Pro-Ject's new Flatten It does exactly what the name suggests: it flattens warped records, and does so very carefully.
The device is available now for £749.
In addition to making some of the best turntables, Pro-Ject also makes devices to care for your vinyl records, such as its VC vacuum cleaning machines.
Now it's made another kind of disc doctor, this time to deal with every turntable owner's nemesis: warping.
The new Pro-Ject Flatten It does exactly what the name suggests – it flattens warped records. But, it's no brute force flattener, the device uses precise heating to reverse warping without damaging your precious LPs.
This is a particularly good idea if, like me, you find it hard to resist the lure of Discogs or the local charity shop racks. Second-hand records are much more likely to be warped than brand new ones – although sadly Pro-Ject hasn't yet come up with a machine that can also remove scratches.
Pro-Ject Flatten It: price and features
The Flatten It looks rather like a suitcase turntable, albeit one made from metal.
Inside, there's a spindle to sit your record on, and aluminium plates that do the flattening. There are just two buttons – one for heating/cooling and one for power – and a temperature display.
We've known about using heat to un-warp records for a long time – if you go online you'll find vinyl owners discussing whether or not it's wise to stick warped records in the oven, often hilariously – but the key here is the precise temperature control, so there's no risk of overheating and causing more problems.
The Flatten It has very low temperature hysteresis, which means it's not constantly switching itself on and off to maintain its target temperature. It delivers a stable temperature without unwanted fluctuations.
The Flatten It has a recommended retail price of £749 ($965 / AU$1,528) and in the UK it's distributed by Henley Audio.
