Most vinyl enthusiasts are well aware of the optimal storage conditions for their collection. However, if you jumped off the deep end too quickly and skipped over the “tips & tricks” section on Reddit, you might find yourself with a few warped records (which is fine, we won’t judge you too badly). This can happen if your LPs are kept in a hot car or stacked vertically — or both! — and it can seriously damage the needle on your turntable, let alone render your music unlistenable.
But even if you’re not a beginner collector, you may come across a set of vintage vinyl that someone else failed to take good care of. Or maybe you collected records as a youngster and have fallen away from the hobby for quite some time, leaving you with boxes of warped vinyl. Whatever the case, a new device from Pro-Ject will seriously help you restore your records to their listening potential.
The Flatter, the Better
The Austrian audio brand is well known and respected for its turntables but has now dedicated some time to making its own record flattener. The concept of a record flattener isn’t new — and you can find options well under $300 online if you know where to look — but Pro-Ject’s $1,000 Flatten It is an all-in-one unit rather than having a separate remote to control the process.
How Does It Work?
Occurring inside of a solid aluminum box of sorts, the flattening process is gradual. You place your record in between a pair of aluminum plates designed for even heat distribution, precise temperature control, and a low temperature hysteresis (lag) of 2ºC for better stability.
There’s also an on-board heating and cooling switch to control the process and a digital display that tells you the temperature (in either Celsius or Fahrenheit). And while it’s unclear how long the entire process takes, most record flatteners can complete an entire “de-warping” anywhere between 1 and 3 hours. Compatible with all record sizes and thicknesses, the machine is made in Europe and weighs less than 9lbs.
Spec Sheet
Housing: Solid aluminum
Weight: 8.8lbs
Dimensions: 14.4” x 2.4” x 16.5”
Connection: DC
Pricing & Availability
Not yet available from Pro-Ject’s website in the U.S., the Flatten It can still be found from retail sites. With a price of $999, the flattener is over double the price of the brand’s flagship Automat A1 turntable.
Recap
Pro-Ject Flatten It
Pro-Ject’s $1,000 Flatten It is a solid aluminum device that can flatten warped records with on-board temperature control
