Gents, the title says it all. Just looking for anyones ideas regarding what is the culprit of pops/clicks on LP's. Is it during the manufacturing process or is it dust accumulation? Reason for asking is that I've just obtained a sealed copy of a 1979 double album and I am amazed by the total lack of these artefacts on either disc, (one disc has a minor warp but plays perfectly). Conversely, over the last couple of years I have bought new LP's and these are nowhere near pop/click free. Have we lost the art of producing perfect vinyl records?
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Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
I have a few new vinyl that have surface noise.
I know a lot of people clean new vinyl due to the production process.
Has I currently don't have a record cleaning machine or clean my records i just live with the noise. I will invest in a rcm soon so I can clean my records.
I know a lot of people clean new vinyl due to the production process.
Has I currently don't have a record cleaning machine or clean my records i just live with the noise. I will invest in a rcm soon so I can clean my records.
DougK said:
I've been having a lot of trouble with new (i.e. pressed in the past few years) records – see previous posts. A high percentage have noise of various types which doesn't improve with cleaning, and must be caused by flaws in the cutting or pressing process. Many have crackle and clicks, others have a film over the surface which produces a 'whooshing' sound and sound distortion during loud passages. I have records I've owned and played for more than 30 years which still sound better than these modern pressings.
That said, there are some excellent examples coming out now. I have some new records which sound fabulous, most pressed by one of Optimal Media in Germany, GZ Media in the Czech Republic or MPO in France. But it has become a lottery: a lot of expertise and machinery were lost during the years when record sales fell off a cliff, and now that sales are rising quickly again, what experienced engineers and presses are left are working at full capacity, and clearly in some cases corners are being cut. It's a shame, and I hope things will improve quickly, because I'm fed up with taking records back for replacement (I've got two to take back this week). I think it will improve as sales continue to rise, because engineers will become more experienced, and more will be trained, and some time soon it must get to the stage where companies consider it worth commissioning new presses at last.
To answer your question, it can be a pressing fault, dust, dirt or scratches.
It's quite hard to understand vinyl sometimes, and a completely flawless looking record can sound awful, and in this case, it can only be something in the manufacturing stage that is causing the problem. There are times when a good clean can get rid of some, or most of the background noise, clicks and pops, but there a no guarantees, though it's always worth a try. I've also got some records from my much younger years, when I didn't take any care of my records at all, and they play much much better than they look.
TSP is right about a lot of newer pressings, but there are plenty of cases of vinyl back in the day being pretty poor. I have a copy of Spiritualized - Live At The Albert Hall, and it's a completely awful pressing, clicks, pops, background crackles, the lot, and it looks immaculate, but on the whole, I prefer an original or earlier pressing to a newer one.
I would say, if you buy a new pressing, and it's less than perfect, take it back and exchange it, and keep doing that until either you get a good one, or you give up and get a refund.
When vinyl is good, it's unbeatable, but it can be a frustrating format.
It's quite hard to understand vinyl sometimes, and a completely flawless looking record can sound awful, and in this case, it can only be something in the manufacturing stage that is causing the problem. There are times when a good clean can get rid of some, or most of the background noise, clicks and pops, but there a no guarantees, though it's always worth a try. I've also got some records from my much younger years, when I didn't take any care of my records at all, and they play much much better than they look.
TSP is right about a lot of newer pressings, but there are plenty of cases of vinyl back in the day being pretty poor. I have a copy of Spiritualized - Live At The Albert Hall, and it's a completely awful pressing, clicks, pops, background crackles, the lot, and it looks immaculate, but on the whole, I prefer an original or earlier pressing to a newer one.
I would say, if you buy a new pressing, and it's less than perfect, take it back and exchange it, and keep doing that until either you get a good one, or you give up and get a refund.
When vinyl is good, it's unbeatable, but it can be a frustrating format.
daytona600
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- Oct 5, 2012
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Get a denon dl110 cart, Cambridge audio 640 p phono stage..use the mc setting...problem solved..in the mean time, go to poundstretcher get a eraser sponge, soak in water clean LP then squeeze out sponge clean lp again.dry with tissue paper..this will remove a lot of surface noise...
keeper of the quays said:
Thank you for your input. So a high output MC and a CA640p would cure all pops and clicks?
My collection is quite small and I've only ever bought new vinyl, I honestly thought that pops/clicks were part of the vinyl experience until my recent purchase. What I am saying is how can a 37 year old LP be so immune to these artefacts yet new 180g LP's be so prone to them.
Personally I would not have tissue paper anywhere near my vinyl as I would have thought that this would indroduce more particulate matter than it would remove... just my opinion. I once used a microfibre cloth and was horrified by the amount of fibres it left on a disc.
Just for the record, (no pun intended), I do own a Gen 2 Knosti and cleaned all my collection about a month ago. I was not amazed with the results, but I did use the supplied Knosti fluid. I fully intend to repeat the cleaning process again using the home-brew solution recommended on here: 90% distilled water; 10% IPA; 3 drops of Ilfotol.
The tissue paper has to be a decent brand, otherwise it falls to pieces..kitchen roll would do at a snip..think you get six sponges for a quid! Each sponge lasts for ages..it's especially effective with secondhand vinyl..those pops and clicks are mostly static anyway! If anyone reads this who has vinyl? Please try it..post your views on it's effectiveness..its cheap..no chemicals..
keeper of the quays said:
I think I would avoid all paper based drying towels, anything lint free would be fine. Don't make the mistake a friend of mine made recently of running his wasp album under a hot tap to clean the cleaning residue..... He only did this once, it immediately turned the LP into a thick black crepe ! Oh how I lol'd. (Probably the best thing for the album though).
running a lp under tap is fine using tepid eater..avoid water to label..the eraser sponge method is less messy! Decent tissue with hold up to drying one side of lp..but if people wish to spend lots of money on mechanical lp cleaners and stinky chemicals that's fine...try the eraser sponge? Let lp dry naturally if you have the patience..brownz said:
DougK said:
Just so your expectations aren't too high, the ultimate answer to that is no. Don't get me wrong the advice isn't bad, it's good advice. But if a record is scratched, poorly pressed or is dusty/dirty, it will still be noisy.
I do feel your pain though, and I know exactly what you mean. I have records 50-60 years old that are still quiet but many comparatively new ones that aren't.
Back in the day, most LPs were pressed using indifferent quality vinyl, some of it recycled, but the best quality (audiophile) pressings were made using pure virgin vinyl, which was, I believe, 180g, and surface noise was very low, very much like a CD, on a good turntable, and as the Major says, many ordinary pressings from the 60s era are still quiet. Quality varies, as a result of poor quality vinyl used for cheaper issues.
Now, whether current 180g and 200g pressings are on pure virgin vinyl, I couldn't say.
Pops and clicks are due to dust and physical damage, as a rule, but dust can, to a large degree, be cleaned off, but physical damage cannot. You'll probably find pops and clicks beginning to appear on your new, sealed record, now that it's been played, I expect?
Now, whether current 180g and 200g pressings are on pure virgin vinyl, I couldn't say.
Pops and clicks are due to dust and physical damage, as a rule, but dust can, to a large degree, be cleaned off, but physical damage cannot. You'll probably find pops and clicks beginning to appear on your new, sealed record, now that it's been played, I expect?
To be fair to the op he wasn't asking for advice..he was remarking on the sorry state of modern vinyl pressings...i just thought of solutions to noisy records..on my Linn with it's akito arm I found my denon dl110 thru my 640p on Mc mode with subsonic on..very quiet on vinyl..so I thought I would pass my observation on..i can't comment on new vinyl quality aa I don't have enough new records to form a opinion..
keeper of the quays said:
I once had the stupid idea of cleaning a new record with tap water, and it very nearly destroyed it.
NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!!! clean a record with tap water.
I have cleaned many lps with eraser sponge using tap water might be better with distilled water I suppose? I have at least two thousand pls..none have suffered from this cleaning..vinyl is a lot tougher than you may think! My wide band Decca records sound fine after such cleaning..a lot of older records have soot and nicotine all over them..i bought a load from wales and with open coal fires and fags they were sticky! Lol..a good clean eraser sponge and that scary tap water brought them up tickety boo!!! On some occasions I actually use a soft brush to clean them! Under tap! I'm a vinyl hobgoblin! Gloating at my nefariously hideous cleaning techniques...hahahaBIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
keeper of the quays said:
The 640 is good but its been replaced now by the 651 which is better and only £100. They can be modified at some expense but users say its worthwhile.
Some of the 100% virgin vinyl is only 90% because they have found it sounds better mixed with recycled. I think a lot of vinyl problems started in the mid 70s after the oil crisis, I certainly noticed a big drop in quality, the weight dropped considerably.
If I lived in a hard water area I would not use tap water, just look at your taps when any water dries on them, do you really want that on your records? Distilled water can be had free if you know someone with a dehumidifer.
Regarding using eraser sponge, if you're referring to the ceramic (?) foam which requires wetting, I'd be wary of using it too much. I find it very efficient at removing stains from teacups, worksurfaces, tiles, etc., and, having considered using this foam a while back, decided that it might be too aggressive/abrasive for vinyl, so just use my Knosti. I might be tempted to use it, together with my cleaning fluid, with a very gentle touch to remove stubborn dirt.
However, this foam is good when used dry, to occasionally clean my stylus - just drop the stylus onto it and lift it off, with a minimum of sideways movement.
I've assumed that some dirt particles may be too deeply embedded into the vinyl to be easily removed, whatever cleaning method is used.
However, this foam is good when used dry, to occasionally clean my stylus - just drop the stylus onto it and lift it off, with a minimum of sideways movement.
I've assumed that some dirt particles may be too deeply embedded into the vinyl to be easily removed, whatever cleaning method is used.
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