Warped vinyl LPs - What's the impact on the stylus?

Hi All

Have in my possesion a few "warped" out vinyls'. Possibility to get them level ?

What would be the impact on the "stylus" when playing the "warped" Lp's ?

Cheers

Audio Image offers record flattening machine using an expensive equipment (from US, forgot the brand) specially designed for the purpose. I believe forumers like mugenfoo has flattening a couple of LPs there before. It's not cheap though.

Shops like Audio Image & Nova HiFi can flatten your records, but with a BIG DISCLAIMER.

There is no guarantee that the flattened vinyl will be fully playable.

Some vinyls are so warped to begin with, that when flattened back, they are no longer round but become "oval" or egg-shaped instead. And if the oval is too great, the cartridge would mis-track because the grooves now have too much lateral movement which the tonearm cannot follow anymore.

One should only consider flattening a vinyl if its warped so badly and is mis-tracking (ie the cartridge flies off the warped surface and jumps track) or if there is too much subsonic from the warpage.

Otherwise, there is no damage on the stylus when playing slightly warped records.

HOWEVER,
Just be careful to check if the warpage is too much and observe if the waves might cause the cartridge's underbody to "crash" on the record surface or not. This would definitely scratch the record surface, and might unduly stress the cantilever suspension. If you're using a MC cartridge, too much cantilever movement might even break the wiring coils as what happened to a fellow forummer here (but keeping this incident anonymous) and this is not repairable for MC cartridges. In this case, its worth a try to send such records to the pancake presser.


On a side note just for fun, here's some homestyle remedy you could try:

Get 2 sheets of square glass panes big enough to clamp the whole record surface, get 4 large paper clips.

Sandwich the warped record between the 2 glass sheets, clamp down all 4 sides with the strong metal clips.

Put it out to bake in the mid-day sun.

How long to bake in the sun ? No idea! ... Experiment is the way to go.

Best to try it on some junk record that u can completely write-off to start with.

Don't ask me if I've done it before. I haven't.

I was only told that this was how the old-timers did their pancake jobs without today's specialist machines.

Thanks guys......

Was advised by an old timer to put the "warped" vinyl flat and put a stack of paper on top for sometime.

That time required is "Sometime = experimentation" !!

The stylus holds its own while riding over the "warp-ed" portion and it does not effect the play as well.

Usually, I place the record on a flat surface to see the difference, is that the right way ?

Wong / Mugen, appreciated. The idea of placing records between two sheets of glass is worth experimenting.

cheers

Useful idea Mugen... thanks for the contribution.... maybe to speed things up, after clamping the record between the glass panes... heat the glass using a big hair dryer.... also when buying the glass pane... need thick ones I think at least 5mm, shops here kept a lot of thin ones which may not be strong enough ??? Just an untested idea though....cheers..

If the LP is valuable to you, just pay the money to get it flattened professionally lar.

Experimenting on a so so LP to see the outcome should fine but on a treasured LP "wong's" suggestion would be the way forward.

But you never know something might be reached after many experimenting sessions.

cheers

Just like washing LPs, the method of sandwiching between two glass panes do work. But it is best done by a very seasoned and experience person. I pesonally wouldn't recommend it for the newcomer. But if you are a seasoned LP owner, then perhaps it might be worth testing. Again, on an unwanted LP. Also make sure you ASK FIRST before you test on that 'unwanted' LP. As one man's meat may be another man's poison, I don't want to hear about how where someone who doesn't like Beatles go and test and destroy an original first pressing made in UK MONO Beatles LP !

Or an old Pre-RIAA Julie London MONO pressing !!!

WongKN wrote:As one man's meat may be another man's poison, I don't want to hear about how where someone who doesn't like Beatles go and test and destroy an original first pressing made in UK MONO Beatles LP !

This will be a very thrilling experience for a Beatles' fan if he/she sees it being handled that way by a newcomer like me.

Googled some workarounds. Something similar to what "Mugen" described.

http://askville.amazon.com/details-nice-description-repair-warped-LP/AnswerDetails.do?requestId=8078397&responseId=8088369

cheers