Eli5: What is the crackling/popping sound you hear in old music and what causes it?
In: Technology
Scratches and other defects in the record. The record needle is hitting a scratch. I remember my parents telling me to make sure and pick up the needle and not drag it on the record. They are easy to damage.
Defects on the surface of the vinyl records causing crackling sounds in the playback. By the time digital recording was available all the records of an old song would have some defects.
This is a longer video but if you skip to around 7:15 you’ll see a demonstration of the cutting process of a ‘master’, which is then used to press the vinyl records, also shown later on in the video. Very cool stuff, especially since this record pressing plant is owned by Jack White of The White Stripes and many other groups.
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