I would say that on some very fine records but with a scratch or pop perhaps setting higher then 5 result in some miniscule lost of transparency to my ears. Other then those rare occasions I agree - 5 is totally fine. I never went higher, guess I do not have seriously beat up stuff ))). With set to 3 almost all small pops and crackle removed anyway. So it is my default.
Is this SugarCube doing a better job in removing pops & clicks than a software like CEDAR, iZotope RX or Click Repair?
Anton, you've PMed me asking questions about my sugarcube, how I use it, etc. I even sent you samples. I already explained to you that it works better (and more efficiently) than Clickrepair and also explained that I only use Izotope for spot cleaning if needed. Not sure what else there is that we can advise you on. Anything else I can help clarify?
Perhaps he asked because Cedar used to be the gold standard for noise reduction. Unfortunately they were quite expensive (although not in the present environment unless they had a recent price hike) and tended to sell as a plug-in module working within larger sound processing programs.
Those types are beyond help. They want guarantees and will keep asking, wanting to be persuaded but there's nothing that'll ever satisfy them so I ignore those types and suggest you do the same. He even bought an SC-1 last year and wrote he wasn't impressed with it so no idea what his point is in insisting to post here but he's just wasting everyone's time at this point.
Well, for me.... The question is: Would CEDAR, IZotope RX or Click Repair do a better job than a SweetVinyl's SC-1 of letting me plunk a used LP on my turntable and playing it without hearing joy-sapping Click and Pops. To wit: The products you mention and SweetVinyl's devices do different things. One lets you remove clicks and pops 'on the fly' making an otherwise unlistenable album enjoyable, while the other requires an excruciating amount of time digitizing your vinyl... I'm up for the former, but not the latter.
In the meantime I realized this may have been an overhasty decision. At the time I briefly tried out the SugarCube SC-1, with some digital files only, because I had no turntable. Now that I started digitizing my LP collection, I know firsthand how much time it takes to make a record listenable. To clean it, by using a software like iZotope RX, is an easy thing to do, but if one aims for perfection and does not want to remove other musical sibilances as well, it becomes labour-intensive. But I would like to be absolutely sure I make the right decision, after all it is not cheap, that is why I keep asking people who may have more experience than I have, before I finally decide. If there is someone feeling annoyed by this, please do not answer my questions. Thank you to everyone that gave a helpful answer. I think I am going to order one, try it out for a while and keep it if it satisfies my needs.
Cedar was widely used, perhaps because of marketing. However, it introduced many artifacts and negatively affected the sound of recordings it was used on. So perhaps it was the “gold standard” in terms of popularity, but not the “gold standard” in terms of effectiveness and preservation of the music signal.
Where's the delimma? ..If a record ISN'T listenable because of too many clicks and pops, and the SC-1 makes it listenable what does it matter if there is some miniscule loss of detail?? At least you're now able to listen to an album that otherwise would have been tossed in the trash. Here's how I use it. I put an LP on my table (Technics SL-1210GAE/ Audio Technica VM760slc) with the SC-1 in Bypass mode. If the pops and clicks get annoying to the point that I'd rather bail on the album, I then engage the SC-1!! It's really that simple. That said, I don't think you'll hear ANY loss of detail so long as you don't crank it to 9 or 10. At some point I'll probably do as others do and just leave it engaged 100% of the time. Have you heard this sample on Youtube? Does the song become MORE enjoyable or LESS enjoyable to hear when the Repairing processor is engaged?
One of the main reason I wait to get a sugarcube is the left channel click-problem. This needs to be fixed.
Since the last big update referenced above in this thread a few months back the issue has all but disappeared for me.
It is still very much there for me. I am having to reboot every few days and it IS annoying. I am getting the impression that Sweet Vinyl have rather given up on fixing it. But I think it does NOT afflict the new models.
What model do you have? Is my SC-1 Mini a "new" model? Is there something I would do to precipitate the click?
I have an SC-2 Mini and for the last two firmware upgrades I have not seen the problem. I will relate a story about this that happened with an RSD 2020 Drop 2 LP. The clicking problem had been gone for so long I was a bit surprised when the Bill Evans Some Other Time LP had off and on clicking on several sides. I was disappointed thinking the problem was back and this time a restart didn't fix it. I was getting ready to fire off an email to Sweet Vinyl, but I checked here first. It turns out this was a defect present on some peoples copies of this disk. I was relieved it was not the Sugar Cube, which is click free for the last two firmware upgrades. I must admit I have pretty much have entered "Set & Forget" mode with my Sugar Cube. The only time I think about it is when I'm decide to digitize something I am going to listen to. Digitizing it is a couple button presses away. Definitely the best money I have spent on my system since my return to LPs in 2017.
For me that would be my new Technics SL-1210GAE turntable, but the SweetVinyl SC-1 Mini is a close second. ..Because of it I am listening to albums I had long ago left for dead.
I love my EAT C-Sharp and Jo No. 8 TT/Cart combination, but the reason I put the SC-2 first is its uniqueness right now. There are many great TT's out there, but the Sugar Cubes are in a class by themselves right now. Actually I would put my Vinyl Cleaner Pro UCM in second place. With the two of these accessory devices devices, my vinyl listening experience is so much better than a TT upgrade alone would do. Silence is golden for me.
I only placed my SL-1210GAE ahead of the SC-1 because it cost a boatload (for me anyway) and I get so much pleasure operating it. ..But in terms of making a difference, I tend to agree that the SC-1 makes a difference that is VERY easy to hear. ..The difference b/w the GAE and the table that proceeded it (SL-1210GR) is very very subtle. . .The GAE makes me want to pull out all of my favorite albums, but the SC-1 makes we want to once again play ALL of my albums
I "suffer" from the same problem as you. I was enjoying listening to my favorite albums when I upgraded to my EAT, then again when I upgraded from the Jo No. 5 to the Jo No. 8. 6 months ago. I got the SC-2 and it was back to square one. I also had to trot out some albums that I loved, but were not in such great shape. Suddenly used albums are more of a viable option. Nothing severely damaged, but with some visible surface defects.
Latest from Dan: Here is an update to the SC-1 Plus and SC-2 Plus orders and development/production status. The first 21 boards are in assembly as we had said in the last update – we received the first two back and it took a fair amount of time to verify and debug some issues with new components and parts values. As of today we have completed the verification and sent the parts and documentation to the assembly house and are expecting to get approximately 20 boards back in the next two weeks. We have started to assemble the first 20 chassis and will proceed to assemble them and burn these units in to see if there are any failures or fallout from the larger batch now that we have two working boards. After that we should be able to finish the rest of the pre-order boards and assemblies to complete all the SC-1 Plus and SC-2 Plus units. (This would be with an additional 30 unit board build). Last weekend we finished the SC-2 Plus integration with SVNR so now recordings can be made with the noise reduction – as we had previously only had it working with playback. Once we get the 20 boards in house and have units running we will send an update and at that time should be able to start scheduling the first shipments. Right now there are 27 SC-1 Plus and 18 SC-2 Plus pre-orders. Traditionally we have shipped these by model: SC-1 first – then SC-2 (in order of oldest order first). We tend to try to ship domestically on the initial units in case we need to get a unit back in house until we have about 20 in the field and in use for at least a few weeks. Best, -Dan
If there is a downside to this device it’s that serious flaws that might be unkind to your stylus may go unnoticed. I bought a used jazz album that played beautifully, thanks to the SC-1, apart from last song where an audible thump could be heard. Upon close inspection i gasped when I found a rather thick, raised bump of what appears to be a drop of molten vinyl. It made the needle visibly jump and cartridge bottom out. Through the SC-1, this was barely audible. Yikes, not what you want to see happen to a $500 stylus. Thankfully, no damage. Needle and cartridge are perfectly fine. The lesson: Visually inspect records carefully. Scuffs and scratches are NOT going to damage a needle. But a raised glop of vinyl may. Had I carefully looked at the record I would have seen it. Right now I’m listening to Tom waits’ Rain Dogs. My son paid a lot for this used record. It has Lots of clicks and pops that Kept me from listening to it very often. Now, it sounds awesome. One of my favorite records
I do not see a downside connection between this type of defective record and the SC-1 device itself, since it is strictly a defect with the record. I recently bought one of the new Stones half-speed recordings (Some Girls) and it had the same defect you mentioned on one of the tracks. I found it on the visual inspection when I went to clean the record on my VPI RCM. The bump could not be removed, so I contacted the seller for a replacement record. Visual inspections do not often turn up anything significant, but must be a part of the process before playing any record on your TT. If in doubt, return the record whenever possible.
Sometimes it is not possible. A lot of US pressings (especially of 1969-1974) have tons of cooling pimples, the worst offenders looking like a cheese grater. I played some of them (often no choice for a rare specimen) and no damage to my cartridge was detected, but just in case I often used some less valuable carts for those records.
To me this is not a downside to this device. The portion of your post that I isolated here sums it up. In a way I hear what you are saying but whether you use the Sugar Cube or not, you should always visually inspect your records. All sorts of things can exist on your records surface or land on them once they are out of their jackets. I am glad you didn't damage your cartridge. It would cost me nearly 5X your cost to replace my cartridge. You can be sure I look at every square inch of record surface before putting the LP on the platter. There is also a use case that can be made for the SC-2, which I own: helping to preserve your stylus. I don't play badly damaged LP's, SC-2 or not. But being able to digitize records that are slightly damaged so you only have to play them once, will help your stylus to last longer.
