what actually causes the 'clicks & pops'?

[crowbar]

is there a way to get around them?
thanks

[RGA]

dirt and static. You can put Bounce dryer sheets between your LPs not touching the vinyl of course which will get rid of static -- this is espeically the case if you have carpets. A record cleaning wet vac can take out the dirt.

[JohnMichael]

Keeping your stylus and records clean can help minimize pops and clicks. As the stylus moves through the groove it can heat up and soften the vinyl and dirt can become permanently imbedded. If you are playing older worn vinyl or buying used if you can use a cartridge that has a long contact area with the groove you might have better sound if the stylus is tracing parts of the groove that have not been damaged.

[E-Stat]

what actually causes the 'clicks & pops'?

Also caused by permanent record damage due to worn styli and the results of playing dirty records. Dragging grit over the grooves is not a good thing.

is there a way to get around them?

The cure is mostly preventative. Replace your stylus on a regular basis. I've been using a VPI HW-16 cleaning machine religiously for over twenty years to address the dirt and static issue.

rw