What do you think causes the crackle and clicks we hear?

@onhwy61 , That’s my understanding too. Furthermore, I agree with Ralph that it’s one of the main causes, but I find that the cleanliness of the surface matters too. Perhaps that’s because I play a lot of old, used records. I use 80KHz US to clean, and get better results thereby.

Atmasphere has a powerful record of being right on this forum. He’s also a prominent expert and manufacturer who is generous with his advice and always civil, unlike some hereabouts.

Buy old records in great shape, clean them fully, use a Zerostat gun or other static remover, finish with carbon fiber anti static brush. You will have no more noise.

BS
Nitty Gritty, Last, First, Carbon Fiber brush, ZeroStat gun.
Blah blah honk honk.
Noise.

After 36 years, and now retirement making breakfast cereal. Rice Crispys as a matter of fact. We ran that stuff seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Keep buying them, you will be helping my union pension ... LOL

If you play an early pressed well cut platter the noise is minimized. For mo so most records available for sale the only way to minimize noise real time is an expander, Park's Magic or spend up for a Sugar Cube.