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Which part reduces surface noise most?

Hi all -

I have been lucky enough to hear a few turntable setups that put surface noise/cracks and pops "on another plane", which makes focusing on the music so much easier. These tables have included:

Well-Tempered w/ unk Audio Technica Cart and modified Dyna PAS 3 preamp
Linn LP12 with various Benz Micro cartridges and Audio Research phono stage
Kuzma Stabi with Cardas Heart (Modded Benz Ruby) cart /BAT phono stage

However, I've yet to recreate this phenomenon at my home. Granted, I've never spent the kind of money required to buy the 'tables listed above, but I'm wondering where the next upgrade step is for me.

I currently have a Techncis 1210 with Cardas wiring and the KAB fluid damper with an Ortofon 2m Blue cart playing through a NAD 304 integrated. The sound is pretty good, but the crackles and pops still really bother me.

In your experience, is it a function of the the stylus profile, the phono stage, low-output vs high-output, mc vs mm, or any combination of the aforementioned that will help me in my quest to separate the noise from the music?

Any input will be most appreciated, thanks!
128x128joelv
armstrod
614 posts
 
My experience has been that stylus profile is the biggest factor regarding surface noise. That said, records have surface noise for lots of different reasons. If a record is dirty, it's noisy with any stylus. If a record has been played with a damaged stylus, or played dirty even with a good one, the damage will be mostly where that stylus was contacting the groove, so playing the record with a stylus with a different contact profile can help. Overall, my Zyx Bloom with the line contact stylus is quietest on most records, but a few are quieter with the conical stylus of my Denon 103R. My Empire EDR.9 is in between; not sure of the stylus profile, hard to determine from the descriptions.

I also suspect that compliance has something to do with it, with higher compliance cartridges being a little quieter than low compliance carts.

Of course, since clicks and pops are high frequency phenomena, any part of your system which rolls off highs will lessen their impact.

David
lindisfarne
511 posts
 
For what it is worth, I've owned Rega 3 and 5, Nottingham Spacedec, Linn LP-12 AND KAB-modded Technics. While I love Kevin and the product itself, it is the least kind (of the bunch) when it comes to "snap, crackle and pop". I used Stanton and Shelter carts. I think the tonearm is the weak link on the Technics-Kevin does not agree.
raytheprinter's avatar
raytheprinter
1,234 posts
 
I have had good results keeping surface noise to a min. with ZYX cart. ,first a R20 , then upgrading to an R100H
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
The tonearm/cartridge pairing.
restock
831 posts
 
I suppose I forgot to mention that I am a Disc Doctor user.

If you are using the DD solution, make sure to rinse extremely well (several times). Otherwise the DD solution tends to create more crackle & pops than it removes. This was always one reason why I don't quite like the DD solutions.

Otherwise I agree with the answers above: Different cartridges highlight noise more or less.
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