Living with popping and crackling

Oy! Doug is correct, there, Mr. Todd. By playing a new, uncleaned LP you risk driving pressing release agents and other manufacturing residue into the grooves, not to mention hauling them around the grooves with your stylus.

It is all in the cleaning and the equipment. That said there are some LP's that will make noise regardless, depending on the pressing, the vinyl, and past care (or lack thereof). This goes for both new and old records. I have 50 year old records which are dead quiet and 2004 releases that crackle - at least until I take them back for a refund.

Crazy like a , well, like a crazy person! :-)

Oy, revisited.

Todd, take no offense. The idea of needing to clean a new LP is just something that is OFTEN overlooked, even by those who are not newbies! Welcome to the club, I didn't realize this until having an experience similar to Doug, either.

I agree, PT, I have never found the need for filters, but would avoid them at all costs, in any case.

It would seem that JBaussie summarized most of the cogent points posted above very well.

Nice try, Eldartford, but I stopped wearing see-through thunderwear long ago..

Jyprez, kinda reminds of a couple months ago when my smart-ass brother-in-law came from the Midwest and, when I suggested that the four of us mix drinks and after dinner and repose to the music room to spin some old vinyl, he mockingly said upon seeing the turntable, "Ha! You still have one of these dinosaurs, How can you stand all that noise?!" After about an hour of playing FIFTIES VINTAGE Miles Davis LP's, he was left muttering and I'd wager big money that he muttered all the way home! My turn t0 HA! :-)