Warps - the bane of my life

[RobbieGong]

For some time now I've been experiencing warped records, In fact I'm noticing that it isn't very long at all before any recently purchased gem I've managed to get hold of displays a warp. My shelf is close to my back room patio window which opens out into the garden (I've attached a pic to show where rack is. You can see part of the curtained patio doors to the left of the rack). A lot of light comes through it into the room. I now only open the curtains a little so that not much light gets in at all but i'm still noticing the warps appearing. I'm sure now that this is as a result of temperature change. I think the side of the vinyl against the wall stays cool while the side of the vinyl not against the wall is exposed to the warmer temperature of the room throughout the day, this has to be why they records are warping. The room generally can be quite cool and has original polished wooden floors but warms up a bit throughout the sunnier days. I also dont think the temperature change has to be big, just enough to affect plastic i guess. Either way I'm gutted to say the least. Music has been my passion since I was a child and I love hifi as part of that. I've spent money I shouldn't building up my modest system and when a flat record is on my 1210 MK5g with fluid damper and the fantastic Ortofon 2M Black, VTA set to perfection, sweet spot found, the listening pleasure is simply out of this world so these warps are heart breaking as you can imagine. Warps and optimum playback is something that does not exist !! :steam: I cant move the rack really as my room layout doesn't leave me with options (small to medium room, fire place with speakers either side, dining table, pc, hifi seperates racked up and cd racks etc). I've replaced warped vinyl only for the same thing to happen :steam:. Very soul destroying as I only source original press in Excellent + to mint condition, 70's soul Curtis, Marvin, Aretha, Billy Paul, Leroy Hutson etc just to mention a very few - gutted. Tried clamps etc nothing really works effectively and unfortunately I dont like the sound change these things bring either. I'm looking to purchase a few record boxes to see if any stored that way do not suffer from warps). Just thought I'd share my pain with my AOS family, I'm broken !! :(

[Jac Hawk]

do you use a clamp? if not then that might sort your problem out, or you could try flattening them, 2 thick pieces of plate glass and a warm airing cupboard does the trick, you need to be patient though and leave the vinyl between the 2 pieces of glass for a few days

[RobbieGong]

Hi, as stated I've tried clamp, wasn't that effective and I hate the sound change you get with clamps etc. I cant be asked with the trying to flatten with glass thing. A drawn out affair and I havn't got the time to be 'trying' this on all the warped records I have. Been thinking that some how, some way, one day will probably have to look to move the records from where they are , dont ask me where. Will have to be in the room as obviously I play the things but where in the same room I just dont know. Will have to think hard. :scratch:

[Beobloke]

Unfortunately a centre clamp won't do a great deal to help with large outer warps - for this you'll need a periphery clamp but it's only masking the issue and not solving the problem.

[Thing Fish]

The only fault I can see with your vinyl storage is the sunlight element. Which doesn't look too bad to be honest.

What I suggest is that you try keeping any new purchases in a different place/room as an experiment and see what happens?

I agree with Beobloke that a clamp is only masking the real problem.

[RobbieGong]

Cheers- I hear ya and that's exactly what I think. Sunlight and generally temperature change due to the window and heat of sun. Even though not a lot of light curently gets in due to curtains being only a little open, there is probably still the issue of temperature change from the cool of the night and morning to the sunny warmth of day by the double glazed patio windows. Definately gonna look to store new purchases in record storage boxes with the handles and see what happens. If that solves it then it's gonna cost a lot of money (and time) to replace the warped gems I have - Life eh !!!! :rolleyes:

[Slippershod]

this might sound a bit stupid, but do you think there's any chance that you're noticing pre-existing warps more clearly over time?

I'm seeing my lps play at, roughly, eye-level when playing - and, honestly, I'm yet to see a completely flat one yet - not close, and this covers all ages and kinds of vinyl... perhaps a few 50s/ 60s pressings on heavy, HQ vinyl get close, I guess.

I've just been wondering myself recently about the whole issue of warpage (and then you add hole eccentricity and ... ahhrgg!).

[Pete The Cat]

Mmm...after 30-odd years of accumulating vinyl and obsessing about this kind of thing I'm still wondering if it really is the light via the window that's the problem. You'll know best of course, so trying another location or storing them in cases may be the answer, but out of interest could there be any hot pipes in the wall ?

Pete

[MCRU]

club together with like minded individuals as I have known in the past and buy the furutech lp flattener, its expensive but good value if you have a large collection and are serious about sound quality.

[Audioman]

How bad are the warps ? If you have a stack of badly warped collectables I think the Furutech might be justified. I think your problem may be the design of your rack and records not being dead verticle and packed tightly. Solid storage cubes or Realy Usefull boxes could be the answer. I have found that mildly warped records stored tightly packed will flatten over a period of time. If stored correctly inadvertant exposure to fluctuating temperatures (from pipes and radiators) should have no ill effect.

[WOStantonCS100]

In our old duplex, I used to beg my wife to leave the front door closed as I had a specially built record-shelf right inside the door. My friend who built it was the hefty sort and he could stand on it and it wouldn't care; thick wood, not cheap stuff, a real furniture grade piece. The 4 shelves held 400 to 450 LP's in total, I think. Nevertheless, my wife did not listen one day. When I came home and pulled out my copy of Chick Corea Tap Step. It was too late, the damage had been done. Even though it didn't feel that warm standing in front of the door, over the course of the day, the wood and ultimately the vinyl held the heat. I checked the album at the end of each shelf; luckily that was the only total loss. My remedy... ...I simply had to move the records/shelving... ...and I did... ...that day. The wife didn't like that; but, she knows there's only so far I will go. After that, it's screw the decor, it's about the records, period. Sorted.

[Jac Hawk]

In our old duplex, I used to beg my wife to leave the front door closed as I had a specially built record-shelf right inside the door. My friend who built it was the hefty sort and he could stand on it and it wouldn't care; thick wood, not cheap stuff, a real furniture grade piece. The 4 shelves held 400 to 450 LP's in total, I think. Nevertheless, my wife did not listen one day. When I came home and pulled out my copy of Chick Corea Tap Step. It was too late, the damage had been done. Even though it didn't feel that warm standing in front of the door, over the course of the day, the wood and ultimately the vinyl held the heat. I checked the album at the end of each shelf; luckily that was the only total loss. My remedy... ...I simply had to move the records/shelving... ...and I did... ...that day. The wife didn't like that; but, she knows there's only so far I will go. After that, it's screw the decor, it's about the records, period. Sorted.

In your part of the world it gets a fair bit warmer than over here, my girlfriend told me it was 90 deg F in S.C. today, so i guess it's more of a problem in warmer climates

[Marco]

The wife didn't like that; but, she knows there's only so far I will go. After that, it's screw the decor, it's about the records, period.


Hehehe.... My sort of man, Biff! :respect:

Marco.

[RobbieGong]

I hear you guys - Definately a temp change thing. Shelves also wooden and the bare walls that the back of the vinyl rests against are quite coll to the touch. Logically as the warmth comes through the patio windows where the front of the records is closest it has a temp change effect. Doin my head in. I managed to pick up an Original press, 1970 I think, gatefold copy of Curtis Mayfields first solo outing 'Curtis' the one with his very well known hit 'Move on up' on. It has some great tracks on, loads of wicked horns, strings etc. Sounded like the guys were in the room, 3D horns and instrumentation, vocals like Curtis in the room too via the 2M Black, clarity of dictation to die for. This copy was SEALED yes SEALED unplayed etc. I emailed the guy just to check this thing was for real, managed to get him to knock just a tiny bit off it for me explaining that one of the tracks (Makings Of You) was the song my wife walked into the church to 5 years ago and i love the album anyway. I wasn't even gonna open it as I sourced a second copy with just a few scratches that I decide I'd play instead and put the sealed rarity away until whenever. Anyway, I succumbed and opened it. I just had to hear it in all it's glory without so much as a click or pop - Awesome ! That too my friends now has a lovely bouncy pronounced wobbly warp :eek: :eek: ! - GUTTED !! This has occured in a very short space of time, after a month or two, as with a lot of my other gems, they arrive minty, flat as a pancake or as good as, and then...... I have some record carry box cases to buy and anything from now on is going in them just to see how that fairs.

[howlindawg]

Could you just have some doors fitted to your existing storgage to keep them out of direct sunlight?

[RobbieGong]

Hi, not impossible I guess but a part of me thinks doors would probably be wood and I'm sure that again isn't gonna be great in terms of the sunlight hitting it, although I do now have the curtains only slightly opened. Might work for same issue to continue. It's about where those tunes are really. So I'm gonna try putting my next purchases in those record boxes away from the current location and see how that goes. My system is the other side of the fireplace against same wall, other end of the room. If no warps in record boxes I'll keep a number of boxes there as tidyly as possible to keep Mrs happy :) Gosh the things we do for music. I'll even look to replace tunes over time. When it all comes together the joy of good vinyl is worth more than money ;)

[Thing Fish]

Perhaps us vinyl addicts should install humidors to house our precious babies...?

[RobbieGong]

:lolsign:Ha Ha, aint that the truth and if only :)

[Reid Malenfant]

People keep mentioning curtains... Have you considered something like curtains to protect the vinyl from sunlight? Not too hard to fit as well as adding a little damping to the room :scratch:

Just a though & possibly an odd one, but it may well work.

[RobbieGong]

Just not confident that would work well to be honest. The curtains to that room are deliberately barely open anyway these days and problem still persists. I think it's a case of moving them or removing to a different place ie: record carry case boxes which I can place well away from those heat generating patio windows.

[nat8808]

It must be the direct sun light... I doubt it would be normal day/night temp changes.

Is it all of them or just ones at the end? If at the end, then it could be how the weight of the others is the end ones against the shelf uprights.

If they warp in that heat then that heat can also be used to un-warp the record too by putting the damaged ones between plate glass in the same place - take advantage and use it as your new recording fixing area. I very very much doubt that the grooves themselves will be damaged.

[RobbieGong]

Hi Nat, Yeah it's been a pain and costly. I've been going through them and a lot but not all are warped. I recently purchased four alluminium record box cases with a nice spongy rubber type lining inside at a bargain price so a lot of my tunes are now going in them. I've also started to source replacements for my fave tunes. Thing is I should be doing this slowly but the temptation is to just buy buy buy / replace replace replace which is niot doing my finances any good but we all have our vices - Music is probably my biggest !! :)