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.
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.