advanced yet another solution to warped records. My records are so jammed together on a shelf that the vertical pressure over multiple years removed a severe ski jump warp that had made the opening grooves unplayable on one of my records, much to my surprise. I was glad to finally be able to play the opening song on that album after many years of ownership. The fact that vinyl seeks to return to its original cast shape worked well for me, resulting in a nice flat record, without using heat to accelerate the process. I just don't know the amount of time or pressure , other than to say it was jammed in tightly, and ignored for years because of the warp, not exactly science lab details to recreate the effect. But I have a lot of records, so not playing one , even with good songs, was no big deal. Van denHul, the cartridge design pioneer, has a long paper available on the web where he mentions the details of the old two panes of glass method with some details, if you don't have a couple of hundred bucks to spend for the occasional warp, but other places also have this common method. I think the paper is headed as being something about cartridge design, but he covers a lot of stuff, at one point suggesting automobile valve springs as isolation supports for a turntable shelf. I still have to figure that one out. As always, I am again struck by this mans voice. His tone and delivery could make the Republican Party sound creditable.
Awesome review. I have been seeing this on line and was very curious. I have a few records that could use some straightening. I hope to pull the trigger on this one soon and I can start buy with more confidence if a record isn’t completely flat. Thanks again.
Thanks for the review, a very interesting device that I wasn't aware of. I'm sorry to hear that you got so many warped records especially new ones. I guess I can count myself lucky as I haven't encountered (yet) a very warped record. I do have a few that are not completely flat but they are playable without any issue. I use a record weight too so it also helps flatten the ones that are not truly flat. But I'll keep this device in mind just in case. I do have some issue with those "limited editions" pressings but those are with the pressing itself not warping (Looking at you Dead Can Dance - Dionysus purple vinyl). Most of the time nothing can be done and you can't exchange it as it's sold out and so you're left with a nice looking record but terrible sounding one. Hopefully I'll be able to get an ultrasonic cleaner this year so will give those problematic records another shot (even though they've been washed several times already). Who knows? that might do the trick but I'm not very hopeful and I'm not getting an ultrasonic cleaner for that purpose only.
Hi Chris, What a great show really enjoyed it and very interested in the record pie. As for your local record store you told us about I will check them out online. There is one down here in cincinnati an area called loveland ohio They are called Plad Room Records. They are a great record store. I have tons and tons of new vinyl plus they get lots of used in every week sounds very similar to yours. This is the where me and my friends camp out on record store today. Check them out online or check them out. If you happen to be in the cincinnati area bob and terry are super cool guys that started it from nothing and have turned it into what it is. They also have their own record label coal mine records do you like blues they've got it. Keep up the Great work 🤘😎
Your experience matches mine. I gave in and bought one after Christmas. With a pile of about 25 useless records it was cheaper to get the Pi than buy new records. It saved all but two of them. Another consideration is the customer service. I've emailed questions and always got responses. Got sent a new bag when I asked about the heating time and he said it should be better than I was seeing. The app has updated twice since January as well. So nice to know it isn't a one time download with no support. The control box is what sold me vs the competition. The precision it provides is a key winner.
Interesting review. I just returned my vinyl flat a month ago after no success with flattening. Vinyl flat had wildly varying temps each time I used it.
I use a B&O Beogram RX turntable, and most warp/dishing is a non-issue. -also- I had the Discwasher DiscKit with the gun... I hated the D-4 fluid residue on my HalfSpeed MoFi's, loved the gentle stylus brush, Loved the Static Gun.
Thank you for your videos and your hard work in making these available to us; I was wondering if you would do a review on the vinyl outer ring. There is no proper review that I can find on products made by, say, Wayne’s Audio. It is indeed very sad that we even need flatteners or outer ring to correct warped and wavy records. In any event, should you choose to review of a vinyl outer ring, that will be sincerely appreciated. Have a wonderful day!
You know… If I were younger, I would definitely buy this. But at my age, I just can’t rationalize it. But I think it has a purpose. But having mostly 30 to 50 year old albums, I don’t have a lot of warpage. Do you think it’s a newer phenomenon? Also, saw Pantera in Detroit recently with Metallica. Seeing that you’re a big fan, maybe you were able to go. Happy new year!
The amount of warped records these days is indeed a newer phenomenon. The quality control and knowledge of pressing records just isn't as good as it used to be.
Dearborn music is literally 5 minutes from my work.... which makes my Friday pay-day nice to grab a record on my way home. Recently got into records and even more recently discovered Dearborn music. They have a massive metal record section. I've spent too much there in the last several weeks.
I bought the ORB DF-01IA last year. Quite an extravagant purchase but with a number of records out of press now going for £100s it makes economical sense. Would certainly cost a lot more trying to find replacements on discogs etc. Also my local record store kindly sends people my way so I can offer it as a small fee service.
So I’ve got it, and on the first record, primarily the reason I was interested in this, has proved to be stubborn. On my 3rd bake. It flattened some, but still has enough warp to make side 1, song 1 unplayable. If it doesn’t work this time I’ll increase the temp. But my question is, how worried should I be about dust getting in before I seal it up? Of course I dust them very thoroughly before clamping them but you know dust and records is pernicious. But is it a The Fly situation where I’m going to permanently mutate the vinyl if a spec or 2 of dust gets in there?
If you're cleaning your records before using the flattener, you'll be fine. Any residual dust will be far enough in the grooves as to not be a concern. Also, the temp isn't so high that you'll be baking things in anyway. If the record isn't playable anyway, you have nothing to lose.
Glad to know this exists. Sucks we have to have it, though. Bought a record for my kid, it’s severely dished to the point my kid is afraid to play it-and I don’t blame her.m. The store wouldn’t take it back, so one less store to go to. Will definitely think about this Pi.
Hello, I notice that since this year, a large part of the new vinyls have had a recurring problem. there is the center of the LP which goes up on one side and the edges on the other side. It's becoming more and more common. Does the device allow this problem to be resolved both on 140 gr and 180 gr? When the edges are uniformly raised, it is not really warped but the vinyl is not flat, it is a bit like a hollow plate. I had dozens of LPs like that in 2023
I have been looking at both this and the VinylFlat for a long time now. Like you i sometimes get records that have a slight to more than slight warp that are sold out or the price has gone up and i am unwilling or unable to replace it. I hope this helps me with some of the headaches. I also have a first press of Mercyful Fate's Melissa i got for next to nothing with a slight warp that after some experimentation i cannot wait to try and fix! As for those Pantera albums? I got them as they came out and you are right they are amazing. The ONLY complaint i have about them is the way they butchered The Great Southern Trendkill. They completely cut off the outro to Floods which is a beautiful piece of music and i have no idea why this was done. They had the room on the disc. On the bright side the 2 LP version does have Suicide Note Part 1 on it which the more recent single LP release omited. Right now IMO there is no perfect version of that album on vinyl.
Improperly stored records can become warped over time. Stacking records (rather than storing them vertically) is a sure way to cause warping. I'm interested in ther Record Pi.
I've been using the Vinyl Flat for several years...shouldn't have to, but every new pressing is warped in some fashion...mostly dish warping. My heating bag finally died. Got the new US made one and I'm still rolling along.
Do the groove guards only work once? Or can you use them on multiple records? I just purchased and they’re offering me a deal on replacements. A pack of 6 for 25%. Is this something I should jump on?
I've used two very large coffee table books, placed vinyl in between within a poly sleeve. Then waited months. Time Plus gravity. I know months? Lol. It works but you need patience.
The vinyl flat is pretty much the same thing. The only real difference is its lack of a temperature controller. Although you can just add one, including this same wifi one. In that regard, the record pi is the better buy of the two.
@@thevinylattack it is much thinner. I actually set mine on a large square of pink insulation foam, so it keeps the heat in the bag and from migrating to the surface it's sitting on.
I have a really clean copy of The Who My Generation (Brunswick mono first pressing) from 1965 that has a significant warp. Would you trust the record pi to flatten this rather expensive album?
Hey, I’ve been going back and forth with the guys at recordpi and they are great to deal with. Having said that, we both have found that picture discs are NOT flattenable. Do not attempt them. It will make them worse. We’re not exactly sure why, but must have something to do with the paper image in the middle or something to do with the pressing of them. I would LOVE to run that stranger things disc 4 thru my orb. I have yet to find a disc that one worked on that the other hasn’t been able to flatten. There’s no pressure and it certainly won’t do any damage if your 13 hours didn’t cause heat damage. Let me know. Thanks.
@@thevinylattack I would agree with the picture discs. Let me know if you want to send it over. The orb is damn near infallible but at $1100, it’s not for everyone.
That was a great review! I have a Led Zeppelin II Robert Ludwig Hot Mix Mint except for the warp and unplayable wave and jump of the needle and tone arm. If I could fix that it would be a miracle! Thank You
Great review! I wanted to buy one of these at the Xmas/New Year discount price but being in Australia, the shipping cost made it not viable, pushing $Au700 all up. Alas, no Pi for me.
When I think of a warped record, I think of the record used in the video at the Vinyl Flat homepage. These little bobbles - I don't really notice that they cause any noticeable distortion in audio quality or tracking. That Pantera record was the only one with such a sudden and drastic warp that I can see it causing problems. It literally had a speed bump on it. With that said, I have a copy of Saturday Night Fever and Disc 2 is so warped that it looks like a bowl on one side, and a dome on the other. Even that disc actually plays. It just doesn't look very pretty. It is the only record I have that approaches the kind of warping illustrated in the Vinyl Flat video. What is the advantage of de-warping *slightly* warped records like the ones in your video?
@@thevinylattack I've bought one and I'm experimenting with it now. Any tips? 😁 By the way, it was a $19 plus $4 S/H copy of the 12" Let's Go Crazy Prince 45rpm Maxi Single that caused me to give in. Dish warped - and although I bought it for Erotic City and that worked fine, the fact that Let's Go Crazy was unplayable despite the "VG" rating the seller gave the album bothered me. I tested on the aforementioned Saturday Night Fever Disc 2... hours and hours at 125 before going up to higher heat - and it does seem that the 125 recommendation is very conservative. But, it did improve it, it isn't FLAT, neither is Let's Go Crazy - but they're playable. Working on a Pretenders album right now.
Although I appreciate ads and sponsors, a two minute in-video ad, at the beginning is really pushing it. Maybe keep those to 30 seconds, or longer if at the end (which yes, will require a good bait, takes some talent and effort). Thanks Chris.
@@renzonovara2728 Absolutely.... however, there is a balance. Just saying that very few if any UA-camrs put this long a sponsor ad in their videos, especially at the beginning. This isn't about not appreciating the content, but rather business 101. This will also affect the algorithm. So yes, I can skip ahead, but the video will get less exposure. If I quit watching the video during the ad, it massively affects the algorithm. So yes, free, however, UA-cam is a very viable business model where content creators get paid for creating content. However, if a creator isn't wise, they might think they're earning more from a sponsor, but actually shooting themselves in the foot in the long run. Being a UA-cam creator is hard, requires creativity, but also great marketing and business smarts to earn even more views.
Hey Chris, sorry to bug ya, but I'm having some issues with that discount code. I've tried it with or without capitals and spaces, but it keeps saying it isn't valid. I was just curious if you've seen this happen before. Great review by the way! Once I can set aside the budget for it, I'll certainly get one.
When a record warps, the plastic grows. When you flatten a record, the plastic has to go somewhere, resulting in an egg-shaped record or with a lateral bulge. I have seen this many times. Does this "Record Pi " have some sort of a retainer ring which encircles and captures a record so it doesn't distort shape?
What sort of diet does plastic need to grow? Lots of protein. Carb heavy? Is it vegan? Warps like these don't stretch the album out of shape to the point where you need any sort of retainer.
@@thevinylattack They definitely do! Where do you think the plastic comes from to create a warp? I've flattened records before and it distorted them. There are some records which have a slight wave to them because they were released from the presses before they were properly cooled. These can be flattened without issue. Classic Records used to make sure or flatten their records before they sent them to me.
@@automatedelectronics6062 It doesn't "come from" anywhere. The pressed vinyl is the pressed vinyl. It may stretch (in extreme cases), but it does not grow and you don't need a special ring to "retain" the vinyl.
@@thevinylattack Yes it stretches. So then, how do you un-stretch without causing the stretch to move outward turning a record into an oval? I've got a handful of records which had a slight warp to them that distorted shape when I or someone else flattened them. I had a couple of 1/4", 14" x 14" squares of glass cut for me. I would put a record between them, sit them out in the summer sun and when it reached 135 degrees F, I would bring them in and allow them to cool to 78 degrees F in my air-conditioned house, which took about 2 hours before I removed them from my glass sandwich. Some were distorted in shape and some came out flat. I found out from people who pressed records that the vinyl biscuit was heated to 270 degrees F before being put in the presses. Then the pressing plates were super-heated from steam flowing through them and then cooled by room temperature water flowing through the plates, before the record presses opened and released the record. I experimented with different temperatures and found the 135 degree F produced the best results. I have a vinyl puck on my desk which I use as a paper weight. It weights about 240g. Rick Hashimoto of RTI gave it to me.
I like your videos. Excellent! Two things: Can you give the name and web site of the record store you mention? Second: When I try to connect with your web site I am getting a security warning.
But what about sound quality? Most of my playable warped records WHOOSH at the warp. I’ve presumed this is not because of the record’s anomalous contour, but rather because of heat-related damage at the groove level. It seems to me that flattening the record wouldn’t necessarily repair individual grooves, and thus not improve sound quality.
The whoosh is because of the deformation of the record itself. Not because of heat. The flattened records sounded fine, and moreover, were actually playable. If your record is currently playable, there's probably no need to flatten it.
Chris I have a vinyl flat and it works well . Some lp ‘s especially new vinyl they flatten out. Older lp ‘s from the 50’s and 60’s can take longer than 12 hrs. You have to play the temperature game. The Furtrech works the best. A local record shop has one .
@@thevinylattack Ive received so many new albums with ring wear. The only way that could be is if they'd been stacked on the bottom and repeatedly moved. Storage in warehouses should be in movable upright totes.
I have my record player rather high mounted on the wall. And that gives me the possibility to look at just that angle that were filmed here so I see the light in-between TT mat and the record.. It is very disencouring to many times seeing the light in between the record and the mat! You just know that your LP is hovering in the air without any contact with the platter! My records is not warped more or less than any other collection out there. It is NORMAL TOLERANCE WARPS. In other words nothing is perfectly flat in the LP collections. I don't mean that we should go and try to flatten those to "perfectly flat". The thing is some TT manufacturer use special TT PLATTER (!) that do "accuracy and speed stability"... Listen to that again that passive spinning disc that is the platter is subjected to centrifugal and acceleration/de-acceleration is doing some magic: "The Planar 10 is also fitted with a bespoke ceramic oxide platter which is diamond cut during manufacture for ultimate accuracy and speed stability." And it is so flat.. does it matter when our records on average is far from that flat and because of that the record will still hover in thin air without any contact: "The P10 uses a custom ceramic, flywheel effect platter. The platter is produced from ceramic oxide powder which is compressed, fired and diamond cut to ensure perfect accuracy and flatness across the surface." It doesn't matter if we use center weight that maybe approximately fix may less than 10% of the issues. Now I am starting to understand why it is so important to use vacuum platter that hold the whole record down against the platter like Air force one TT. It don't probably work on heavy warped LPs. But the "normal" not perfectly flat once.. I am yet need to try a outer ring clamp maybe that is somewhat a solution, when air force one is out of my league. Should be interesting to know what is the difference sonically between a LP that is held down on its whole surface against a platter COMPARED to an normally in the air hovering LP ? Maybe it is not a big deal.. but all angels of the stylus is against the grove is effected negativity.. I give up..
@@thevinylattack What is sad is the appearent lack of quality control at the pressing plants. Not only do we see many warped new pressings, but LPs with rough outer edges. One of these days I will have to invest in a Record Pi system.
I like watching the product review videos because I just KNOW some of the products you review are utter garbage (record glue, anyone?). I am really surprised this actually works. I would like to see you test exactly how long it can take to screw up vinyl on this product. The way I would go about this is to perhaps use a control group like a stylus test record (kinda like the one Ortofon has, only cheaper) and measure the sound output with REW, turn the heat and time up until it impacts the groove. Pretty sure that would de-mistify how resilient (or vulnerable) vinyl records can be. Either way, this product can be life changing to some people with warped records of heirloom value, and I am glad I stopped to see you review it. 10/10.
I am glad this product exist, but I’m disappointed that people will be using this rather than returning warped records. Keeping warped records, and not returning them shows the record label they can sell you any crap they want and you’ll just buy it as much as I hate the fact that I’m going to miss out on something, I would rather returning to send a message that this record is unacceptable then to keep it.
If you think the record label cares at all about the returns they get, I think you're in for a rude awakening. It's the record stores who get hurt having to deal with the returns, unfortunately. I do wish there were a better way to show the manufacturers that their products are crap though.
Don't agree that putting any type of felt or anything else on the playable surface is advisable. The plastic is getting softer and can easily take a imprint, just use the discs and a lot of weight stacks books around the edges
i only have about 3 records id like to flatten. just never able to pull the trigger. warped records are a rarity for me. well, really bad warping i mean.
"the fourth lp doesn't look as bad as the other records" To my eyes it looks far, far, worse. The warp is much sharper making it a great launching pad for your stylus. I'm impressed that 13 hours in the Pi didn't damage the record surface at all, that provides some confidence that you won't screw up a valuable record if you try this on one.
@@thevinylattack the “groovy bag” is just a modified heating pad with a Velcro bag. They make an updated version that has 3 different temperature settings. I have an older model that just has an on and off switch. The problem with the pouch is that the pad is not secure and moves within the bag. So what can happen is that it can move closer to the plate and doesn’t distribute heat properly making it get too hot in spots. It’s supposed to stay at one temp but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Which is what has happened causing heat damage. Ruined an Iron Maiden record real bad in two hours.
i have had a Record Pi for a week now and flatten about 20 records. Excellent piece of kit. I would recommend to anyone.
It pays for itself in no time, sadly.
Chris, you're amazing, please don't stop. All your videos are perfect in production, editing, and presentation. Thank you for all your hard work!!!
I'm doing the best I can. Thanks for watching.
Just wanted to add that after a few months use, my Record Pi has become a necessity. Not only have i fixed harder to get records (right now im fixing a 1978 1st press of Rolling Stones - "Some Girls" on translucent orange vinyl from the Netherlands that skipped due to a warp) I've also fixed records i got cheap ($5) that would be worth $30 but the seller had written them off as junk. I now find myself not worrying if a record is warped because ive fixed some extreme warps and made them flat as glass. I love my Record Pi and it has almost become a secondary hobby fixing records because i find it so satisfying.
It is indeed a tool that I'd not be without.
Hey Chris! I can attest that the Record PI is the shit! What a great product!!!!I’ve had it for a month now and I have flatten 7 records. Records that were warped as fuck, now they are completely playable, some were not flat all the way, but finally I was able to listen to 30 plus years waiting for this product. One of my grail was Wayne’s World soundtrack it was so warped that I could not hear listen to either side. Now I can definitely say that the Revord Pi saved my 30 year old wax! My method is for old records (140g) I baked it for 2 hours at 138F, let it cool for 1 hour and you have a fixed record. Cheers bud JC/Miami
I'm glad to hear you were able to fix your record.
vintage Wayne's World soundtrack, nice
I have the record pi and I would completely agree with everything you spoke about in this review. Very well done.
I'm glad to hear its working for you.
This was my first Record Attack video and I can already say with confidence that I’ll be a regular. I love the delivery & overview as I’ve been contemplating buying this for some time. It does look great however I’m sure it’s just a matter of time until a unit comes on the market that makes a ‘perfectly flat’ record. Playable is great. A perfectly flat limited edition pressing is wonderful. What I’m looking for is a device that deals with the edge warp & bowl warp that all of us deal with far too often. Extremely warped (new) records are quite rare where edge warp or bowl warp are a real problem. Until proper quality control is implemented, I’ll keep looking for a product that eliminates the kind of warp that most of us deal with.
Thanks for the great review!! I’m already a fan.
I was contemplating buying a record pi but on all the reviews I'd seen to date, none gave ne the confidence or assurance that it would do what it claims. Your video was however, was the tipping point for me and now I am going to go and get one. Thank you for all your great review videos.
I've flattened over 6 or 7 records now with no problems at all. Is it possible there will be records I can't flatten? Sure. But I'll take those odds.
Works, was hesitant at first but pulled the trigger. I’m 3 weeks in and have fixed multiple warped records to almost and many times perfection. Trouble is becoming to OCD as my threshold or living with a small wobble is much lower. My sweet spot for a standard warp or dish record is 133 for 2.5 hous and .5 warm up, so 3 hours. For the cooldown kill the power and let it sit 30 minutes in the pouch, then pull it out of the pouch but still clamped for another 30 minutes. Best results I’ve found for dished records is placing the coned side up and let the top plate compress it down/flat. Fixed an absolute ridiculously warped record, older and the vinyl composite was a very rigid material but got it 98% there after multiple bakes and in the end sounds great, no audio degradation I can tell. It was a very worthy purchase IMO just like the Degritter, but that’s another story.
Thanks for the home brewed methods. I've pretty much found the same results and techniques over here. This thing is the real deal.
I've been personally waiting for your review on this,been checking it out for a while and your review makes the difference on what to do next and that is to buy one. I used to just replace the record but now I'm saving money in a sense! Great review once again!! Thanks and cheers to you!
Glad I could help!
Sold! Literally was planning on ordering a vinyl flat this week....just finished watching your video and my opinion has changed....well done sir....hopefully someone from the Record Pi staff is reading this post👍
I appreciate the kind words.
We are reading! Thank you for your purchase Danny Mac!
I just ordered mine today and i read reviews watching many videos bit the bullet and now after seeing this review of yours I’m now even more excited and at ease about it and money spent, yes i have quite a few records that are warped one on side A so bad that it stays in a locked reverse skip, after moving the tone arm in a minute or two stops skipping, and as I buy on line or at my local Vinyl stores i can but with confidence that if warped 98/99% ill get it flat and not deal with returns hassle driving gas ware and tear on the carvor having to gamble on buying another one. Note if a record is hit directly by heat/fire and melts/stretches the grooves then there is nothing Pi can do about that. The Pi will fix warp records fine but not melted/distorted grooves.
That’s cool. I think the price is reasonable for what it does. I didn’t know something like this existed. Nicely done.
I thought it was pretty fair as well.
It astounds me that I can go to the record shop, grab any random LP from the 70's or 80's, and almost every single time they are dead flat. Modern pressing standards are abysmal.
That is so true! I'm collecting old soundtracks and all records from that era are shiny black and dead flat and they sound so much better in general!
They really are.
being a dj who started on vinyl I always was shocked at how well the promo records id get would come. flat, sounded great and tough to damage while in a club/party setting. you are right, todays pressings can be so bad!
very true
Agreed 100%
I've been using the Record Flat for 8 years with excellent results. I also use about 8 metal clips around the edge to make sure there is a enough lite pressure complete, Instead of just the center wing nut.
I'm glad it's working for you.
Excellent review. I've been using a Michell Record Clamp for about 15 years now to flatten records, it's a brilliant product that works on almost every warped record that I own. Of course, clamps don't correct warps, so I would definitely consider this product if/when I need to sell any warped records.
A clamp can help, but as you say, it doesn't solve the issue.
I watched this months ago and based on your review Chris, I asked my adult kids to get me one for Christmas. I'm on my third Pi Bake, and very happy with the results.
I did use a very accurate thin needled temp probe to verify the temperature. Mine reads 123-124, but is actually 10-11 degrees lower than that. No big deal. It maintains this consistently and there is calibration setting for temp deviation, just set the deviation for -9 degrees and I call it good enough
I'm glad it's working out for you.
I bought the Vinyl Flat about 8 years ago which is exactly the same as this, I did buy a groovy pouch aswell, but as I live in the UK which meant I had to buy a voltage step down, which was extremely expensive.
Luckily I was having my Kitchen refurbished, so I bought an oven with a Dough Proofing option (allows heat to be set at 40 - 55) which is perfect as the vinyl flat recommends 54 degrees.
So far I've had probably a 75% success rate, generally I do 1hr first pass, then add 10mins per additional attempt. However any more than a total 3 passes I've found the edge grooves can sometimes be damaged and is audible, but overall I'm happy with it.
Your videos are always so professionally done and of great help. You, Paul at BarakaPDub , WCB and Mike at the In Groove, are some of the most informative vinyl channels on the "Tube". Thanks for the head-sup on Dearborn Music.
Thanks for watching!
Your review was just in time. I was trying to figure out what to do with my warped records.
Glad to help.
Nice review. I've made my own flattener that gives me granular control over temperature and time. I've found 53c and 75 minutes works well for most records. It's nice to see similar numbers for other devices. I haven't dared crank it up to 65c for stubborn records, but it's good to know that temperature for 13 hours didn't seem to damage the record.
It may have caused some sonic issues (I haven't played it much), but as it was unplayable anyway, I didn't care about the risk.
I've had mostly great results with my record pi.
Copies of titles like Acid Bath-When the Kite Strings Pop and Alt J The Dream (nightmare version) flattened out great (these were both damaged in shipping.
My vintage copy of Yes- fragile on the other hand, while I haven't gone over 130 degrees has had nothing done to the gnarly edge warp it has.
After watching your video I purchased a Record Pi and I’ve had a field day flattening LPs. Of the dozen or so LPs I’ve flattened only one remained too warped to play though it did flatten somewhat. Overall I’m very happy with the results, so thanks for your recommendation.
I’m glad to hear that it’s working out for you. There are indeed some records that just don’t seem to cooperate, but I find the ratio of records fixed well worth the price.
Glad to see the heat and power are back and you don’t need you funky and lovely hat 🤓
I'm keeping them around just in case...
You are the Mitten Billy Gibbons! 4 hr roadtrip might be in order "for the record" to Dearborn Music from IN. Thank you for an awesome channel, tech and new music experiences!
You bet!
I'm going to look into getting this as the app has sold me. The fact that you could cut it off from a phone app is impressive. This sounds better than the Vinyl Flat. Chris you might be more than just right in your assessment as I have a Vinyl Flat and got angry with a record just as you did and left it cooking, just like you did and the grooves of the record were damaged. This has prompted me to start to look for a better solution.
You have to be careful with your temperature and bake time, but I found no issue with the Record Pi.
Chris, fantastic review! I’ll definitely put this on my list of gear to get. Most if not all of my new records are good but most of my purchases of older pressings are warped. You can see it but I don’t necessarily hear it. Talk soon!
I'm glad you liked it.
I bought the VinylFlat about 2 years ago, before the Record Pi was released. I'd have bought the Record Pi for sure, over the VinylFlat in a heartbeat. It's similarly priced, but the Record Pi is obviously a more advanced product, that offers far more control over the heat level. That said, though much trial and some error, I've learned how to get good results from the VinylFlat.
First off, the 3 way heat "controller" on the VinylFlat might as well be an on/off switch. Low won't do shit, no matter what felt rings you use, or how long you leave it in the bag. The high setting gets way too hot and will flatten the groove and distort the surface of the record when left on north of 2 hours.
Second, the steel plates do a fairly good job of distributing the heat throughout the record, but using the silly digital temp probe that ships with the VinylFlat, you can still measure temps through the Velcro closure that varies considerably from one side to the other. Also, the VinylFlat doesn't have a timer, so you have to buy a timer to plug the heater into if you want the session timed.
I've probably "flattened" at least 300 LPs since I purchased the VinylFlat. Some have taken multiple sessions, some as little as 5-6 hours, others 12+. Depending on the nature of the warp, one can use the different felt rings in different ways, stack them, or as I often do, use a small disc, like a 45 adapter, to physically push the center of a dished record down into the void created by the open felt ring.
I'm tempted to get the Record Pi, as a second flattening devise, as I get a LOT of warped records at my store. I'm also tempted to buy an ORB, as even though it's considerably more expensive at $1200, the results seem much more predictable and faster.
Thanks for the information on the Vinyl Flat. I'm sure people will find that helpful.
I'd love to try an Orb, but with the grief I get for the expensive products I review already, I'll probably wait a while to contact them.
Thanks for this review Chris! I happen to have the vinyl flat and yes; the pi bag looks superior to the Velcro bag of the vinyl flat. However, I’ve had total success in getting my most stubborn warped records flattened to the point that they are playable and don’t look annoying as they spin. Bottom line, if it works…problem solved! I now can buy records with a little less apprehension about warps and such.
I would agree that the bottom line is the result regardless of the manufacturer.
Too late Chris, I already have the Vinyl Flattener 😄 It works just fine, so I don’t see the need to upgrade
I'm glad to hear you have a solution that works. That's what counts.
I tried the oven method to mixed results...too many variables. I had two big floor tiles and two pieces of tempered glass and baked at 170 for 45 min to an hour. The Pi seems much more consistent. Thanks for the review.
The Pi is definitely a safer way to go.
I have always heard of people carefully using sunlight for heat and have mostly heard of ovens being used only as an inferior method to a commercial product. obviously the glass is not weighted, just fastened together to create a flat surface, with paper used to allow the record to move.
thanks for reviewing this interesting product! i built a cart to start seedlings indoors and it has that same tangle of wires lol (wall to main unit, main unit to heater mat, main unit to thermometer). agree that this looks like a product worth buying rather than diy-ing
Sometimes DIY is best, other times it's just better to buy a manufactured product.
Thank you for this review. Very entertaining. Very insightful.
I'm glad you found it helpful.
Excellent!!! You are a value added service to our hobby, thank you 🙏🏽
My pleasure!
I've just bought the Record Pi. I'm in the UK so it ended up costing me nearly £400 with tax, delivery and import duty. First impressions are good. It flattened my original pressing of Queen II (my personal favourite Queen album). I'm currently at war with record one of Status Quo 12 Gold Bars Vol 1 & 2. It's quite thin vinyl but it has got the record to a playable state. I'd like to get it flatter if I can. I've more records to do so only time will tell. I also find the nut on the top to be an absolute pain in the arse to thread. A standard wing nut would be much better. The bolt is prone to slipping as stated in the video. I've taken the plastic cover off the bolt so I can grip it when tightening. I do feel this would be better welded in place. Over all though I'm very happy with my piece of American Pi.
You may consider just buying a wingnut at the local hardware store to replace the one that comes with the unit. Otherwise, this thing is worth every penny.
@@thevinylattack I will be doing but for future customers a wing nut would be much better.
I don't find it that bad. Btw, I did just buy a new screw, its a quarter inch. The screw it comes with is 1 inch long. I bought a 1 1/2 inch, and I am now trying it with 6 records at the same time, with felt fabric in between that I cut using the metal plate as a template...
Thanks so much Chris for that great video. It seems that I have that bad luck of getting vinyl records that are warped. Yesterday I got a Behemoth album and it was warped. Right after I watched your video I went online and ordered a Record Pi. If it works which I believe it will I won't have to send back.
Again Chris thank you so much.
Keep us posted.
Even as a Michigan Westsider, Dearborn is still on my top 3 list. Great shop!
It is indeed.
Thanks for the solid review.
I have the vinyl flat that works great. I really like the envelope of Pi better though, too bad they don’t sell it as an option. Great video❤
I've heard the Vinyl Flat works well, so I'm glad you have something to help with those warps.
Have been looking at this as it would always been nice to have if I ever need it. Thanks to your review I will be looking to buy one of these in the near future.
Glad I could help.
it is nice that time has advanced yet another solution to warped records. My records are so jammed together on a shelf that the vertical pressure over multiple years removed a severe ski jump warp that had made the opening grooves unplayable on one of my records, much to my surprise.
I was glad to finally be able to play the opening song on that album after many years of ownership. The fact that vinyl seeks to return to its original cast shape worked well for me, resulting in a nice flat record, without using heat to accelerate the process. I just don't know the amount of time or pressure , other than to say it was jammed in tightly, and ignored for years because of the warp, not exactly science lab details to recreate the effect. But I have a lot of records, so not playing one , even with good songs, was no big deal.
Van denHul, the cartridge design pioneer, has a long paper available on the web where he mentions the details of the old two panes of glass method with some details, if you don't have a couple of hundred bucks to spend for the occasional warp, but other places also have this common method. I think the paper is headed as being something about cartridge design, but he covers a lot of stuff, at one point suggesting automobile valve springs as isolation supports for a turntable shelf. I still have to figure that one out.
As always, I am again struck by this mans voice. His tone and delivery could make the Republican Party sound creditable.
With the amount of warps I tend to see these days, heat and pressure are a big time saver.
Awesome review. I have been seeing this on line and was very curious. I have a few records that could use some straightening. I hope to pull the trigger on this one soon and I can start buy with more confidence if a record isn’t completely flat. Thanks again.
It really does boost record buying confidence. I probably should have stated that more in the review.
Thanks for the review, a very interesting device that I wasn't aware of.
I'm sorry to hear that you got so many warped records especially new ones. I guess I can count myself lucky as I haven't encountered (yet) a very warped record.
I do have a few that are not completely flat but they are playable without any issue. I use a record weight too so it also helps flatten the ones that are not truly flat.
But I'll keep this device in mind just in case.
I do have some issue with those "limited editions" pressings but those are with the pressing itself not warping (Looking at you Dead Can Dance - Dionysus purple vinyl).
Most of the time nothing can be done and you can't exchange it as it's sold out and so you're left with a nice looking record but terrible sounding one.
Hopefully I'll be able to get an ultrasonic cleaner this year so will give those problematic records another shot (even though they've been washed several times already). Who knows? that might do the trick but I'm not very hopeful and I'm not getting an ultrasonic cleaner for that purpose only.
I generally try to stay away from colored vinyl as much as possible. Sometimes, there's just no alternative (other than not getting it on vinyl).
Hi Chris, What a great show really enjoyed it and very interested in the record pie. As for your local record store you told us about I will check them out online. There is one down here in cincinnati an area called loveland ohio They are called Plad Room Records. They are a great record store. I have tons and tons of new vinyl plus they get lots of used in every week sounds very similar to yours. This is the where me and my friends camp out on record store today. Check them out online or check them out. If you happen to be in the cincinnati area bob and terry are super cool guys that started it from nothing and have turned it into what it is. They also have their own record label coal mine records do you like blues they've got it. Keep up the Great work 🤘😎
Your experience matches mine. I gave in and bought one after Christmas. With a pile of about 25 useless records it was cheaper to get the Pi than buy new records. It saved all but two of them.
Another consideration is the customer service. I've emailed questions and always got responses. Got sent a new bag when I asked about the heating time and he said it should be better than I was seeing.
The app has updated twice since January as well. So nice to know it isn't a one time download with no support.
The control box is what sold me vs the competition. The precision it provides is a key winner.
As much as I hate to have to use it, I'm glad I have one now.
@@thevinylattack like you stated, it is unfortunately almost a necessity with the quality control issues these days.
Interesting review. I just returned my vinyl flat a month ago after no success with flattening. Vinyl flat had wildly varying temps each time I used it.
That’s interesting, I’ve successfully flattened dozens of records with my Vinyl Flat.
The Record Pi may be just what you're looking for.
Great review! Thanks for doing this!!!
My pleasure.
Thank you for such a clear, concise, constructive review. One question it fixes warps, how would it go with “dishing”. Thank you
From the records I fixed, I'd say it would do the same as with other warps.
I use a B&O Beogram RX turntable, and most warp/dishing is a non-issue.
-also-
I had the Discwasher DiscKit with the gun...
I hated the D-4 fluid residue on my HalfSpeed MoFi's, loved the gentle stylus brush, Loved the Static Gun.
I love a pie.
Hi Chris, are acetates safe to use a record flattener for? The large metal ones i believe they are made of? Some are demos.
I've never tried, so I can't say with any certainty. You may try emailing the people at Record Pi.
Love your reviews!!!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for your videos and your hard work in making these available to us; I was wondering if you would do a review on the vinyl outer ring. There is no proper review that I can find on products made by, say, Wayne’s Audio. It is indeed very sad that we even need flatteners or outer ring to correct warped and wavy records. In any event, should you choose to review of a vinyl outer ring, that will be sincerely appreciated. Have a wonderful day!
WIth the ring itself weighing in at over 3 pounds and the price as high as it is, I doubt I'll be able to take a look at it. My apologies.
Missed your videos sir!
Doing my best to get them out there.
You know… If I were younger, I would definitely buy this. But at my age, I just can’t rationalize it. But I think it has a purpose. But having mostly 30 to 50 year old albums, I don’t have a lot of warpage. Do you think it’s a newer phenomenon? Also, saw Pantera in Detroit recently with Metallica. Seeing that you’re a big fan, maybe you were able to go. Happy new year!
The amount of warped records these days is indeed a newer phenomenon. The quality control and knowledge of pressing records just isn't as good as it used to be.
Dearborn music is literally 5 minutes from my work.... which makes my Friday pay-day nice to grab a record on my way home. Recently got into records and even more recently discovered Dearborn music. They have a massive metal record section. I've spent too much there in the last several weeks.
I'd imagine them being so close is a blessing and a curse.
I bought the ORB DF-01IA last year. Quite an extravagant purchase but with a number of records out of press now going for £100s it makes economical sense. Would certainly cost a lot more trying to find replacements on discogs etc. Also my local record store kindly sends people my way so I can offer it as a small fee service.
I may one day pick that up as well. Good idea getting a leg up from your local record store.
So I’ve got it, and on the first record, primarily the reason I was interested in this, has proved to be stubborn. On my 3rd bake. It flattened some, but still has enough warp to make side 1, song 1 unplayable. If it doesn’t work this time I’ll increase the temp. But my question is, how worried should I be about dust getting in before I seal it up? Of course I dust them very thoroughly before clamping them but you know dust and records is pernicious. But is it a The Fly situation where I’m going to permanently mutate the vinyl if a spec or 2 of dust gets in there?
If you're cleaning your records before using the flattener, you'll be fine. Any residual dust will be far enough in the grooves as to not be a concern. Also, the temp isn't so high that you'll be baking things in anyway. If the record isn't playable anyway, you have nothing to lose.
Glad to know this exists. Sucks we have to have it, though. Bought a record for my kid, it’s severely dished to the point my kid is afraid to play it-and I don’t blame her.m. The store wouldn’t take it back, so one less store to go to. Will definitely think about this Pi.
I definitely wouldn't support a store that doesn't take returns on defective products.
Hello, I notice that since this year, a large part of the new vinyls have had a recurring problem. there is the center of the LP which goes up on one side and the edges on the other side. It's becoming more and more common. Does the device allow this problem to be resolved both on 140 gr and 180 gr?
When the edges are uniformly raised, it is not really warped but the vinyl is not flat, it is a bit like a hollow plate. I had dozens of LPs like that in 2023
That's called a dish warp. Sadly, it's quite common these days. This flattener does indeed solve that problem in my experience.
I have been looking at both this and the VinylFlat for a long time now. Like you i sometimes get records that have a slight to more than slight warp that are sold out or the price has gone up and i am unwilling or unable to replace it. I hope this helps me with some of the headaches. I also have a first press of Mercyful Fate's Melissa i got for next to nothing with a slight warp that after some experimentation i cannot wait to try and fix!
As for those Pantera albums? I got them as they came out and you are right they are amazing. The ONLY complaint i have about them is the way they butchered The Great Southern Trendkill. They completely cut off the outro to Floods which is a beautiful piece of music and i have no idea why this was done. They had the room on the disc. On the bright side the 2 LP version does have Suicide Note Part 1 on it which the more recent single LP release omited. Right now IMO there is no perfect version of that album on vinyl.
You may just be right.
It is truly sad that we even need a product like this, as warped records should be removed at QC.
I couldn't agree more.
What about used records?
They can get warped by poor storage.
Improperly stored records can become warped over time. Stacking records (rather than storing them vertically) is a sure way to cause warping. I'm interested in ther Record Pi.
@@TBNTXTak vysoká teplota v létě nehrát venku nenechává na slunci ani v autě to se tak skroutí že vám nepomůžou ani tyto vyrovnávací mašinky.
I've been using the Vinyl Flat for several years...shouldn't have to, but every new pressing is warped in some fashion...mostly dish warping.
My heating bag finally died. Got the new US made one and I'm still rolling along.
You are absolutely right. We shouldn't have to, but it seems a necessary tool these days.
Do the groove guards only work once? Or can you use them on multiple records? I just purchased and they’re offering me a deal on replacements. A pack of 6 for 25%. Is this something I should jump on?
I used the same guards for every record. I could see them getting dirty over time, but a quick clean should take care of that.
I've used two very large coffee table books, placed vinyl in between within a poly sleeve. Then waited months. Time Plus gravity. I know months? Lol. It works but you need patience.
With the amount of warped records these days, I don't think there'd be enough time to flatten them all before I die.
The vinyl flat is pretty much the same thing. The only real difference is its lack of a temperature controller. Although you can just add one, including this same wifi one. In that regard, the record pi is the better buy of the two.
The bag on the Vinyl Flat just looks to me thinner to me.
@@thevinylattack it is much thinner. I actually set mine on a large square of pink insulation foam, so it keeps the heat in the bag and from migrating to the surface it's sitting on.
@@TheAgeOfAnalog Not a bad idea.
I have a really clean copy of The Who My Generation (Brunswick mono first pressing) from 1965 that has a significant warp. Would you trust the record pi to flatten this rather expensive album?
If it's significantly warped, it's not worth a dime anyway. Can't hurt to try.
Hey, I’ve been going back and forth with the guys at recordpi and they are great to deal with. Having said that, we both have found that picture discs are NOT flattenable. Do not attempt them. It will make them worse. We’re not exactly sure why, but must have something to do with the paper image in the middle or something to do with the pressing of them.
I would LOVE to run that stranger things disc 4 thru my orb. I have yet to find a disc that one worked on that the other hasn’t been able to flatten. There’s no pressure and it certainly won’t do any damage if your 13 hours didn’t cause heat damage. Let me know. Thanks.
A simply solution is to not buy picture discs in the first place ;-)
I may hit you up on the ST album. Thank you.
@@thevinylattack I would agree with the picture discs. Let me know if you want to send it over. The orb is damn near infallible but at $1100, it’s not for everyone.
Thanks for the video!
Were you able to test it on a dish warp?
Some of the records were a mix of a dish and warble, but that's about it.
I had an original Grateful Dead "Steal Your Face " that was so warped, I think it was unfixable. It obviously was exposed to extreme heat.
There are certainly albums that will be beyond repair, but I think this solves most of the warping issues.
That was a great review! I have a Led Zeppelin II Robert Ludwig Hot Mix Mint except for the warp and unplayable wave and jump of the needle and tone arm. If I could fix that it would be a miracle! Thank You
I'd be more surprised if you couldn't fix it with this tool. Definitely keep us all posted.
Great review! I wanted to buy one of these at the Xmas/New Year discount price but being in Australia, the shipping cost made it not viable, pushing $Au700 all up. Alas, no Pi for me.
Shipping anything to Australia is outrageous. I feel for you guys.
Another wicked video cheers Chris. Oh and I would think Arthur and Lemmy would both be smiling in their graves 🤪...
I sure hope so.
When I think of a warped record, I think of the record used in the video at the Vinyl Flat homepage. These little bobbles - I don't really notice that they cause any noticeable distortion in audio quality or tracking. That Pantera record was the only one with such a sudden and drastic warp that I can see it causing problems. It literally had a speed bump on it. With that said, I have a copy of Saturday Night Fever and Disc 2 is so warped that it looks like a bowl on one side, and a dome on the other. Even that disc actually plays. It just doesn't look very pretty. It is the only record I have that approaches the kind of warping illustrated in the Vinyl Flat video. What is the advantage of de-warping *slightly* warped records like the ones in your video?
The warps I have (had) caused playback issues. No one should live with a warped record. It's not necessary and it's not ideal.
@@thevinylattack I've bought one and I'm experimenting with it now. Any tips? 😁
By the way, it was a $19 plus $4 S/H copy of the 12" Let's Go Crazy Prince 45rpm Maxi Single that caused me to give in. Dish warped - and although I bought it for Erotic City and that worked fine, the fact that Let's Go Crazy was unplayable despite the "VG" rating the seller gave the album bothered me.
I tested on the aforementioned Saturday Night Fever Disc 2... hours and hours at 125 before going up to higher heat - and it does seem that the 125 recommendation is very conservative.
But, it did improve it, it isn't FLAT, neither is Let's Go Crazy - but they're playable.
Working on a Pretenders album right now.
@@DonovanColbert Each record is a bit different of course, but I've found that 135 degrees and four to five hours usually does the trick.
Although I appreciate ads and sponsors, a two minute in-video ad, at the beginning is really pushing it. Maybe keep those to 30 seconds, or longer if at the end (which yes, will require a good bait, takes some talent and effort). Thanks Chris.
You can always skip ahead.
Free content that takes time to write, record and edit, plus skipping allowed? Come on! Let the man earn some money for his honest hard work.
@@renzonovara2728 Thank you.
@@thevinylattack thank you for the outstanding content! 👏🏼
@@renzonovara2728 Absolutely.... however, there is a balance. Just saying that very few if any UA-camrs put this long a sponsor ad in their videos, especially at the beginning.
This isn't about not appreciating the content, but rather business 101. This will also affect the algorithm. So yes, I can skip ahead, but the video will get less exposure. If I quit watching the video during the ad, it massively affects the algorithm.
So yes, free, however, UA-cam is a very viable business model where content creators get paid for creating content. However, if a creator isn't wise, they might think they're earning more from a sponsor, but actually shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.
Being a UA-cam creator is hard, requires creativity, but also great marketing and business smarts to earn even more views.
From MI. Haven't been there yet 😄
i have ordered one. i have 100s of records to flatten. i'll have them done by Christmas lolololol
It's always good to have goals.
Hey Chris, sorry to bug ya, but I'm having some issues with that discount code. I've tried it with or without capitals and spaces, but it keeps saying it isn't valid. I was just curious if you've seen this happen before.
Great review by the way! Once I can set aside the budget for it, I'll certainly get one.
I have not had that happen. I'll call the store today and see if I can sort it, or feel free to do the same. Thanks for letting me know.
When a record warps, the plastic grows. When you flatten a record, the plastic has to go somewhere, resulting in an egg-shaped record or with a lateral bulge. I have seen this many times. Does this "Record Pi " have some sort of a retainer ring which encircles and captures a record so it doesn't distort shape?
What sort of diet does plastic need to grow? Lots of protein. Carb heavy? Is it vegan?
Warps like these don't stretch the album out of shape to the point where you need any sort of retainer.
@@thevinylattack They definitely do! Where do you think the plastic comes from to create a warp? I've flattened records before and it distorted them. There are some records which have a slight wave to them because they were released from the presses before they were properly cooled. These can be flattened without issue. Classic Records used to make sure or flatten their records before they sent them to me.
@@automatedelectronics6062 It doesn't "come from" anywhere. The pressed vinyl is the pressed vinyl. It may stretch (in extreme cases), but it does not grow and you don't need a special ring to "retain" the vinyl.
@@thevinylattack Yes it stretches. So then, how do you un-stretch without causing the stretch to move outward turning a record into an oval?
I've got a handful of records which had a slight warp to them that distorted shape when I or someone else flattened them.
I had a couple of 1/4", 14" x 14" squares of glass cut for me. I would put a record between them, sit them out in the summer sun and when it reached 135 degrees F, I would bring them in and allow them to cool to 78 degrees F in my air-conditioned house, which took about 2 hours before I removed them from my glass sandwich. Some were distorted in shape and some came out flat.
I found out from people who pressed records that the vinyl biscuit was heated to 270 degrees F before being put in the presses. Then the pressing plates were super-heated from steam flowing through them and then cooled by room temperature water flowing through the plates, before the record presses opened and released the record.
I experimented with different temperatures and found the 135 degree F produced the best results.
I have a vinyl puck on my desk which I use as a paper weight. It weights about 240g. Rick Hashimoto of RTI gave it to me.
@@automatedelectronics6062 It would seem your method is flawed. I've had no such issues using the Record Pi.
A link for purchasing?
I would buy direct at recordpi.com
I like your videos. Excellent! Two things: Can you give the name and web site of the record store you mention? Second: When I try to connect with your web site I am getting a security warning.
Dearbornmusic.net will get you the record store. My site is finicky for some reason. Type the URL without the www. That usually works for me.
Thanks. I followed the link and got it.
@@joseauger1353 Fantastic.
Great Vid. Large enough to bring an XL home from Dominos?
Maybe a medium. You can warm it up once you get home though.
But what about sound quality? Most of my playable warped records WHOOSH at the warp. I’ve presumed this is not because of the record’s anomalous contour, but rather because of heat-related damage at the groove level. It seems to me that flattening the record wouldn’t necessarily repair individual grooves, and thus not improve sound quality.
The whoosh is because of the deformation of the record itself. Not because of heat. The flattened records sounded fine, and moreover, were actually playable. If your record is currently playable, there's probably no need to flatten it.
It's safe to assume that the grooves don't suffer any damage from the heat?
None that I experienced.
@@thevinylattack Thanks, Chris... Love your channel!
@@davidgassman2725 I appreciate that.
Hmmm do you think if the VF had an app, you'd go for that? 👀
Honestly, no. I'm so happy with the performance and build of the Record Pi that I don't see a need to change.
Chris I have a vinyl flat and it works well . Some lp ‘s especially new vinyl they flatten out. Older lp ‘s from the 50’s and 60’s can take longer than 12 hrs. You have to play the temperature game.
The Furtrech works the best. A local record shop has one .
I'm glad you have a system that works.
I think a big problem is storage in warehouse and shipping - they are being stored stacked not upright.
That very well could be.
@@thevinylattack Ive received so many new albums with ring wear. The only way that could be is if they'd been stacked on the bottom and repeatedly moved. Storage in warehouses should be in movable upright totes.
my colored pantera sound just fine
I have my record player rather high mounted on the wall.
And that gives me the possibility to look at just that angle that were filmed here so I see the light in-between TT mat and the record..
It is very disencouring to many times seeing the light in between the record and the mat!
You just know that your LP is hovering in the air without any contact with the platter!
My records is not warped more or less than any other collection out there. It is NORMAL TOLERANCE WARPS.
In other words nothing is perfectly flat in the LP collections.
I don't mean that we should go and try to flatten those to "perfectly flat".
The thing is some TT manufacturer use special TT PLATTER (!) that do "accuracy and speed stability"...
Listen to that again that passive spinning disc that is the platter is subjected to centrifugal and acceleration/de-acceleration is doing some magic:
"The Planar 10 is also fitted with a bespoke ceramic oxide platter which is diamond cut during manufacture for ultimate accuracy and speed stability."
And it is so flat.. does it matter when our records on average is far from that flat and because of that the record will still hover in thin air without any contact:
"The P10 uses a custom ceramic, flywheel effect platter. The platter is produced from ceramic oxide powder which is compressed, fired and diamond cut to ensure perfect accuracy and flatness across the surface."
It doesn't matter if we use center weight that maybe approximately fix may less than 10% of the issues.
Now I am starting to understand why it is so important to use vacuum platter that hold the whole record down against the platter like Air force one TT. It don't probably work on heavy warped LPs. But the "normal" not perfectly flat once..
I am yet need to try a outer ring clamp maybe that is somewhat a solution, when air force one is out of my league.
Should be interesting to know what is the difference sonically between a LP that is held down on its whole surface against a platter COMPARED to an normally in the air hovering LP ?
Maybe it is not a big deal.. but all angels of the stylus is against the grove is effected negativity..
I give up..
A product we all could use.
I've made regular use of it now.
@@thevinylattack What is sad is the appearent lack of quality control at the pressing plants. Not only do we see many warped new pressings, but LPs with rough outer edges. One of these days I will have to invest in a Record Pi system.
What kind of material is the groove protection mat?
It's basically a thick felt.
@@bgroovin1343 thank you, great video, very interesting
you got power
Indeed I do.
78s?
just curious, how much does it cost for someone to professionally flatten a record for you?
I wouldn't have the slightest idea.
I like watching the product review videos because I just KNOW some of the products you review are utter garbage (record glue, anyone?). I am really surprised this actually works. I would like to see you test exactly how long it can take to screw up vinyl on this product.
The way I would go about this is to perhaps use a control group like a stylus test record (kinda like the one Ortofon has, only cheaper) and measure the sound output with REW, turn the heat and time up until it impacts the groove. Pretty sure that would de-mistify how resilient (or vulnerable) vinyl records can be.
Either way, this product can be life changing to some people with warped records of heirloom value, and I am glad I stopped to see you review it.
10/10.
I am glad this product exist, but I’m disappointed that people will be using this rather than returning warped records. Keeping warped records, and not returning them shows the record label they can sell you any crap they want and you’ll just buy it as much as I hate the fact that I’m going to miss out on something, I would rather returning to send a message that this record is unacceptable then to keep it.
If you think the record label cares at all about the returns they get, I think you're in for a rude awakening. It's the record stores who get hurt having to deal with the returns, unfortunately. I do wish there were a better way to show the manufacturers that their products are crap though.
Don't agree that putting any type of felt or anything else on the playable surface is advisable. The plastic is getting softer and can easily take a imprint, just use the discs and a lot of weight stacks books around the edges
If your vinyl is hot enough that felt pads will ruin it, you have bigger issues to solve.
Very helpful review! 😸My Cat's Breath Smells Like Cat Food
i only have about 3 records id like to flatten. just never able to pull the trigger. warped records are a rarity for me. well, really bad warping i mean.
You're in the lucky minority.
"the fourth lp doesn't look as bad as the other records"
To my eyes it looks far, far, worse. The warp is much sharper making it a great launching pad for your stylus. I'm impressed that 13 hours in the Pi didn't damage the record surface at all, that provides some confidence that you won't screw up a valuable record if you try this on one.
I think the other Stranger Things warp was worse. There was more more deviation from flat to the high spot. Either way, they're both playable.
I own a vinyl flat with the pouch. It has definitely ruined a few records. I will probably just save up to buy an orb.
The Ord can ruin records just as easily without proper use I'm sure. Gotta be careful.
@@thevinylattack the “groovy bag” is just a modified heating pad with a Velcro bag. They make an updated version that has 3 different temperature settings. I have an older model that just has an on and off switch. The problem with the pouch is that the pad is not secure and moves within the bag. So what can happen is that it can move closer to the plate and doesn’t distribute heat properly making it get too hot in spots. It’s supposed to stay at one temp but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Which is what has happened causing heat damage. Ruined an Iron Maiden record real bad in two hours.