Is it possible to have vinyl nearly noise free?

Hi tubelvr1,

nearly possible, depends from:
LP quality
Record player
stylus profile
quiet and balanced phono stage with proper loading

I didn't say it before, but I only clean once upon acquisition of the record. After that it's a dust brush and Talisman until it is just too dusty. Then, a rinse with Regents water and the conditioner, let dry after vacuuming for about ten minutes and I'm off listening to it again. I always change the sleeve then as well.

After the cleaning it won't help unless the rinse takes away any residue, cleaning liquid and the contents of those liquids. The vacuum cleaner just sucks up the liquid that is left. The Regents water is the purest and acts like a magnet for any micro-dust left as part of the cleaning process. The conditioner has surfactants that allow the water it contains to get deep into the grooves reducing the waters elasticity and deep rinsing the groove.

I keep the stylus clean with FunTac. Peter Lederman recommends it highly to all of his customers. It is very effective and safest of all needle cleaning that I have found.

I agree the system set up is crucial to an enjoyable, less noisy listen. Also the relative quality of the equipment may help as well. During my slough to Nirvana I have tried many different carts, turntables and tone arms. The electronics and speakers I have settled on are very unforgiving when it comes to sonic anomalies. They reproduce them faithfully so the turntable and cart cannot add anything or I will hear it load and clear. Some carts seem to accentuate the noise to my ears.

Everyone who posted here who is serious about clean records has their own process. None is better that the other from what I see. Many are probably more complex than they need to be. Every process listed is better than no cleaning. It is a lot of work, but worth it. And yes, there are still some ticks and pops even after this rigmarole.


@lwal22
If I want to listen to a silent digital facsimile of my records I use a pro audio (Lynx Hilo) A/D-D/A converter. It is high resolution. The computer software removes virtually all the tics, pops and hiss if they exist and lowers the noise floor by about 12 dB. The playback is marvelously quiet, but a digital facsimile of the record. A Sugar Cube creates a digital facsimile. It is no longer pure analogue. I want 100% pure analogue when doing serious listening.

Rollin

I have 25,000 LPs and 7,000 78s.  I tolerate record noise to some extent.  I hated LP ticks and pops back in the 70s and 80s, prior to having near SOTA equipment.  Since the 90s, I've experienced mostly quiet LPs and those with minor, non-continuous pops and clicks are just not annoying.  Used and damaged LPs are listenable but the future purchase of a Sugar Cube is pending.  My VPI cleaning sometimes eliminates the pops and clicks, other times the LP is damaged and it isn't a matter of just dust/dirt.  Sometimes its just bad vinyl (I too have really excellent, nearly or silient vinyl pressings from the European and Japanese labels).  The Sugar Cube will probably be an eye opener for 78s.  Despite the high end reproduction, (dynamic and rich sounding mid range), surface noise is often at a pop and click level.  The new algorhythms of the Sugar Cube are said to alleviate this type of surface noise.   

I am too lazy and uninterested in wet cleaning every new or silent LP I have.to remove the mold release compound.  I've played some new or silent LPs 100 times and they still are silent   Sometimes an LP like 70s and 80s DGG just get ticky from one play despite using the Talisman.  But mostly, my LPs sound very quiet and guests can't tell if I'm playing a CD or LP, that's pretty quiet,

@fleschler yes that sublime point when vinyl is almost as quiet as a CD.

That's what I think most fans of vinyl want. At that point, at least for me, its the music not the medium that counts.

@flescher
I wouldn't hesitate you use a Sugar Cube on an old 78. Or if you have a damaged LP that is rare and unobtainable (cost or availability) on the used market, it would be good to be able to listen to that LP. I think the device is meant for that. It would be a Godsend. I don't have any 78s. I have a Meet the Beatles that is like that.

I'll tolerate an LP that has a few ticks rather than sully the analogue with digital processing. Most of my LPs are as quiet as a CD after my cleaning process and the detail revealed is more than worth the effort.

Rollin