What's wrong with classical music on vinyl?

G_m_c, he didn't claim it was logical, he said this was what he was experiencing. And, as we've been discussing, there is certainly a reason he may be hearing more surface noise on classical recordings as a result of the greater dynamic range of most classical recordings and due to pop records typically being mastered at a higher average level across the entire record.
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Rushton, I am not sure I understand. Pop, static, and surface noise is not usually something that is transfered from the master tapes (unless very poor recordings). As you said yourself, such noise is typically associated with hardware issues such as dirty lp's, or noise sensitive cartidges. Frankly, I find many pop or rock albums can have pretty wide dynamic range. I agree that many classical recordings are demanding in terms of pace and speed, but that characteristic does not translate to surface noise.

G_m_c, I admit to being puzzled by Sufentail's experience, too. His experience doesn't match mine, but I'm not inclined to discount it either because I talked with him about this same issue two years ago when he lived in the area and was participating in the local audio group here. As you say, it's not a function of the music per se, but it may reflect the overall lower level at which the many classical LPs are mastered. That lower volume level sometimes puts the music's quiet passages quite close to the noise threshold of the LP. Still, I've got more than a few classical LPs, so I continue to wonder if it's the quality of the used LPs he's found to buy. Particularly since he says he doesn't experience the problem with new reissued classical vinyl.
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I have classical albums (as well as other types) that are 30 years old and continue to buy used all the time. I run them through the vac before playing and have very very few ticks, pops, static or other distracting sounds. They sound wonderful.

Sounds like a classic case of mistracking to me, I recognize the description, as I own a Decca cartridge, notorious for mistracking on more difficult discs. Classical music is in general far more demanding to reproduce than pop and jazz recordings, far more complex as well as more dynamic, and if your cartridge isn't up to it it will be "surfing" along the top of the grooves on the edge of being booted completely out of the groove, whcih explains the increased noise (same wit the Decca). The signs of incipient mistracking/jumping from the Decca are as follows: distortion, more cracks and pops, the appearance of increased surface noise. And yes, this occurs on more difficult passaages like a combination of piano and violin (killer combination), large-scale classical, well-recorded choirs. The solution is simple: buy another cartridge which has a reputation for tracking well, at a reasonable price there is the Shure M97xE being blown out the door for less than $60 these days on ebay, or for more money an Ortofon OM20Super, or the superb Stanton 681EEE. With correct set-up, the problem should disappear and you'll be enjoying ALL your records. Try it, you'll like it.