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Snap, Crackle, Pop - What is the cause?

First, I love vinyl. I would never say it is superior to digital but it truly sounds different. I am able to make an emotional connection to the music from an LP far more than from a CD.

That being said, I buy a lot of used vinyl at records shows, shops, etc because there really is so much available and for the most part, cheap too. The only thing that always intrigues me is the snap, crackle, pop on some records and not on others. Even they are the same title, label and pressing. Some of it is so bad,, it make an otherwise well recorded album unlistenable especially on soft passages in classical music.

So where does it come from? Is it static? Is it worn, damaged vinyl from being played on cheap and less than desirable cartridges from back in the day or is deeply ground in dust and dirt embedded in the grooves?

I clean all my recently purchased used vinyl with a Spin Clean system first and bag them in anti-static MoFi sleeves. I still get the Rice Crispies on some receords but not all. I buy and enjoy enough of it to consider investing in a better record cleaning machine like a VPI or Okki Nokki, but before I do I really want to know where the Rice Crispies on some records come from. If it is damage from being played on cheap equipment, no expensive machine will help. But if its dust and dirt, then maybe I should get an vacuum cleaning system and will take care of it? Your guidance is greatly appreciated.
paraneer

Showing 1 response by dougdeacon

dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Any of the above-mentioned causes may contribute to snaps, crackles & pops (although static is rarely involved, in my experience).

I listen primarily to classical, including thousands of authentic instrument and early music LP's, and 95% of my records are dead silent. I've addressed these issues and rarely experience more than an occasional "click".

As Almarg stated, the quality of the stylus and phono stage can make a huge difference. Better designs are much quieter, but may also be costly. That upgrade path is not for everyone and not something to be done quickly.

Aside from equipment, in my experience the single most effective step for reducing/eliminating SnapCracklePops is proper cleaning with an enzyme-based solution. After testing many I found Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solutions to be the most effective. MoFi's solution also worked pretty well. Haven't tried the Walker solutions but they have adherents among people whose ears I trust.

Whichever solutions you use, vacuum removal is necessary for optimal results. Cleaning solutions dissolve grunge that's in the grooves, that's their purpose. Spinning won't remove grunge-saturated liquid from deep down in the groove bottoms. If you let residues evaporate what happens to the grunge? It's right back where it started, except you've broken it down into finer particles that may be even harder to remove.

Suggestion: try AIVS's One Step. It includes their enzyme mix and won't cost much. The results will quickly tell you whether this is a process you want to get into. Your Spin Clean is good enough for now. If you decide to get serious then a RCM will be an item to budget for.
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