04-28-13: ParaneerAll of the above, as well as several additional factors, some of which may not actually cause tics and pops, but may have a huge effect on how perceivable/objectionable they are. Additional factors include:
I have now had three replies and each one is different. One says worn vinyl from being played on crappy equipment. Another says dirts and grease. A thord leans towards static.... whats the cause of the Snap, Crackle and Pop on some records but not others.
1)The profile of the stylus. And also how the profile of your stylus differs from the profile of the stylus that had been used to play the particular recordings previously.
2)The dynamic range of the music, as you appear to realize. Everything else being equal, tics and pops will be far more noticeable, for instance, during the soft passages of well recorded classical symphonic music, having wide dynamic range, than they will be on rock recordings that are often compressed such that they have very little difference in volume between the loudest and the softest notes.
3)The design of the phono stage.
4)The electrical loading of the cartridge.
5)The mechanical setup of the cartridge.
6)The pressing quality of the recording.
This thread, which touches on several of these factors, will be well worth reading in its entirety, IMO.
Regards,
-- Al