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

Sounds like it’s time for a firmware update.

 

That's a new one. Don't think anyone has reported that issue. I'd get in touch with sweetvinyl.

 

Hello all, any other email that I could use to reach someone at Sweet vinyl? I tried with this one info@sweetvinyl.com from their website a week ago with no response. I just want to buy a SC-1 mini, please take my money!

thank you
Martin

 

I'm sorry if this question has been thrashed out, but now that it has a new super mono mode for extra noise reduction with stereo cartridges on mono records, has anybody directly compared the Sugarcube to a Parks Audio Puffin in 'magic' noise reduction mode?

Postscript: apologies, I just found the "search this thread only" function and see that this question has been discussed. Catching up - please ignore me.

 

I have. I compared the two this morning. SugarCube still wins. However, Super Mono is really good, but I could still hear some pops with the Puffin. As Shannon posted on Park Audio website, Super Mono + Magic only improves the record a grade (C+ to B+). And Super Mono does not work on stereo records.

 

FYI, during the 30 min you have where you can edit a post, you also have the ability to delete it.

 

I recently bought an external DAC and decided to use it with my SugarCube. The Topping D10s compares surprisingly well to the internal DAC. After a couple of hours the left channel clicks started, which mildly surprised me. Thankfully double bypass fixed it.

 

Has anyone else with an external DAC noticed that the output volume is way lower than the internal DAC?

The Sugarcube has a neat trick where output volume perfectly matches input volume no matter the input gain setting selected. I have mine set to -12db or else I see very slight clipping.

I think when using an external DAC this part of the process is skipped. You just get the input signal minus 12db without the makeup gain.

 

Can you please explain what you mean by using an external DAC with your Sugarcube? How is it wired up?

 

Sugarcube USB->DAC.

 

Oh right, so you can use an external DAC rather than the one in the Sugarcube? (Not something I can do on my SC1)

 

I'm not sure but I think all models can use an external DAC.

 

I found that while external dac can sound a little different (better or worse is up to discussion), internal Sugarcube DAC is the most transparent, ie voiced to "decode" stream encoded by ADC. I have way more glamorous dacs, and yet always return to Sugarcube own to produce the most unadulterated sound.

 

Have you found external DACs to be quieter than the internal? In my case there is definitely a big drop in output. No complaints about sound quality though.

 

My external DAC has volume control, and I always reduce it a bit, so it is hard to tell..

 

Yes, the external DAC reflects the audio level selected in the SugarCube settings. The main analog outs are apparently normalized to the original input level so changing the audio level in the settings makes no difference.

 

This is what I noticed. It's a bit of a pain as the volume difference is huge. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

As far as I can tell from the specs on the SweetVinyl website, only the SC-1 Plus and SC-2 Plus have digital audio outputs. Is my interpretation incorrect?

 

I had an SC2 mini and you could connect an external DAC using one of the USB ports on the back and then selecting the external DAC in the settings.

 

Back many, many pages and years ago, someone posted there was some sort of hack/work around to allow you to use a DAC with the SC-1. Not too long after Sweet Vinyl issued a firmware upgrade that among other things, removed this “undocumented feature” in the SC-1 family.

So I don’t think it was their original intent that the SC-1 family have this feature available. That was one of the things that justified the cost difference for the SC-2. I have no idea where things stand these days.

 

I emailed SweetVinyl last year asking if USB output from a non-Plus model could go directly into a DAC (as opposed to just into a PC), but never received a reply. That is a make or break feature for me to purchase a SugarCube.

If only the company would actually post its user manuals and firmware update release notes on its website...

 

I think you can always use DAC with Sugarcube (at least with my SC-1 mini), but the hack was to record via USB outs, which is closed now.

 

Welcome to version 2.3-714

 

Is the level meter working yet?

 

All I can tell you is this ... "Peak meter temporarily disabled"