How To Repair A Melted Record
Warped tape? Here's how to get information technology fixed!
Picture the scene. You find a rare record you actually like, which is inexplicably depression-priced and as however undiscovered.
And then you find out why.
It'south warped.
One of the virtually difficult problems in the record collecting world to prepare. Yuri Geller had it right. Far easier to curve things than to straighten them. Information technology would accept been far more a) impressive and b) useful had he turned his anointed mind to the event of warped vinyl, only I judge at that place are some things that outstretch even the greatest heroes of our age.
Certain, YouTube is full of earnest young men putting old records constitute in flea markets between a couple of sheets of glass and putting them in an oven for ten minutes at gas marking i, but every bit anyone who has ever baked a cake or watched The Corking British Bake Off volition know, every oven is different, there's a combination of heat, moisture and the burnt embers of last Sunday's roast dinner and, well, it all feels a scrap unscientific. If all I had at stake was an old re-create of Cliff'south "I'g No Hero" album I'd probably make a video also, but I'chiliad not sure I would trust my oven with anything more valuable than a nice tarte tatin.
If you do have a specially treasured simply warped LP y'all want to ready, you desire odds a footling more certain than those of you lot blistering a perfectly risen Victoria sponge at a first attempt.
I did enjoy this YouTuber's effort at using an iron to flatten his LPs mind y'all, with tongue, I am sure, firmly in the side of his cheek.
The other method yous hear about is taking the tape, inserting it between sheets of drinking glass, and then exposing information technology to the lord's day in a warm room.
Again, y'all don't demand to have sat in a motorcar on a hot day to know how chop-chop those temperatures rise, and how uncontrollable this all is.
The run a risk anyone takes using these methods is if the heat necessary to flatten the vinyl goes on to damage the grooves. Utilize as well petty oestrus, the warp remains. Apply likewise much and yous mush the grooves and ruin the sound.
The answer here is not to beginning up your own Heston Blumenthal-mode vinyl chemical science lab. All y'all need is a tennis racquet, a stamp stamp, 2 bits of card, a record mailer, some bubble wrap and a biro.
First, chuck away the tennis racquet. I put that in there to throw you off the scent.
The answer is actually to employ a "professional person" record flattener.
Aye, this does exist.
It's chosen an Orb DF-01IA Loftier-End (in case at that place was whatever dubiety) sound vinyl LP (to non misfile it with all the visual vinyl LPs out in that location) Record Flattener.
It'due south basically a posh trouser printing for records.
It weighs 17kg and costs £1,219.99.
To be fair, that does include VAT.
It is purchased by the sort of people who call back nil of spending £1,295 on a cartridge and £795 on a pre-amp.
According the press release, it is "essential", which should alert the compilers of the Oxford English Dictionary as a new meaning for the discussion "essential".
Mayhap it falls into the aforementioned "essential" category equally Waitrose "Essential" Tonic Water. Zippo more "essential" than a gin and tonic, eh?
But in that location is some scientific discipline here. Rather than rushing in to an uncontrolled, random level of rut generated past something that but cooked a stew, the process is wearisome: it takes four hours; two to estrus upwardly and two to cool down.
What'south more, the grooves are protected. The car heats only the outer border and centre of the tape. The grooves are untouched, and this reduces potential damage.
But….the price!
I know what you're thinking. And that's disgraceful language. You should wash your mouth out with soap.
But don't worry. Help is at hand.
The answer is to apply the gig economy. To outsource.
Considering there are people out there who have one, and having fixed their warped records, they are realising having an expensive bit of kit out there is a fleck of a folly. It's like having Lionel Messi in your team of football players, and leaving him on the bench.
And so, I put it to the test. I approached a "record flattening service" with one of these machines. You can detect these services on eBay and through analogueseduction.net.
Five years ago I bought a re-create of Tom Fiddling'due south Wildflowers album for an centre-watering fifty pounds. I did so, because it was impossible to find a copy for less than £100 and it's 1 of my favourite records. "Essential", if y'all like.
Although £l was equally much as I had ever paid for a record, I thought I had a bargain.
When I got information technology domicile I realised why it had been priced that way. One of the LPs was warped. Here's a "before" video of the warp. It played, simply that's quite a "leap".
The LP now regularly averages £170 on Discogs. Flattening it cost £8. If it worked, it was a no-brainer.
I'm pleased to say the £one,200 automobile worked. Here'due south how it looks now…
In conclusion, there is no piece of cake, safe way to rectify a warped tape without existence able to methodically command temperatures and where the heat is practical, as our atomic number 26-wielding YouTuber has demonstrated. Only with the aid of a fleck of outsourcing, those of us who don't accept £1,200 knocking around can prepare a tape or two…
Good luck! (And please share your tales of vinyl flattening – successful and unsuccessful in the comments section).
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Categories: Music, Vinyl
Source: https://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2020/03/13/warped-record-heres-how-to-get-it-fixed/
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