What's wrong with classical music on vinyl?

Sounds like a classic case of mistracking to me, I recognize the description, as I own a Decca cartridge, notorious for mistracking on more difficult discs. Classical music is in general far more demanding to reproduce than pop and jazz recordings, far more complex as well as more dynamic, and if your cartridge isn't up to it it will be "surfing" along the top of the grooves on the edge of being booted completely out of the groove, whcih explains the increased noise (same wit the Decca). The signs of incipient mistracking/jumping from the Decca are as follows: distortion, more cracks and pops, the appearance of increased surface noise. And yes, this occurs on more difficult passaages like a combination of piano and violin (killer combination), large-scale classical, well-recorded choirs. The solution is simple: buy another cartridge which has a reputation for tracking well, at a reasonable price there is the Shure M97xE being blown out the door for less than $60 these days on ebay, or for more money an Ortofon OM20Super, or the superb Stanton 681EEE. With correct set-up, the problem should disappear and you'll be enjoying ALL your records. Try it, you'll like it.

Referring to an above post, perhaps it's more a function of the fact that classical music, with its many quiet passages, highlights surface noise, and perhaps Sufentanil is particularly bothered by it.

I have been discussing this very issue with a friend recently, and note that I am annoyed by surface noise with piano recordings and tend to prefer to listen to piano via C.D. Solo piano shows tape hiss more than most other instruments because the performer is often playing in the mid-register or lower, and there is nothing to hide the hiss, which is high frequency in content (string music, which lives in the upper mids and treble, is much better at hiding tape hiss). Similarly, the sparse, single-note-at-a-time aspect of some piano music can highlight ticks and pops because there is no other sound occurring to drown out the noise. In addition, before I put a motor controller on my turntable, the decay of piano notes would occassionally sound a bit off because of turntable wow and flutter.

I do not believe the problem is my LP's or my equipment. I have a wide range of used and new-reissue classical LP's, and clean them all on a VPI record cleaner with an alcohol-based fluid (Nitty Gritty) upon purchasing them and then periodically thereafter as needed. I use a carefully set-up VPI Aries, VPI 10.5 arm, and v.d.H. Frog on a Black Diamond The Source Shelf that is decoupled from the custom component stand it sits on via sorbathane, and the motor is decoupled from the BDR shelf via sorbathane, all into a Rowland Cadence / Coherence II run from batteries -- my analog system is anything but inherently noisy.

In short, I tend to much prefer piano music via C.D. for these reasons, even though the CD's do compress dynamic range. Piano is my only gripe, though -- I could just as easily describe how symphonic music sounds best to me on vinyl, because, with the exception of a few Reference Recordings HDCD's and XRCD reissues I own, I find that the vast majority of CD's cannot handle the dynamic range of symphonic music and compress on peaks (I also think digital recordings alter the timbre of string instruments -- I'd much rather hear strings via analog). As for my CD rig, it is an ARC CD-3 that was preceded by a Levinson 360s / 37, so it's not my CD players, and the rest of my gear in my main system is slightly rolled off or relatively neutral (VAC 140 tube monos, Revel Salons and Kimber Select cabling, dedicated lines, power conditioning, tweaks, etc.).

Dear Michael:*** " has very little dynamic range. All of the non-classical music you list is very limited in dynamic range and as a result can ... " ***
*** " The rubber surrounds on my woofers ripple visibly .. " ***, *** " And yes, I've tried it with minimal volume, to test the feedback theory, and with the same results.. " ***

The problem that you are experienced is a typical resonance frecuency mismacht between tonearm/cartridge combo. That's all. With that kind of tonearm that you have you have to be sure that the resonance frecuency between the tonearm and cartridge it be in the 8 to 12 Hz, better: 10 to 12Hz. Maybe you have to change your tonearm, your cartridge or both.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

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Michael,
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I buy mostly Classical, but have a good amount of Rock and Jazz and try to buy new and NM from the better labels. On the rare occasion, I get a very noisy LP and it goes into the trashcan. Your experience does not match up with mine. A good percentage of what I have is dead quiet with some LP's giving a few pops and tics and some tape hiss.
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I would suggest that you take 10 or so Classical LP's ( a few of the Pop LP's as well so that you have a control and a frame of reference) that you are quite familiar with to listen on the system of another Audiophile who claims not to have your problem and see how they sound on his system. I think that would be a best first step in identifying whether it's your Vinyl or System related.
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In what city do you live ?
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Rgds,
Larry

Classical music belongs in the digital domain. Eldartford is correct. Even new Deutsche Gramophon LPs which I've just opened have distracting surface noise. My analog rig is pretty quiet to start with, running on excellent noise control measures and the Creature floating on a Dennensen air suspension. Now, listening to classical on my modded belt drive transport is an undistracting, artifact free musical expecrience...

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