tt surface noise reduce or tolerate?

Tvad, I've found this especially true with SACD, mostly of course with those made from old RCA or CBS three channel master tapes. Oddly enough, if comparing this to the the original LPs drawn from the same sources, you hear no such thing, possibly because it is masked by surface noise, when playing the LP. But some of those old Shaded Dogs can be very quiet, have good highs and plenty of bloom there and no hiss at all. So this is puzzling and perhaps food for another thread, because now I am really of topic. My apologies to Radiohead.

Tvad, you make good sense. This could well be so. Whatever, lets enjoy he music, noise or no noise, digital and analog...

I agree there are LPs with very little surface noise and I have several. It is quite easy to get lost in the music and think how quiet the background is. And then you lift the stylus and feel the slight drop in room pressure.

I believe it would depend on the tape machine used when the master was made. I have some recordings that I've listened to for many years where the tape machine noise has become ingrained as part of the performance. Some I also have a copy on CD and they have the same noise. I don't think they would be the same to me if I ever heard them without it. :-)

I, too, listen to and enjoy both digital and analog formats.