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

So are any of the Sweet Vinyl Sugarcube units currently in production?

What I would like to hear sometime is a shootout between recordings made with the Sugarcube and Parks Audio Puffin units and also with a PC running ClickRepair. It would be interesting to see which algorithm is most effective at eliminating clicks while minimizing artifacts.

 

I agree with the latter part for sure. I've saved a lot of money by not having or feeling the need to seek out perfect copies of everything. Not sure I've made back the cost of the unit on records but I'm sure one day I will.

It also has made doing needledrops a lot easier and less time consuming.

 

It would be between running click repair in real time or the Sugarcube. From what I've read in other threads here and elsewhere is that the Puffin's click repair is more of a low pass filter, taking away some of the sizzle of the noisier LPs. It certainly isn't an algorithm that its running. More of a filter.

 

No, I think you are talking about something else. The Puffin “Magic” setting is most definitely an algorithm that only kicks in at the moment a click occurs. It’s supposed to be very effective. You might have read about a setting other than the new “Magic” setting.

See here:

 

We try not to get involved too much in the comments on other products here as comments from users may be more be more valued - but we have a Puffin unit and have loaded the firmware and done limited testing. It does appear to work on clicks and pops and be a software algorithm - but whatever software is running does not appear to be as effective as either Click Repair running on a PC or the SugarCube. Our initial thoughts are that is is not really a fair comparison as far as the algorthim is concerned as both the PC and SugarCubes have high powered (2ghz +) Intel processors - and the Puffin firmware is running on a low-end embedded processor similar to what we use on our main board to control buttons and LEDs.

 

Any news on a confirmed future UK partner yet? I understand recent events may have slowed the process!

 

Question: can you explain the similarities and differences between your algorithm and ClickRepair’s, to the extend you can do so without divulging trade secrets, etc.?

 

I am in contact with "hifi-madness" (UK) through ebay. They have many SugarCube SC-1 Mini on order (for weeks), but there is a delay because of some software issues (that reportedly have been fixed by now through SweetVinyl) and because of some parts from Canada that arrived late.

So hopefully SweetVinyl will hurry up now and ship some units to the UK fast!!!
I am waiting for weeks now and it starts to be somewhat annoying.

 

There are several dealers in the UK that handled our products through Henley and are waiting for product. We are back in production now after receiving the delayed parts - but it does take a bit to fully build, test and ship units.

 

One large difference is that we operate the SugarCube in realtime which is very different than operating on files. Beyond this there are many different details in the two approaches but the products themselves are for different purposes and detailed analysis of them doesn't seem warranted here in a public forum. We have great respect for Click Repair and Prof. Davies and we don't want to get into a back and forth with him about this. Perhaps in the future we can provide more details but at this time we have plenty of work cut out to finish.

 

@SweetVinyl Are there any plans to fix the click problem on the original SC1?

 

I have ClickRepair RT which operates in real-time.

 

Right - there was that version - it was discontinued and is not supported - so our comment refers to products that can be legally purchased and are supported currently.

 

If this refers to the left channel clicking - it is under active investigation - we have put mitigation efforts in place so that it is triggered much less often but appears to be a linux issue deep in a subsystem. Very hard to find. It is not just an SC-1 issue and we do not think it is hardware related from what we can tell - it only happens under heavy CPU loading from the click and pop algorithm and is cured by a reboot.

 

Where can I find a owners manual for the SC-1 mini? ..Can't find it on the SweetVinyl website.

 

I didn't see a link on the website, but if you are an owner you should have it as part of your Sugar Cube install. Launch the Sweet Vinyl software and go to the Home Symbol and click. When on the Home screen click on the Support Button and on the support page you will see a link for the manual for your product.

 

..I'd like to read the set up instructions prior to purchasing. My interest is in the SC-1 Mini. What do you mean by software? I thought this simply installed b/w phono preamp and Line-level input on integrated amp? ..Do you need a computer to set this up?? Thx!

 

You don’t have to use the app/software. It’s pretty much plug and play. I think he meant that the software help section is the best way to get a link for the updated user manual. PM me, i have the SC-1 mini and the pdf on my phone.

 

Glad to see you got some help. I did mean the software, they ship an app the works on your computer and they have a smartphone app you can d/l. But either way you must have a Sugarcube for either approach. I was thinking of sharing a link but I have an SC-2 with the recording function and the manual is different.

Sweet Vinyl might be smart to leave links to the manual on their web site for people who want to get a feel for it before laying down the cash.

 

Thanks Frank & Jim!
Do you guys find this device to be sufficiently quiet? In other Words it doesn’t add any additional Hum or hiss? My Achilles’ heel is ground hum, It drives me nuts. Even if not audible when music is playing, if I know it’s there it will frustrate me. I have no reason to think this would but you never know with phono preamp’s. I went through three preamps before I found one that did not have any hum. So is your Sweetvinyl device very quiet?

 

I just tried the following - turn my pre on the loudest level I can listen records with, put my ear right to my horn, which is super sensitive to any noise, and pressed remote "processor loop" on and off, while SC-1 mini is in "click removing mode".
If there was an additional noise I was not able to hear any difference, in any way below my very quiet hiss from Matsushita 12AU7 tubes. Mind 2 pairs of extra interconnects in a loop, etc. For all intent and purposes it is dead quet.

 

I hear no hum or other noise from it at all, either from the device itself or through my speakers.

 

I can relate on hum. My CATV cable was introducing hum. I tried everything including unscrewing the cable from my system when listening to music. I found an inexpensive inline trap that reduced it, but hum drives me crazy too. My last round of equipment upgrades has helped render the phono input so it is dead quiet. I have done the same tests with the SC-2: putting my ears near my speakers. The electronics seem to add no additional noise to my ears. The SugarCube has even made listening to LPs through headphones an enjoyable experience sans clicks and pops. Still surface noise, which is not intended to be fixed with the SC-2 Mini, but no clicks and pops

Truth in adverting demands I mention there have been ongoing problems with certain firmware upgrades causing random clicks and pops to start occurring in the left channel only. They are not terribly loud but noticeable. The issue is fixed by doing a restart of the device when they occur. All other issues I’ve had in the past have been relatively minor issues related to recording, which you will not do with the SC-1. I will add that support has been very responsive. As of the last firmware upgrade I have ZERO issues. I have digitized about 350 LPs at last count. I had planned on just using the SC-2 on the most noisy pressings, but where I can’t detect the click and pop removal, I now use the SugarCube for playing back all of my LPs . I also am planning on digitizing about 1,300 LPs so I can hear them on the road.

 

Thx for the replies all.... Well, it's slated to arrive tomorrow, so I'm pretty excited. ..Mostly, I'm excited that I can now buy some cheap used albums from the discount bins and not stress about seeing a few rub marks or faint scratches on the record. In the past, it had to be new, or look so or I would pass.

Yes, there will be those who say that I must not REALLY be an analog fan if I'm using a device that digitizes the music lifted off the grooves.. But I respectfully disagree. ...To me, vinyl is a great format b/c of the rich liner note content, the album art, lyrics printed on the sleeves, etc.. ..Even the hassle of advancing to a specific song, or flipping the album side contribute to making the format great because it encourages the listener to listen to the entirety of the album and thereby grasp the connectedness of the songs and (possibly) the theme of the album. Nothing about this device changes any of that