The SugarCube has landed... SC-1 Plus
- Thread starter BlazeES
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Nice to see you got a SugarCube, Tony. Like you, I, originally, patched my SC-1 between the turntable and preamp. Then, I used it as a sound processor in the tape loop of my system. It became even more useful to me as I could then use it to eliminate clicks and pops of mix tapes I received, that had been recorded from vinyl. You would be surprised that even some digital noise is present with some digital downloads. That becomes evident when you engage the monitor button to hear it.
Was there a long wait before they could ship one - they seem to be sold out on their products?
Nando.
Was there a long wait before they could ship one - they seem to be sold out on their products?
Nando.
Nando, I may go the 'loop' route eventually but right now I'm still sampling a pile of discs I've amassed over the years and once I get comfortable in knowing how to set the repair strength for various discs, I have a some digitizing projects that will keep me busy - most likely through the balance of the winter months.
These 'secret sauce' boxes aren't perfect by any stretch, which I am quickly learning, but in relation to actual random 'clicks and pops' removal - it is truly amazing. Wow. For instance, the brand new copy of Wolfgang's 'Mammoth' I recently scored in that bronze-ish vinyl has a surprisingly large amount of clicks. I was honestly shocked how much was buried in the tracks and equally floored at the resulting, cleaned-up presentation. Also have quite a few 1 dollar, 2 dollar 'flea market' discs - Robin Trower, Edgar Winter to name a couple - that I demo'd straight away and again - Wow! And these discs are in sorry shape. So the vinyl purchasing landscape completely changed for me going forward.
My first impressions:
The SugarCube, at least this newer version - newer chipset ones - does introduce a very subtle change in sound character. Hardly anything to complain about but it is there. On some discs it slices off some of that airy, treble space around instruments or voices or impacts the original dynamic balance of things. It doesn't squash anything mind you but it does change the sound-stage spacing a tad bit and dynamics in oh-so subtle ways.
On periodic scratches, that repeat on playback for any given period of time, the SC seems to grab those 'clicks' with no problem. But if a bad pressing introduces periodic 'grazing' or less 'sharp' repetitive noise intervals - it doesn't attack those very well. And that makes sense to me because the SC algorithm most likely leans in a way to not alter the musical content as much as possible in the digital domain. A very fine line (no pun intended...) to have to walk I can imagine.
The mobile app is kind of sloppy but at the end of the day, it works well. I have my SC connected via an Ethernet cable. It updated to the latest firmware quickly.
I have a lot more fiddling around to do with it - most importantly - the computer interface part AND trying to connect directly to my Sony processor, pre-amp to see how well that path works. These 'Plus' models also have a second mode of noise reduction and equalization shaping I haven't even dove into yet.
Lots of fun still to come, no doubt.
I think the world-wide chip shortage dynamic has stifled production and that has created the 'sold out' thing.
The one I have didn't arrive through normal channels
...
These 'secret sauce' boxes aren't perfect by any stretch, which I am quickly learning, but in relation to actual random 'clicks and pops' removal - it is truly amazing. Wow. For instance, the brand new copy of Wolfgang's 'Mammoth' I recently scored in that bronze-ish vinyl has a surprisingly large amount of clicks. I was honestly shocked how much was buried in the tracks and equally floored at the resulting, cleaned-up presentation. Also have quite a few 1 dollar, 2 dollar 'flea market' discs - Robin Trower, Edgar Winter to name a couple - that I demo'd straight away and again - Wow! And these discs are in sorry shape. So the vinyl purchasing landscape completely changed for me going forward.
My first impressions:
The SugarCube, at least this newer version - newer chipset ones - does introduce a very subtle change in sound character. Hardly anything to complain about but it is there. On some discs it slices off some of that airy, treble space around instruments or voices or impacts the original dynamic balance of things. It doesn't squash anything mind you but it does change the sound-stage spacing a tad bit and dynamics in oh-so subtle ways.
On periodic scratches, that repeat on playback for any given period of time, the SC seems to grab those 'clicks' with no problem. But if a bad pressing introduces periodic 'grazing' or less 'sharp' repetitive noise intervals - it doesn't attack those very well. And that makes sense to me because the SC algorithm most likely leans in a way to not alter the musical content as much as possible in the digital domain. A very fine line (no pun intended...) to have to walk I can imagine.
The mobile app is kind of sloppy but at the end of the day, it works well. I have my SC connected via an Ethernet cable. It updated to the latest firmware quickly.
I have a lot more fiddling around to do with it - most importantly - the computer interface part AND trying to connect directly to my Sony processor, pre-amp to see how well that path works. These 'Plus' models also have a second mode of noise reduction and equalization shaping I haven't even dove into yet.
Lots of fun still to come, no doubt.
I think the world-wide chip shortage dynamic has stifled production and that has created the 'sold out' thing.
The one I have didn't arrive through normal channels
...
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The dynamic range and frequency spectrum on this album is probably 'the best' in its class. Comes off like a DDD mastered (digital source) which is amazing considering it's vinyl. All those low notes I know you know are really "full" and punching out nice. When 'Divine' breaks into that up-beat, "Taco-ba" part, it sounds effing fantastic. I think a lot of has to do with the fact that I tuned up the Denon spinner, added the Pro-Ject phono stage and if you remember, I'm sporting those Martin Logans now. All those upgrades went into effect after I got that album as a gift. This album already sounded good before, but it's a mind blow now.
There are a few clicks & pops which the 'Cube' eliminates, but not really that many. Twisted is doing an excellent job getting these LP's stamped right.
There are a few clicks & pops which the 'Cube' eliminates, but not really that many. Twisted is doing an excellent job getting these LP's stamped right.
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Spinning through the Yes box-set of Steve Wilson Remixes now. Talk about throwbacks! The LPs are dense like the originals and the jackets are stout like album covers use to be - way back when. Very rigid cardboard stock. I had forgotten how well this package was constructed. They didn't cut any corners. Another set of really good pressings but not click & pop free. No longer matters now... 'Cube' to the rescue !
Anyone that is a diehard Yes fan should pick these up. You won't be disappointed. Wilson did a great job bringing these recordings to the next level.
Anyone that is a diehard Yes fan should pick these up. You won't be disappointed. Wilson did a great job bringing these recordings to the next level.
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- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 74,887
- Location
- Gillette, Wyo.
- Tagline
- Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 74,887
- Location
- Gillette, Wyo.
- Tagline
- Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 74,887
- Location
- Gillette, Wyo.
- Tagline
- Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
That's exactly what it is Joe. They A-to-D the incoming signal, apply their algorithms in the digital domain and then pass it back out a number of ways. And they do it all, introducing no more than a 5 second delay ( in the high repair threshold settings range that is... )
On the one I have, there's analog and digital out + a USB transport interface. The higher end ones have recording functionality and d-base retrieval links to automate the archival process. Didn't want all that - a modern laptop can do all the post-processing just fine. I'll needle drop and capture sides ... and call it a day.
On the one I have, there's analog and digital out + a USB transport interface. The higher end ones have recording functionality and d-base retrieval links to automate the archival process. Didn't want all that - a modern laptop can do all the post-processing just fine. I'll needle drop and capture sides ... and call it a day.
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For its time, the SAE 5000 did quite well for reducing clicks and pops on vinyl records and I kept my SAE 5000. But, you can't compare modern technology with a component that predates the SugarCube SC-1 by some fourty years. With both the SAE 5000 and SC-1, I use(d) it judiciously, opting to go for the mid-sensitivity setting. On one particularly pop-and-click-riddled vinyl recording, I chose to make two passes with the SC-1 set at 5 (mid-point) to clean up the source material. One pass through to MiniDisc, then that MD recording passed through a second SC-1 clean-up to WAV format.
Nando.
Nando.