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Can You Live With Crackling & Popping Noise?

I just got my first turntable, a Rega P5 and not sure whether I'm supposed to be delighted or otherwise. When I put on my first record, there was intermittent popping, hissing and crackling noise at low to moderate volume levels. Having lived with digital for half of my life, I find this to be somewhat annoying. For a while I was feeling disappointed and pondering whether I would end up selling this thing. After a while I thought what the heck, since I had got this thing home I might as well turn up the volume and enjoy the music. I started to crank it up to reasonably high levels and all the hissing, crackling and popping noise began to drown and disappear into the background music. Somehow the annoyance turned to musical bliss, well almost.

My question, especially for those who own high-end turntables, can you live with all the crackling and popping noise? I reckon all these noises will be quite noticeable especially when playing some clean vocals with minimum background music? What actually cause all these noises? Is the noise caused by dust sticking on the surface of the record assuming the record is in good condition? Is there any way these crackling and popping noises can be reduced or eliminated completely by cleaning the records?

The manual states as follows:-

"Don't worry about visible dust on the record surface, this is brushed aside by the stylus and any that collects on the stylus can be easily blown away. In general, record cleaning is overdone and one should not believe all the claims made by record cleaner manufacturers."

Does this mean that cleaning records is pointless? If that is the case how do we get rid of the crackling noise in the event the dust and fine particles are the ones that are causing these noises? Is there any easy solution to clean the records by ourselves?

For any newbie who wants to take the turntable route, I would urge you to reconsider your options particularly if you have minimal tolerance towards popping and crackling noises. Even all my good old cassette collection that ended up in the rubbish bin years ago didn't exhibit all these popping and crackling noises.

If all these noises do not exist in records then analog is really the one to beat.

Thank you for your patience.
ryder
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cipherjuris
145 posts
 
Ryder,

I agree with much of the advice and thoughts of the others, except that tics and pops are a necessary part of listening to vinyl records. My LP collection includes both new and used LPs, many of my best LPs are from the 50s and 60s and have been played hundreds, maybe thousands of times. You can't get rid of the noise resulting from a deep scratch. That is just a damaged record. The same occurs with CDs.

But dirty, old records that have been played a lot and have somewhat dry, lifeless vinyl, can be brought back to sound very quiet and new with a very good record cleaning machine, the right chemical treatments and final wash with distilled water and an application of Last to renew the vinyl condition. This takes time and unfortunately a much better than average RCM. I had a Nitty Gritty that improved things but would not remove enough of the crap in the grooves to eliminate the clicks and pops. I tried a VPI 16.5. It was better but not good enough. I finally sprang for a Loricraft. Now, most of my 50s and 60s records are as quiet as a CD except for the tape hiss inherent on recording of that time.

A vinyl rig that can get you as close to the real thing as technology can get today is more expensive that all but the most expensive digital rigs and a lot more work, but the sonic results are worth it. I like both of my digital players a lot, actually, but when I really want to be moved by the music, my analog rig is the only way to go. It's so much fuller and richer than either digital rig.

Hope this helps.

Ed
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has2be
555 posts
 
Have to agree with the fact there are to many variables. The condition of used vynil and its play grade versus its visual grade and if the previous owner(s) maintained them and HANDLED and STORED them properly. Try some of the new vynil and for used if I really want a copy of an LP I try to purchase the Japenese pressings which are pressed on high quality vynil and very quiet. You can always be surprised at how quiet a 40 year old pressing will play then a newer used release that doesn,t and vise versa. Simple answer to your question. YES, I feel that the few tics and pops are overshadowed by the full rich sound of vynil that to me conveys more musical emotion which equals greater listening enjoyment. Those wipes TVAD spoke of are awesome. I threw my carbon fibre dust "moving" brush out after trying the wipes. Cheers!
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oilmanmojo
472 posts
 
Cracking and popping are only a function of the record and stylus contact and nothing else (assuming the noise does not exist until the needle hits the record). Most vinyl addicts will overlook the occasional pop etc from a scratch or dusty record but the media does not have to have that issue. I have some albums i purchased 30 years ago and have played them hundreds of times that do not crackle or pop. Having said that, i have always been fanatical about cleaning a record. I also got my eyes opened to the power of vacuum cleaners and steaming (arggh, there goes that steaming guy again:) A good cleaning regime with a rcm will change your mind concerning whether clicks, pops or crackles are inherent with vinyl.

I have purchased records on craigslist, etc that were in bad shape only to go through a thorough cleaning and now have hundreds of records that are near perfect. I do have some that still crackle alot but if you look at them, they were abused and will never sound great between the tracks or quiet passages. I will challenge how good your cd sounded when it got dirty. My limited experience was they skipped or hung up on a track. I have never been able to keep a cd for more than a few years before it was scratched so bad that it skipped thus i threw away.
I recently purchased the Dave Gilmour album live in gdansk and over the entire 5 record set, it is dead quiet with no pops, clicks or crackles. Is vinyl as convienient, no, but it is imho, the best recreation of the music.
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