Help with TT ideas for my first TT

I guess I expected some, especially between tracks but during playing it was in expected.

I guess why is a bar line of what is to be expected versus above average?

I recently spoke to an old friend who owns a Hi Fi store in Michigan. His first choice for a starter audiophile deck is the Sota Escape. I am a big time Sota fan and I had no idea this table existed! It is an....interesting looking turntable. It has a great drive system probably the best of the group. The Rega 220 arm is certainly serviceable but probably most important is the company. They (Donna) are very responsive and will bend over backwards for you. 

As for pops and clicks in vinyl, on records that are well cared for the music will mask them except during the quietest passages. Well designed phono stages and styli are most definitely quieter. It is really just the deep scratches that are a real problem. 

When have you been to a concert where there is no background noise?
Coughing, talking, glass clinking, walking etc.  Digital is actually abnormally quiet! Ears are connected to a psycho-active device, your brain. I usually get a lot of flack when I bring this up. Have you ever wondered by women in general do not like loud volumes? Why are they the ones that are always turning it down? Why is this such a male predominant hobby? You married guys, how many times has your wife slapped you in the face waking you up from a nice dream saying in a loud whisper, "What's that!" In nature women are responsible for protecting the children. Many of their behaviors are centered around this instinct. Women are always listening to the environment for any sign of danger. They are uncomfortable with loud music for this reason. The funny thing is that this instinct is not active prior to childbirth, only after. I bring this up as an example. 80% of the SUV buyers are female and if you ask women they will tell you why. They are more comfortable being up higher. Why?
Easier to see danger coming. Men? We want to be powerful. We buy pickup trucks and overpowered sports cars. Why don't we care about volume levels? We do. We want to be as loud and threatening as possible hopefully scaring our enemies away. We also dress up in war paint and pierce our noses and ears with bones so our enemy knows we have no trouble tolerating pain. Does all this affect the way we perceive background noise? 

That is a bit of a longer explanation than i expected.  I honestly dont mind the hiss between tracks.  As you say the noise in a concert hall before the band, or orchestra comes on is normal and part of the experience.  However hearing a pop mid music seems abnormal, and unlike a CD that is plug and go, so the reason I am asking what is expected here

It’s hard to know how much is abnormal as we cannot listen to what you are hearing. Is there ‘a lot’? What is ‘a lot’? Is it unlistenable?

I have LP’s that are very quiet for vinyl, and others that look just as clean, and not so much. Again, so many variables.

One thing is for sure; is it a problem with your table? Very doubtful. Cartridge? Possibly not as quiet as others, but again, hard to say. If I had to guess, and we are talking about enough clicks and pops to be unlistenable, that is more about your vinyl.

I used to have a ‘starter’ Pro-Ject table I bought when getting back into vinyl, less quality than yours, and some of my LP’s sounded quieter than others, so It wasn’t a consistent problem having to do with the table/arm/cartridge combo. I now have a much nicer SOTA, very good Jelco arm, and Soundsmith cartridge. Is it quieter overall? Yes it is, but overall cost almost three times more than your set-up. So yes, it is possible that if you spend much more you can possibly achieve a quieter experience. But it won’t eliminate it. I do know one thing, I much prefer an LP with a bit of noise than listening to the same album on CD or streaming....all the time.

I grew up with LP’s so perhaps my, and other who did as well, have different expectations. I just don’t know what you are hearing.

To you pint there does seem to be a difference to LPs that sound some what different.  The few I have purchased so far are supposedly decent recordings but again they are new pressings.  I have a better Johnny cash recording coming that may be a good comparison.

any reference recordings of what a bad video  setup sounds like on you tube you guys can think of. Again I am more of a newb figuring this out as I go with your guys and gals help.