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

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

  1. Joel Cairo

    Joel Cairo Video Gort / Paiute Warrior Staff

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    I'm pretty certain that the tick/pop software is the same across all of the models. With the Plus models, the SVNR is the big addition over the standard/Mini models...

    Among the Plus models, the SC-1 Plus will allow for outboard recording to a separate computer. The SC-2 Plus will also allow that, plus it can record internally.

    - Kevin
     
    Stereolove likes this.
  2. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    The difference is the all of the units will have the standard click and pop removal software meant to eliminate transient noise. The SVNR is intended to remove groove noise and tape hiss that is found on 78 RPM records and older classical music recordings. This is a constant noise that can be masked or toned down but not eliminated without possibly harming the music. I am not in need of this type of noise reduction since I don't play 78's nor do I play much classical music. Refer to this post from Sweet Vinyl on this thread for more information.

    The SugarCube Is Here At Last...Clicks & Pops R.I.P.
     
    Shawn and Stereolove like this.
  3. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Thank you very much. I’m not concerned with tape hiss or surface noise - though I will be interested to see if it removes that ocean tide / wish sound that you get on a lot of pressings. Excuse the crude term, but I don’t know how else to describe it.
     
  4. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Ok so the SC Mini arrived today. I think the instruction manual is extremely poorly written and confusing. I keep getting disconnected from the unit when using my iPhone as a remote. The unit definitely does what it says, though I’m having difficulty A/B ing my records to see if there is any loss in SQ, as you really need to be seated to get the full picture. Will keep at it overnight.
     
  5. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    A quick question for forum members. When you click on the Monitor function to listen to what us being removed, are you also hearing very low level music? I am, and I’m concerned the unit is removing both music detail, as well as pops and clicks, and that is on a low setting - level 2. Is this right?
     
    Shawn likes this.
  6. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    I don't disagree, but for me it was more the confusing part because there are so many ways to set up the unit. You end up wading through a multitude of setups to look for the configuration that matches yours. Once I found the right sections, I didn't find the language for the setup to be too confusing. Sometimes it did require a second read to make sure I got the intent right. As for the WiFi when you go through the pairing process take a look at the WiFi signal strength for the SC's internal network. It may be the signal strength that the SC is sending out is weak and it is having trouble connecting reliably to your LAN. Possibly because it is buried in the bowels of an equipment cabinet. I am just guessing here because mine is connected to my LAN via an ethernet cable and my iPhone gets a 4 bar signal strength connecting to my LAN via its WiFi connection.

    I have NEVER heard even the faintest presence of musical information no matter what the setting. I typically use 3 to 5 but I tried it on 8 or 9 and I still heard only ticks and pops being removed. Some posters in this thread have mentioned hearing music being removed for certain types of electronic music where the music has a similar sound to it. But for of the LPs I have played, there are ZERO musical artifacts when I use the Click Monitor function, just the clicks and pops. I have listened to this at loud volumes on my speakers and also through headphones.
     
    DigMyGroove and Stereolove like this.
  7. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    That’s why I thought it was weird. I’m going to reboot the whole thing tomorrow. It’s been a long day.
     
  8. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    I actually was able to hear music when I put myself close to one of the speakers.. until I realise it was coming directly from TT needle )))).
     
    Dave Mac and Stereolove like this.
  9. Ninjur

    Ninjur Forum Resident

    Location:
    Karlstad, Sweden
    This is normal. You should hear the music very low with the "monitor function" on.
     
  10. Ninjur

    Ninjur Forum Resident

    Location:
    Karlstad, Sweden
    In the Puffin thread I found a function that maybe Dan could fix in the sugarcubes?
    "Several folks have requested a cartridge hours tracker. So I'm working on a simple-to-use stopwatch function for next year's update that only logs time when playing music. Should be a super accurate method to track stylus wear."

    Would be a nice feature I think.
     
    Jim0830, Stereolove and Hogues like this.
  11. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    I stand corrected. After @Ninjur said it is normal to hear a little bleed through I tested it out. I have always heard the sound of my stylus playing whenever a record is being played and there is no sound coming from the speakers. This can be from muting the audio to take a phone call or having wrong source chosen when starting to play a record and also using the click monitor function.

    Just now I walked up to the speakers after muting my audio and put my head right up next to the midrange drivers which surround the tweeter. To my surprise I heard an almost imperceptible amount of audio. It is drowned out by the noise from the stylus at my listening position. I was listening at a fairly loud volume at the time 62/100 on my HINT 6 and I took a reading on my SPL meter. It was 7o db average and 80 db peak c-weighted. Increasing to the maximum volume that I use of 72/100 corresponding to 80 db average and 90-92 db peak, I could hear it a little more. I still had to put my head right up to the speakers to hear it. I could not hear it from my listening position, all I could hear was the sound coming directly from the stylus. My TT is 9'/ 2.75m and the speakers are 10' / 3 m away from my listening position. The only way I could get the sound from my speakers to be audible from my listening position was increasing the volume to 92/100 on my HINT 6. My maximum listening volume is 72/100. At 92/100 with the mute off I would expect to blow up my speakers and possibly the HINT 6.

    I am sorry if the information I gave you was wrong. I was correct that I never heard and bleed through, but it turns out is is there.
     
    Stereolove likes this.
  12. keiron99

    keiron99 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockport, UK
    I believe the music you can hear with the monitor button is NOT being stripped out, it's played so you can hear where on the record the pops are, just as a reference. So don't panic!

    I think this has been discussed way back.
     
    Dave Mac, Shawn, Ninjur and 2 others like this.
  13. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I received a quick response from Dan at Sugarcube, and it is normal for there to be a very small amount of music. These musical artefacts are not removed. They are a reference of where the ticks and pops are removed from. Very clever engineering, and not a fault.
     
    Dave Mac, Shawn and keiron99 like this.
  14. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    You are 100% corrrct.
     
  15. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Thank you, you are 100% correct.
     
  16. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    The funny thing is I missed it. The noise from my stylus playing the record was noisier. I'm still learning things about the Sugar Cube after having it for months.
     
    keiron99, Stereolove and Old Zorki II like this.
  17. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Well after a solid few hours of twiddling, here’s my verdict.

    WOW !

    First up, kudos to Dan and the Sweet Vinyl team. This technology will forever change the way I purchase records. No more stress over buying records that are VG+, no more returning brand new records with a slight scratch, or noisy pressing, no more having to sell purchases that didn’t live up to the hype. I will save way more $$ than the cost if the unit. I only hope a major manufacturer give the Sweet Team a **** load of $$ and buy their technology.

    I hope there are some tweaks to the app, as it can be temperamental, and it needs a fresh face. That is only a minor quibble, and don’t let that comment deter you from parting with your hand earned cash, because it is worth EVERY cent. Happy days.

    And by the way, and most importantly, I really can’t hear any difference with the unit engaged at level 5, and a straight unprocessed signal.
     
  18. marblesmike

    marblesmike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Yes this is the case for my unit as well.
     
    Shawn and Stereolove like this.
  19. FrankieP

    FrankieP Forum Resident

    Yes. You’ll hear a low level sound of the music when monitored. This is extremely useful when you want to dial in the click level especially with electronic music and you need to differentiate that the algorithm is removing clicks instead of the transients especially the drums. If the click is on time with let’s say the kick drum, dial the level back down til you don’t hear it no more. This function is one of the best features of the Sugarcube imo.
     
    Stereolove and marblesmike like this.
  20. keiron99

    keiron99 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockport, UK
    It really is a miracle isn't it?
     
    Stereolove likes this.
  21. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I clean my records and have properly set up my cart; yet, those actions do not remove pops generated from record defect. And since getting any record these days , new or used, free of defects is rare, just clean your records and properly set up cart is not a complete solution.
     
    Ben Adams and Stereolove like this.
  22. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    A couple comments about your post. Now you see what many of us are talking about and we aren't exaggerating when we say it is a complete game changer. I agree with your comments completely, except for one thing. I'm not so sure this is a good fit for a major manufacturer. At Sweet Vinyl this is what they do and it is the focus of all their energies. I don't see this type of thing being developed initially by a large player in the market. If it was now sold to a major player, it would be one of many technologies at that company competing for attention. Perhaps an alternative would be for them to license the technology to a major player, but Sweet Vinyl retains ownership. This would get them some money and exposure allowing them to further develop their technology.

    The other thing that amused me was while I was reading your post my SC did a firmware upgrade to itself. One of your comments was "...and it needs a fresh face". When my unit rebooted I quickly noticed some tweaks t0 the GUI. It looks like the Mac OS / iOS "Dark Mode" and is easier to read. I definitely like the blue/grey/black color scheme better than the old blue/green one.

    I'm glad you like your Sugar Cube. Enjoy it!
     
    Stereolove likes this.
  23. Jim0830

    Jim0830 Forum Resident

    What you said, but I really think you were trolled. There is no correlation between that post and what the Sugar Cube does.
     
  24. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I was probably being over-exuberant re my comments about Sugarcube selling out for a bucketload of $$. You are right, a licensing deal is a better option - I just hope they get rewarded for their ingenuity. I played all the pressings I own that annoy me, and it was as if someone had waved a magic wand, and made them all sound Mint. Best money I’ve ever spent.
     
    Dave Mac, keiron99 and Jim0830 like this.
  25. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I was heavily trolled on a Facebook forum, after I posted my review of the unit. Of course none of them owned one, and they all thought I was selling on behalf on the company.
     
    Strat-Mangler, keiron99 and Jim0830 like this.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine