The SugarCube Is Here At Last...Clicks & Pops R.I.P.

Thank you SO much!! Safe travels!

 

My SC-2 is running SugarCube 2.0-966-gd2a3e7da-20191006-0520-prod+sc2beta what is the newest version number?

 

I posted several audio clips in two different postings of before and after processing along with just the clicks and pops near the start of this thread. All of those files remain available to be listened to via the links.

 

See my post No. 929 in this thread. The click repair processing occurs in the digital domain and can be set and output at any level you like or feel the LP transfer warrants. If you have underestimated the required click repair processing you can export the files again at a higher repair level until you get it to your satisfaction. Once the files are held in the memory of the SC-2 you can play around with them as much as you like until you delete them from memory.
As far as export formats, you have a choice of WAV, FLAC, MP3, AAC, ALAC, AIFF - 16 bit, 24 bit - 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz, 176.4KHz, 192KHz. So pretty comprehensive, unless you were looking for DSD.

 

I completely agree that the Sugar Cube will do all of this. The question is whether the additional functions of the Sugar Cube that convert the vinyl analog signal to a digital signal (either their ADC alone, or their phono preamp feeding their ADC) are as competitive with the components that I already have for these purposes.

I tend to play with low output moving coil cartridges, and I am a bit picky about my phono input stage. Whether using a step-up transformer / phono preamp combination, or a dedicated LOMC preamp, I would at least prefer to compare my current setup to the integrated Sweet Vinyl functionalities. And I can do this for these "vinyl" functionalities.

There is an additional process that is currently problematic. Anyone who is serious about ripping analog to digital should be more concerned about the ADC process than the DAC side. Getting a better DAC for playback won't matter if the ADC isn't as good or better. The lack of concern over the ADC process is a bit confusing to me. There is a ton of debate over the numerous DAC products and implementations, about how some are great and some aren't. The same concerns aren't evident on the ADC side. If I want to use a Sugar Cube I currently can't get away from using their ADC.

As I noted above, if all you want is immediate, cleaner audio output from a noisy record, then Sugar Cube does it. At present you know the "less than perfect" record is improved by eliminating bothersome pops and clicks. What I want is the best digital capture possible, with the ability to utilize noise reduction as part of the capture process when it is required. In effect I'm hoping for an automated Sweet Vinyl module with capabilities (and none of the learning curve) of Pro Tools with the Cedar plug-ins.

I usually output DSD into my DAC, but storing music in a high-res FLAC format is fine. I like what Sweet Vinyl does in the digital domain, hence my desire for a "digital only" noise reduction unit.

 

I agree with you 100%.

It was mentioned by Sweet Vinyl upthread that they use AKM ADCs. I purchased my SC-2 during the initial Indiegogo crowdfunding and at that time they had the full spec of the unit on the Crowdfunding page including the make and model of the ADC. Unfortunately I don't recall the exact model number of the AKM ADC, but I do recall at the time looking it up on the AKM website and noting that it was AKM's then top of the range model. Only Sweet Vinyl can confirm as to what actually made it into the machine (or of course someone can look under the hood). But I would think that given user reports of excellent transparency to the original vinyl source that SV have indeed utilised a quality ADC and implemented it very well. Whether it is better/worse than your current set up, only you would be able to judge.

 

The new Sugar Cubes series were updated with the latest versions of the premium AKM AD/DA converters according to Sweet Vinyl.

 

There is no/little concern because the Sugarcube has a true analogue bypass so you can compare it directly to the ADC/DAC stages and nobody is reporting any issues? Certainly I cannot tell the difference between true bypass and the ADC/DAC stages in my setup. So, personally, I'm 100% happy with the ADC and am only concerned then with how best to capture the digital signal.

 

So there's a newsletter? How do you sign up?

 

Just to let you all know - the 2.0 update is rolling out now to SC-1s. It will take place according to an algorithm and takes three weeks to let everyone update. You will need to leave your unit on every once in a while to see if the update takes - and for sure in three weeks. We are also rolling an update to the SC-2 2.0 software according to the same schedule. Tomorrow I will try to post the version numbers for each of these builds.

 

It will show a notification on the screen once updated, am I correct? Will the notification only vanish once the unit is used to process a signal again?

 

Holding the Bypass button will also bring up the new version number to check the update.

 

Thanks for the update. Mines on all the time, do I have to power cycle it to check for a remote update?

 

Here are the first 6 digits of the next release for the SC-1:

SC-1 version 2.0-999 (released Sunday 11/10)

Here are the first 6 digits of the next release for the SC-2:
SC-2 version 2.0-1010 (to be released tomorrow, Tuesday, 11/12)

The units check in each time they are turned on when connected to a network and if the server has an update it will push it to the unit - the unit will wait for no audio present for 1.5 hours - then update itself. You should not have to do anything but occasionally a device will need to be powered down and turned back on. If the unit is left on it will also check once a day.

By pressing and holding bypass you will see the display show the version number it is running, if you have a previous version the unit has not been selected to update. This rolls out slowly at first and then speeds up - and after three weeks all the units should be updated.

 

Thanks again, looks like I’ll be in the second batch based on the SN.

 

Does the current running version show up anywhere in the app?

 

and what about we in europe ?

 

Those 6 digits are the first 6 significant digits of the update OS version - to know when you are updated.

 

The internet does not know the difference - so the algorithm is blind to location.

 

I dont think it is visible in the app right now - but with 2.0 there are some backdoors to get into the webview and see the new menus that have this and other additions that will be in the new app after 2.0. Also if you use a chrome browser you can see a way to manually check for updates, get your version number and restart, etc..

 

First time trying SC-1 mini. ))
Finally home and plugged unit in. That was easy, did not connect to internet yet )).
I have nice first UK press of Thin Lizzy "Chinatown" (I know that some people hate this record, not me). It is beat up in a bad way - scratches galore, clicking and poping all the time.
Plugged in processor loop of my RP-5. Set "strenght" to 4.
Man, all clicks and pops are really gone, at least to a point of not being audible. Finally I can enjoy it so much more. The difference is huge.
If you put a gun to my head I would say that some "shimmering" at the very top is tiny lower, but only if you trying very hard to compare, and not sure it is real.
Other then that - sound is pretty much identical. Looks like 4 is pretty enough.
Nothing which would tell me "buddy, I am digital".
So far I am very impressed. Can't wait for some quet "non perfect" records.
Will connect to network later today.