dead quiet

not in my experience. Often I'm satisfied if I can't hear any hum from my listening position (ie when there's no music playing). Some cartridge/arm/pre configs seem to be noisier than others. None are dead quiet.

is the solution to noise in the analog system only new/different equipment?

The noise I'm referring to isn't pops and ticks, it's hum, and it's noticeable when standing near the speaker. With the right cartridge/arm and doing my "work" to iron out noise, it's only noticeable with my ear in front of the speaker, but it is indeed more noticeable than the digital sources.

Can you guys advise us on what the keys are in component selection?

PS - just noticed my systems are a little down level - I'm running 2 Pink Triangle tables, 1 with a London Decca Super Gold, on a Roksan Artemis Zi arm into my TAD 150 phono stage. The other with a Benz Glider on a Clearaudio Emotion arm into a Jolida JD9a phono stage > Musical Fidelity Nuvista preamp.

I hope the OP is getting something from this discussion . . . I certainly am, and appreciate all of the comments.

To be precise, from my listening chair and indeed from 2-3 ft away from my speakers, my analog rig is *dead quiet*. But if I am overcome by "irrational audiophile paranoia" and put my ear to the speakers, my analog usually has more hum/hiss than my cd player depending on the cartridge I'm using. My noisiest cartridge may indeed be audible from 2-3 ft if I crank the volume.

to answer some of the questions about my last post . . .
Here's what I've learned, and implemented over the past 2 years in my effort to address hum in my analog stage:
- address ground loops, one ground for the system, one wall socket, ground loop isolator on Cable TV connection. I have TV in my dual-purpose system.
- ensure good clean connections - at headshell and at interconnects (deoxit, and Cardas contact conditioner)
- Keep distance between the preamp and the TT
- Keep distance between digital sources and the TT

To further describe my setup and results:
- I use a power conditioner (Belkin PF60), one wall socket, dedicated circuit.
- I've found that even addressing these issues I get some hum audible when standing near the speakers.
- My speakers are 86dB (Mani-2) and 87db (VR4-III) efficient.
- Depending on the cartridge I use it's more or less audible, and it's always more audible than my CD player. When using the Benz Glider, it's the quietest, and I need to place my ear near the speaker (~12" away) to notice it, when the volume is set at normal listening level. My Decca Super Gold is the most noisy and the fussiest. OTOH, it's my best sounding cartridge. My Grado Ref Sonata is in between. I also have a Signet that's very quiet like the Glider, but rarely use it anymore.
- The Jolida is no more noisy than other pre's I've used, as long as I don't set the gain too high. I will probably be getting a new phono pre w/i the next 3-4 months - I just sold my Lehman Black Cube SE a few months ago.

BTW - I incorrectly stated the model of my second tonearm - it's a Clearaudio Satisfy (not emotion). I've used Rega RB300 mod'ed/cardas rewired, and Linn Ittok LVII before going to the rms I have now. Both of my arms have good shielded interconnects. The Satisfy has an upgraded, integrated IC (one run from cart to RCAs). I'm using an upgraded Roksan Artemiz IC on the Tabriz ZI arm.

Atmasphere and Eldartford, great posts. When I first started dealing with noise issues in a new table rig a few years ago it would have helped me if I could have found these comments. Instead, I had to weed through the archives.

The operative comment though is:

But the bottom line is that hiss and hm is almost always below the level of LP surface noise, and even further below even quiet sections of the recording. If you worry about noise that is audible only with your ear against the speaker you are exhibiting irrational audiophile paranoia.

I've come to agree with this - but do others who have posted that "dead quiet" is possible agree too? Also, I don't think this is the same as "dead quiet".

Albertporter - IAP = "Irrational Audiophile Paranoia" . . it was coined by Eldartford in his first post to this thread.