I found a translation for the Japanese ORB record flattener instructions! تعليمات أداة تسوية السجل ORB DF-01iA 1. ضع القرص المشوه في الآلة 2. أغلق الغطاء وقم بتشغيل الجهاز 3. افتح الغطاء وأكل المحضر المذاب على الأرز
I agree, fitment depends on the thickness of the "LP sandwich" and how it compares to the thickness of the ORB adapters. My understanding about using adapters of any kind, is to insulate the grooves on the flattened record from any damage during heating. This is a learning process and I think makes sense to be conservative at first with or without any adapters. My first and only experience was with the Vinyl Flat in the oven a few years ago. Just using the felt pads, it took me about 3-4 sessions starting at 30 minutes up to 2 hrs. at 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit to flatten the record.
I would try Record Flattener This is the dealer where I purchased my used one from. I don't think there is much to be nervous about getting a used one especially if from a dealer - these have little to no moving parts and they either will work or not. If the unit is in working condition and as long as it doesn't get damaged during shipping, you should be good. Having said that, not many used ORB flatteners come onto the market - I just happened to get lucky with timing on mine and was able to get the + version for the price of the standard unit.
Just to update that I was able to flatten the recent new Steely Dan vinyl - I got it from Amazon with a slight warp which tends to be every third LP I get, and I put it into the ORB for 30 minutes - Once the 30 minutes were up, I then pressed the Start/Stop button and it went into cooling mode. I then left it for the two hours as I had to leave the house and when I got back, I put the LP onto the turntable and it was perfectly flat! So the lesson learnt for me, is to simply start with no more than 30 minutes using 'Low' heat and go from there - the only thing that is a little challenging, is properly determining LPs with Groove Guard, as there are some that seem to be very borderline at times and a little difficult to tell, as one would want to use the felt rings or the adapter that came with the Orb if they don't have the groove guard.
Has anyone had issues with noise (ticks) after running a disc through the Orb? I've had my Orb DF- 01iA+ for just a few weeks and while it is doing a great job flattening discs, most are coming out much noisier than they went in. I haven't seen this mentioned as a trade-off (just one comment about noise in this thread), so I'm concerned that either I'm doing something wrong, or there's an issue with my unit. I clean my records (Degritter and sometime preclean with vac RCM) before and again after. And many of these were brand new discs that were very quiet before going into the Orb. (Neither vac nor ultrasonic cleaning seem to have any effect in getting rid of the ticks after flattening.) I've experimented with using the adapters, low temp and 1-hr heat cycles, and I'm not sure if I'm noticing much difference. (It's hard to quantify, and I only have so many discs I want to sacrifice to this testing.) Certainly, none of the above resolved the problem completely. So, is it just inevitable that the heating process will cause more ticks? Or might there be something wrong with my unit? Or my process (though I'm pretty sure I'm following the instructions)?
nope - dead silent coming out if they were quiet going in. Make sure to wipe the plates down with some microfiber and IPA to keep them free of dust. Also perhaps try an ultrasonic after? Is there any change to the appearance of the disc whatsoever that would indicate heat exposure. Dimples or differences in the way it reflects light?
I'm not sure; definitely no dimples or anything obvious. Is there a slight change in the way the disc reflects light? A couple of times I thought so, but I had no "before" image for comparison, so it may have been my imagination. Everything has been getting another spin in the Degritter after the Orb, and I've even back to the fluids and vac on some discs. Nothing seems to help. I'll try the IPA on the glass, but I get the same issue when using the adapters, where the playing surface is suspended, so I'm not very optimistic about that. Thanks for the suggestions, though!
No damage or noise on high setting three times in a row, in fact I think it's pretty safe, have flattened dozens of records, usually I use high or medium settings lol, maybe it's your psychology
I've been flattening using a now obsolete (Furutech DF-2) model Orb without almost no issues- not every record is fixed by flattening but so far it hasn't added to the problems of any record. It heats the rim and label area. It requires no discs or adapters.
Anyone tried an Orb with RTI Super Vinyl or AP UHQR discs. I'm wondering if these different vinyl formulations might have issues? The cost would be justified if it flattened expensive discs that are hard to return. BTW aren't the spacers for flat profile discs like the UHQR?
I would treat these as colored vinyl and start at low setting 30 minutes and step up 15 mins at a time until you find the required time to flatten.
How about flattening the old Dynaflex vinyl. I have a Harry Nilsson: Schmillson TML press that has a little warp. Can't I just bend these back in to shape? Half joking!
Hello All, One thing I have been meaning to ask - When I start the ORB, the 'Heating' light comes on solidly and the 'Heater On' light seems to go on and off in 10 second intervals - is this normal, as I would have thought that the Heater on light would stay lit during the full heating cycle. Would appreciate if someone could confirm on their end and I could have sworn that when the cooling period started, the 'Heater On' light came on momentarily, but then went out as one would expect. Otherwise, getting some good results running minimally on low heat which seems to be enough for my minor warps... I must say, I am rather surprised at how many LP's I have which don't seem to have Groove Guard to them with raised labels and outer edge lip on the LP. Cheers, Vin.
Also, for those of you that run the ORB for a shorter time say 30 minutes or an hour, do you then run the cooling cycle for the same amount of time, or is it best to let it sit for the full 2 hour cooling period?
I let it sit for 2 hours at least. Longer won’t hurt obviously. I think the light always blinks on the heat heat cycle.
Question about lighter vinyl (120 g to 130 g) vs 180g vinyl. I just fot my Orb DF-01IA and have been playing with it over the past 2 days. I have a lot of early to mid 70s pressing with warps. Not as light weight wise as dynaflex vinyl but rather in the 120 to 130 gram range, so in between dynaflex oil crisis vinyl and heavier 180g vinyl. Specifically, several Black Sabbath first pressings. When flattening, I have noticed a very subtle / very minor / very superficial rippling along the very very surface of the vinyl that is better seen under a bright light. This has had no affect upon the audio quality at all. Just a very subtle aesthetic remnant of the flattening process. I would like to avoid this in the future. In general, to avoid this, do any of you out there always use the groovy rings for records in the 120g to 130g weight range? And, if so, does using the groovy rings require more flattening sessions in your experience?
Records shouldn’t come out looking different. Use only as much heat/time as needed. Dynaflex will flatten with only 30 minutes at low heat/2hour cooldown
What are the different times you use for different vinyl weights? I have a lot of warped lps in the 120 to 130 range. I just ordered an outlet timer to do 60 min 30 min etc flattening times. Do you have any other tips you can share from your trial and error using your orb? Thanks so much for your help / expertise.
I only use low unless that setting doesn’t work. An hour is a good place to start unless something is super thin or on colored vinyl. Step up 20 mins at a time if you are worried. 1hr/1:20/1:40/full cycle. A Wi-Fi smart plug makes it super easy to run off your phone. With valuable records patience is everything. If I was flattening 10-20 dollar records to sell I’d just use the default and deal with a few getting over cooked. Any sideways needle movement after flattening that wasn’t there due to an off center hole is a sign of overheating.
Thank you for the helpful info! I have a mix of very valuable LPs and cheaper 10 to 25 dollar LPs I am going to sell. I will take your advice in regards to the more valuable records and step up 20 minutes like you do. I will also look into a wi-fi smart plug. I have another question for you. If I have a warped LP with say a bowl warp would you place the warped lp with the warp facing up (like a bowl) or facing down (like an upside down bowl)? In general, does the lifted warp face upwards or downwards when flattening? Thanks so much for your help!!!
Also what wifi smart plug do you use and why do you use a wifi plug? I purchased a timer plug on Amazon but I can return it easily. It has a 30, 60, 90 and 120 minute timer buttons on it. In your opinion how is a wifi smart plug better than a non-wifi timer plug? Thanks so much again.
Not sure if up or down makes a difference. I put the warp up so I can easily see if it has flattened by looking at the edge. The buttons should work fine - I use a bn-link plug but I have a number of them for lights and dehumidifier etc. I find the app interface easy to use but I’m sure others would prefer a simpler solution.
Has anyone had a DF01 stop working from continued use? Last week my vinylflat groovy pouch stopped heating up after nearly 4 years of being used daily with great results. I'm pondering whether to get another groovy pouch for £200 or an orb df01 for £1350. Both appliances have a 2 year warranty.
