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

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by DigMyGroove, Nov 12, 2017.

  1. Ninjur

    Ninjur Forum Resident

    Location:
    Karlstad, Sweden
    Thanks Ben.
     
  2. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I’d like to be able to un-select a section of a given track that I don’t want treated by a tick or click removal process. Like being able to highlight an entire track, and unhighlight the brass sections I don’t want messed with. Unhighlight each horn section of a track and then hit go. In CR this is not a feature, does the SC box have this feature? Forgive me if it was already mentioned one way or the other.
     
  3. Ben Adams

    Ben Adams Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    That’s basically the iZotope Rx software you’re describing - you need a computer with a screen, either laptop or desktop - to be able to highlight tracks like that. The SC box is a component that’s inline in your signal path, and doesn’t have screen output of waveforms like you’re describing.
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  4. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Yep. You can't have it all. Either the elegance and simplicity of a STB design or the elaborate, unattractive yet more versatile PC setup with software like iZotope RX.
     
  5. Ben Adams

    Ben Adams Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    And having used software solutions for years, it’s a huge relief having the SC inline and just being able to play records as opposed to focusing on the needle drop aspect.
     
  6. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    For me, I'd much prefer a focus on the latter but still... It's nice it exists at all.
     
  7. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    All my SC-1 needledrops go through iZotope RX for polish. There are things it does that the SCs don't. For live playback, however, you cannot beat the SC.
     
  8. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I am using a computer with a screen, but using CR brand click repair. CR does not let you highlight or deselect a section of the track(s), or not that I've found.
     
  9. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Have you tried live iZotope RX?
     
  10. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    No a) wouldn't know how to b) I cannot image that running live through a computer and then back into the audio system is good for sound quality...
     
    Old Zorki II likes this.
  11. Joel Cairo

    Joel Cairo Video Gort / Paiute Warrior Staff

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Well I could be wrong, but I don't think there's an abacus under the hood of any of the SC models...

    - Kevin
     
    Old Zorki II likes this.
  12. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    Ha! I think r.Din meant regular computer with all noise and other shortcomings, not specialized like Sugarcube. ))

    I actually always was impressed how remarkably transparent devices with ADC-DAC inside are in comparison with ADC->record>play recording via DAC (same).
     
  13. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    For example? I have iZotope RX7, but have barely used it - I'm a novice. But I want to spend some of my free time next month figuring it out. But somedays I feel like I'm too lazy to learn and should just get the SugarCube :D
     
  14. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    You'd be surprised that there's no change in sound whatsoever (aside from what was taken out). That's why I was curious.
     
  15. Hogues

    Hogues Forum Resident

    I'm sorry, I don't remember if you have an sc-2 or not. If you do, do you rip from the sc-2 then run it through iZotope? I has just hoping for a all in one solution. Thanks!
     
  16. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    I currently have the SC-1 (SC-1 Plus on order). I use iZotope as a 2nd pass click remover - it tackles some clicks/pops that get through the SC-1 - resulting in a cleaner file. I also have a dehummer/noise floor/rumble cleanup in my workflow, again which improves the sound further. Rarely, I will do a manual cleanup on a particularly difficult record to remove particularly bad scratches/pops etc. SugarCube cannot compete with a manual session in iZotope, but on the other hand I'd rather spend my hours listening to records than editing them and here the SugarCubes win hands down. No contest.
     
    Hogues likes this.
  17. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    Without testing, I'm sceptical... vinyl -> ADC -> PC -> DAC - lots of opportunities for degradation in the signal...
     
  18. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    And yet, I have and my system isn't of the low-end nature. Your skepticism can be easily tested for free if you feel like spending a bit of time configuring things. Since I don't (yet) own a SC unit, I can't do A/B comparisons between the two so I'll leave that up to you if you ever feel like experimenting. :)
     
  19. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    Oh, I'm always open to testing, for sure. Been doing that for forty years! But I can say that my needledrops don't sound anywhere near as good as playing the vinyl through the SC, so there's an A/B right there... Something in my chain, whether during recording, or playback, is currently degrading the sound and that would be no different if I were using a PC in a live playback loop.
     
  20. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    The ADC/DAC of the SC is likely superior to what you use on the PC.
     
  21. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    It's why I ordered the SC-1 Plus - to get the direct digital stream from it. Should be "as good as it gets" in terms of needledrop quality.
     
  22. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    There are far better ADCs available but you'll pay through the nose. Then, there's the question of whether the listener would even hear the difference between the two anyway. The law of diminishing returns also applies.

    The SC products are a good STB solution. They're elegant and even neophytes can easily operate it. Although my setup performs fantastically well, it's neither elegant nor simple to set up. Best I could see would be to use a mini-PC and then an external ADC/DAC. I would therefore not recommend it to anyone who's looking for a plug & play solution!
     
    Old Zorki II likes this.
  23. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    There is an old and not 100% PC joke, but I will tell it anyway, because it applies so well.
    A beautiful girl lying on a beach.
    A lot of guys are trying to hit on her, but she simply not interested.
    An older guy was watching from a distance, and then approached her..
    - Well, I just have a question. There are so many guys trying to approach you, some of them really cool, and you are totally ignore them... Are you lesbian?
    - No, I am not.
    - So Are you just waiting for your husband or boyfriend?
    - Nope, I am single...
    - Then why?
    - May I ask you a question now? What is your profession?
    - I am auto mechanic. Work in an engine shop.
    - I see. Now imagine you go the beach and trying to relax - and all you can see are engines, engines, engines....

    I spent all my life dealing with software and computers, and just do not want to deal with it when I am relaxing. No more “engines” when I am listening to my records, and SugarCube fits the bill perfectly.
     
  24. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I'm in the same boat, believe it or not. I've cut my losses many times due to a task being either time-consuming in itself or learning the necessary skills or finding the right way to perform a task would be too time-consuming. Sometimes, there are elegant, simple, and time-saving ways of doing the same thing. That's what I do, now. Same as you. :)

    Glad you're enjoying your SC. Sure wish someone in Toronto would have one so I could do head-to-head comparisons with my setup.
     
  25. Hogues

    Hogues Forum Resident

    Thanks!
     

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