Vinyl pops and clicks: Can they be eliminated??

Why don't some of you hand-wringers offer some advice of your own? This topic has been beaten to death many times in many ways on this forum. It does get old, especially when the question gets asked more than once in very general terms. Doug can speak for himself, these are my thoughts.

Matter of fact, the first time I read this post the thought that came to mind was this will either turn into another assault on vinyl by digit-heads (they ALWAYS start with the pops and clicks), or simply a way to tout some new material for ceedees. I'm thinking "ok, this guy has obviously mishandled this lp so what is the real point of this?"

Had the original question been something like "I have this lp that just started skipping badly, I know I probably caused it, but can I fix it somehow?" the tone of this thread would be much different.

I just thought I would offer this advice since we're schooling each other on what should or shouldn't be done in posts.

Zargon, agreed. However the OP says this just happened suddenly and he's not offering if other LPs are showing signs of new noises. Any way you slice it, the answer is stop mishandling your LPs.

Onhwy61,
Good question about the toothpick. Like you I'd guess the answer is "no". It's been decades since I tried that and I don't remember ever successfully removing a skip without causing collateral damage.

BTW, if "the question is so simple" then what's the answer? Why insult the OP by posting a condescending opinion of his question while providing no help? Surely someone with your experience could offer something useful.


Zargon,
Agree it could be a damaged record. Still, most record damage results from owner actions or inactions, which constitutes "inadequate care".

About a week ago or so, a thread in this forum caught my eye. It was on a subject related to a piece of gear that I own. Having very little time at that particular moment, I quickly perussed the opening comment and a few of the responses. It wasn't until a couple of days later, when I returned to that same thread, that I realized that the OP was none other than ME (!). I had completely forgotten that I had initiated that thread two years ago.

What's my point? Simple:

-Some people have lives outside of audio.
-Sometimes s@%t happens.
-And lastly (and this is the part that is, apparently, difficult for some of us to accept), audio is a HOBBY, should be fun more than anything else; and in the scheme of things, is not that important. Please notice I said audio, not music.

I think some of us could stand to lighten up, and not be so quick to apply our own lofty standards, nor so quick to judge the way that other members choose to use this forum. I see absolutely nothing wrong in the OP's question; even if he had asked the question once before. It was not, BTW, the same question. To excoriate the OP in the way that some have done is totally out of line, and not in the spirit of this forum. To feel the need to "police" the forum when there is no obvious pattern of abuse on the part of the OP is self-serving, and demonstrates a kind of self-importance that is not helpful. I respectfully suggest that the OP is owed an apology.

The issue of adequate vs. inadequate record care is a subjective thing, to a degree. It relates to my earlier comment about this being a fun hobby. I personally practice what I consider adequate record care. But there are times when I just want to listen to music and not have to be so careful with my records that it impinges on already very limited listening time. If my occasional less-than-perfect record handling leads to minor playback noise, so be it. I will not lose sleep over it. If this "negligence" disqualifies me from seeking answers from other Agon members to questions about record care, I would suggest the problem is not mine.

Now, lest I be accused of "hand-wringing":

If we consider all the influences on a stylus' traversal of a record groove, it is not that difficult to imagine a record developing a skip without having been subjected to inadequate care. Vinyl is a relatively soft substance. I have had records that were very carefully stored at all times, and still developed warps. Sometimes the warps have been minor, subtle, and have not affected playback to a very significant degree (although just about any visible warp is audible). Is it that far-fetched to surmise that a record that has developed a very subtle warp, perhaps one that is not even visible, could cause an existing imperfection in the groove wall to now become a skip-causing "bump in the road"? We are talking about a decades old, and well played record. Vinyl does get worn, even when handled perfectly, and played back with well set-up gear. Is it that far-fetched to surmise that an existing imperfection in the vinyl, after several dozen plays, could turn into a skip-producing "bump in the road"? I don't think so.

I have experienced misterious record skips over the years. If thorough cleaning on my RCM did not solve the problem, on at least two occasions I have "fixed" the skip this way:

I identified the spot on the record that skipped. I then mounted one of my old cartridges (cartridges that while still in good shape, are inexpensive, and I will probably never use again). I then set the tracking force to as high a VTF as the cartridge will stand before bottoming out, and I carefully played the cartridge over the skip on the record a few times. Why this has worked should be easy to understand. You should use a low compliance cartridge, so that it will not bottom out too readily.

Good luck, Sunnyjim. And please don't let this experience deter you from participating on this forum.