Long time no post. The SC-2 has actually been discontinued by Sweetvinyl. It will soon be replaced by the SC-2+. The main difference is the inclusion of the surface noise processing, with will reduce surface noise by 8 dB. This is big, since, as I have mentioned, when the pops and clicks are removed, the surface noise is much more noticeable, having been previously masked by the pops and clicks. Fortunately, early beta units like mine will be eligible for a hardware upgrade to + status. I plan on jumping on this as soon as it’s available.
Meanwhile, I continue to make excellent needle drops at 96/24 with my SC-2. There are occasional glitches, usually following a software update, but they either self-resolve after a few reboots or the Sweetvinyl folks fix it in the next software upgrade.
Before the SC-2+ leaves beta, the web-based GUI will be replaced with a downloadable software interface. That will be another improvement.
If you have any questions, post away. |
OK - latest software update for the SC-2 was installed last night. Mostly cosmetic differences, but, the transient clicks between tracks, a persistent bug, has been resolved! This is pretty big. The only other major hurdle remaining in the SC-2 software is the ability to record directly to a networked server. I work around this by dragging and dropping from the thumb drive to the network drive of my server. A little clunky, but not terrible. I am making some excellent needle-drop recordings now at 96/24 FLAC.
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@mjb87062017 - Sorry, I have been travelling for a few weeks. Also, as usual, after a few plane flights, I can't hear a blessed thing. When I finish unpacking and my hearing returns, I will check this out and report back. |
@bondmanp was the SC-2 updated this week? i notice some features look different. if so, what were they? thanks |
@bondmanp I listened to the SC1 at AXPONA and am impressed enough by the product to endorse it. |
I echo bondmanp's sentiment. this is an amazing piece and very comprehensive. my SC-2 arrived about a week ago and I was updated to a beta version which is terrific. Highly recommend. the click processing has worked wonders with older vinyl. |
bondmanp-
Your invitation is appreciated.
I'm sure the SC is a fine product. Recording a record is a great feature. For archiving "the sound" it's the way to go. More convincing than any file/download or CD.
Remaining in the stone age-without NAS or streaming, and having physical media is my thing. I don't envision having a computer tied into the system. I've heard some fine systems, not my bag.
When i'm not actively listening, the default is prehistoric FM radio...it's still sounds good if you like Classical or Jazz. Rock is long dead.
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Oh, and as for too much gadget involvement, remember, my goal is to get all my vinyl on to my server. That makes listening more convenient than ever, IMHO. |
@tablejockey @noromance ... Of course, no piece of kit is for everyone. Otherwise, we would all own that piece of kit. I started this thread by remarking that if the SC-2 only digitized LPs, split tracks, added metadata, and dumped them on my server, I could live without the click processing. That remains the case. To me, the click processing is the icing on the cake. Since almost all of my records are purchased used, the processing has been helpful. Also, when you read this thread, remember, you are being shown the sausage-making process of a new product, even a new product category. If and when all the bugs are fixed, this will be a very simple turn-key product.
All that said, I am having a blast using my Sugarcube, and I am enjoying the collaborative process of being a beta tester, my first such experience.
When the bugs are fixed, I will be inviting members of my local audio club to stop by with an LP they would like to digitize. If you are local (central NJ) and would like to try it, let me know, and when it's ready, I will contact you.
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The OP's postings convinced me it's a waste of time/money for me.
I'd rather put a record on, and just enjoy listening. If an album is beyond cleaning, toss it, and jump into the bins for a replacement.
Way too much gadget involvement, rather than actually listening to music.
To each his own.
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Interesting read. Not for me. I enjoy the subtle psychological torture from pops and ticks. Tenacious. They really should bring you out for drinks.
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Just a quick update: The beta software for the SC-2 has gone through several revisions. Metadata searching has improved greatly. Also, I can now enter catalog numbers of LPs and the SC-2 will use that data to populate the metadata fields and add album art. Track begin/end identification still needs work, but is getting better. I still have to manually adjust each start and end point. Transient noise in between tracks remains an issue which Sweetvinyl says is being worked on. |
Ok, I just had to post this... I am finally able to digitize vinyl at
96/24 using my Sweetvinyl SugarCube SC-2 and play it back from my
server. I am listening to Sting's LP "Nothing Like the Sun" that I
digitized from a pretty clean double LP, and I am having a
"Holy-Mother-of-Crap" moment, where everything is just about perfect.
Clean, effortless, extended, all the buzz-words. Wow! The highs,
especially, are so much cleaner and smoother than with my Red Book
digitized files using my Marantz CD recorder. Considering my system
costs a fraction of what many people here have spent on their rigs, it
is really something! I love music, and I love this hobby! There are some issues in the new beta software I am testing, but the quality of the files I created with this wonder-box is really amazing.
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bondmanp -
Thanks for the update. It looks like progress is being made, albeit slower than promised. I'm a patient person. In the meanwhile, I'll keep enjoying the most excellent declicker feature. Mine has been trouble free so far.
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A long overdue update:
First, having been unable to coordinate a meeting with Leo of SweetVinyl for the firmware update, SweetVinyl graciously offered to have my SC-2 shipped out to them and returned it with the update. Light-show issues solved.
And, drum-roll, please, the beta of version 2.0 came out in January '19. This beta software includes track editing, track splitting/joining, metadata editing and more.
As a beta tester, I got the new software and have tried it out. It works more or less as promised. The app is pretty much useless for the new features, at least in this beta version. They recommend using a chrome browser to connect to your SC-2 over your LAN. Easy enough. What works well is the track editing and metadata editing. In this regard, it's not all that different than some of the software programs you can buy. But, what is neat is that when you are finished editing, you save your work, and then you can select the format, resolution and even declicking level, and the program updates your thumb or USB drive that is connected to the SC-2. You can even get the raw file, clicks and all, in full-res WAV, for use in editing with 3rd party software. You can also save multiple versions, e.g., a 24/192 FLAC file and lo-res MP3 file of the same recording.
What needs work: I have alerted the Sweetvinyl team to a loud click that is heard between each track after editing. Also, the metadata is often wrong, or completely absent, and, so far, none of the track divisions inserted by the software were even close to where they ought to be. All of this is fixable via editing, but it is time consuming. Artwork, which has yet to come up correctly by itself, must be sourced from the web, saved on your computer, and then copied into the metadata on the SC-2 files. The metadata saves recordings by LP side. Good for purists, but I would rather have tracks 1 through 10, for example, than tracks 1 through 5 on side one, and tracks 1 through 5 on side 2.
What doesn't work at all yet: For now, file playback through the SC-2 is not available. Also not yet available is the ability to render the edited files directly to a NAS. But these things are coming. I was able to mount the thumb drive on my laptop, and copy the edited files to my server. However, the track labeling had to be fixed (as noted above) manually. Also, none of the artwork on the thumb drive made it to the server, for some reason, so I have to insert that manually onto my server as well.
Remember, this is still a beta version, so some hiccups are to be expected. But, I am finally digitizing in FLAC at 96/24, and getting great results (except for the clicks between tracks). And, it looks like I can finally mothball my CD recorder.
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Update: So I finally got the newest software download, and the blinking LED issue is gone. The USB & Record indicator light does cycle slowly on and off. The Sweetvinyl team is checking to see if that is normal.
Now for some good news: Track splitting is at the top of the development priority list for updating the software. It won’t be overnight, but it is the focus currently at Sweetvinyl. Also, level normalization is planned - this is like ReplyGain. If you ever listen to random tracks or albums on your server, you know that not all recordings are made at the same peak or average level. This can be annoying when listening, especially in the car or for background music. Encoding the digitized files with normalization data can enable the playback device (a streamer, player or computer music software) that is equipped to do so to normalize the volume from album to album or song to song, without changing the level balance within an album (so relative levels from track-to-track within an LP remain at the relative levels they were mastered with).
Additionally, I was told that a left-right balance adjustment via the app would be added for the recording process on the SC-2. This is huge, IMHO, as the channel balance from LP to LP and even within an LP is anything but centered or consistent. And there are also left-right imbalances on lots of phono cartridges out there, too. Being able to correct this in the digitization/recording process is a key feature for me, one which I currently accomplish using the ganged left & right record volume pots on my CD recorder. Without this feature in the Sweetvinyl app, I would still have to keep the recorder in the signal chain, just to adjust the balance. It would be great if I can mothball the CD recorder altogether. This possibility is getting closer.
I did learn that one of the processors, the one that controls the front panel indicators and displays, does need an embedded firmware upgrade, which cannot be accomplished via internet download. But Leo from Sweetvinyl will be in my area soon, and I plan to meet up with him, SC-2 in tow, so he can take care of this, as he has so kindly offered to do. No shipping, and no time without my favorite new toy!
As I told Leo, I am really enjoying the beta experience. Patience is important (helped along by the knowledge that I paid half of list for my SC-2 via the Indiegogo campaign), as well as is providing as much feedback as possible to the Sweetvinyl team. The responsiveness of the folks at Sweetvinyl to my questions and feedback make me feel like a part of the collaborative process of fully realizing all of the amazing capabilities of this one-box wonder. |
I sent my comments to Sweetvinyl, and got a fast reply. It seems I have the software version prior to the current release. I set my SC-2 to Bypass and left it powered on, which should enable the firmware download. I will reboot tonight or tomorrow night and see which version I have. Apparently, the "light show" on the front panel was the tip-off that I had not yet received the latest software update, which fixes this issue. Also, I neglected to mention that the Android app now "finds" my SC-2 on my home network very quickly and consistently, something that was not case before. Also, not only the bit rate and sampling frequency are selectable, but also the digital format. I use FLAC exclusively, but WAV and ALAC are also available.
@thaluza - Yes, I too hope we get track-splitting soon. That, and the ability to send a digitized file over the home network to my server are key capabilities for me. However, based on some things I have read, it seems that track-splitting is proving more of a bear to get right than had been anticipated. I know that Sweetvinyl is determined to get it done, but I am afraid patience will be required. Meanwhile, I continue to get great, clean digitized versions of my LPs using the SC-2 and my Marantz CD-R. But I look forward to skipping this step and moving to higher-resolution digitization. |
I have had my SC-2 for two months and really like the click and pop
remover. It has brought new life to some of my Goodwill finds. I do not
hear any attenuation of high notes which apparently was a problem with
older click and pop removers. Seems there is a subtle change in sound
with the feature engaged, but listening is still quite enjoyable. I
leave it on most of the time, but it can be easily switched on and off
by pressing a button on my tablet.
I use an iPad. Most of the
time, I can see the track names and album art on the iPad app. Very
cool. Rock music works well with track naming and album art, but not so
much with the few jazz albums that I have played.
Also, I
recorded an album to hear what it is like. The process was not very
intuitive, at least for me. I can get the tracks to appear on my
computer after plugging in the usb stick, but that is as far as I have
been able to get. Still trying to figure out how to get the recording
into my JRiver music library, how to view the album art, and how to edit
metadata.
Hoping the track splitting function is introduced
soon, and that along with it, that improvements are made to the iPad app
to make it more functional and intuitive for recording.
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Thanks bondmanp for reviving your thread,
Fremer reviewed the SC-1. The SC-1 as you know only does click and pop removal, no recording. He concluded:
"I think many will react as I did and come to see this is an
indispensible addition to their vinyl playback systems. It will
certainly change how I go used record shopping—especially in the bargain
bins."
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Update - After some time away, I returned home, fired up my SC-2, and was pleased to see I got an update. Both the SC-2 and the Sugarcube Android app were updated. The biggest difference I noticed was that you can now customize the resolution for recording, both the bit rate and the sampling frequency. This is very welcome, as for the time being, my streamer (SBT) cannot handle anything over 96/24.
It could be my imagination, but the sound on an unfamiliar LP I digitized last night seemed even smoother and more detailed than I remember the SC-2 sounding.
On the downside, the "light show" issue was not fixed. If anything, it’s worse. But there does not seem to be any impact on the sound or functionality of the SC-2 as a result.
Also, although I haven’t read it yet, Fremer posted a review on his Analog Planet site of one of the Sugarcubes. |
@kalali - There is never any "rush" on the Garden State! :-) More like the morning "mosey".
Being extremely cheap, and a bit of a ludite, I have yet to commit to monthly streaming fees, and my cheap cell phone has limited data, so I am still all about owning the media I listen to. And the other problem is, how do you pick a place to start streaming when there are millions of choices? I prefer my cycle-through-the- collection method.
BTW, if you're interested, we have a great audio society hear in Joisey:
www.njaudiosociety.com
I encourage you to check it out.
Cheers. |
bondsman, thanks for the explanation. With the exception of a few labels, I also didn't attempt to duplicate my LP collection by buying CDs but I'm finding myself using the streaming method more and more these days, particularly when on the move, etc. And from one New Jersian to another, I completely get your reference to the Garden State Parkway, especially during the morning rush. Enjoy the music. |
@miner42 - I hear you. I told one of the principles of Sweetvinyl that had the SC-2 only digitized, track-split, added metadata and sent the files to my networked server, I would have gladly bought it without the de-clickifier processing.
At retail, I don't blame you for waiting. At the Indiegogo price, it was too tempting to me to pass up. I am fairly confident that Sweetvinyl will see this through and succeed, though. |
@kalali - I enjoy spinning vinyl, and if I could, I would play the LP rather than the digitized version. But that's not always easy to do. I have to find the LP (harder than it sounds in my house), clean it, and flip it over in the middle. Sometimes, I just want to play my music with the press of a button or two, or in a room other than where the big rig is. Since I started digitizing my vinyl and cassettes (insert laughter here), I have spent much more time listening to my collection of music than pondering what I want or do not want to hear. I started ripping my collection to a server in 2011 (finished all the CDs, now working on the vinyl). The convenience of a music server is so conducive to focused music listening that I usually end up doing that. My rips are not perfect, or even as good as the vinyl, but they are not too bad, either.
As for the "shelf version" of the LP on CD, I have two issues. One is that I swore back in 1984 that I would never give the record companies the satisfaction of selling me my entire record collection a second time. I am that cheap. So I went and bought a Thorens TD-166MkII in 1984, a big ticket item for me in those days, which I still have and use today (slightly modded). I figured this West German-built 'table would last, and I was right. The second reason is, yes, indeed, I have yet to hear a regular CD of an LP that I own sound better than the CD-R I created from the LP, even on my very modest system, and that was prior to getting the SC-2. I find I get better dynamics, detail, warmth, soundstage and an absence of digital harshness from my digitized vinyl than almost every CD I own of the same recording (I have a few). My DAC is pretty good, but hardly SOTA. It is comparable in quality to my vinyl source, I think. So, that's my attraction to digitizing vinyl.
Then there is my 45 minute to one hour commute in the car, each way. Having music in the car keeps me sane as I fly down the Garden State Parkway at 10 to 15 miles per hour each day. Previously, I had a 6-disc in-dash CD changer, but now use a cheap and cheerfull FiiO file player. It takes me about 2 years to work through my entire music collection during the commute (and that doesn't count the yet-to-be digitized vinyl, of which there is a lot). When you have a lot of music, it's good to cycle through the whole collection this way, because you rediscover stuff you've owned for a long time but haven't listened to in a while. Plus, I hate repeating the same music too often.
The SC-2 makes digitizing vinyl easier, faster, cleaner and more accurate. Or, at least it will once it is fully functional.
So, I hope this answers your questions. |
The SC-2 is on y watch list but will wait until the bugs are worked out. Track splitting and metadata is a must. |
This thread really piqued my curiosity and trying to understand the motivation for using such a device. Do you folks actually prefer the sound of a digitized LP over an off the shelf CD version or streaming of the same music, or you have a large collection of LPs that are not available as CD or can be streamed from services like Tidal, etc.? By far most of the LPs that I own are available in the Tidal catalog and for those that aren't I just listen to the LP. Digitizing vinyl never crossed my mind thus this question. |
@sbrownnw - No question the entry fee is on the high side. In Sweetvinyl's defense, I will say they have pretty much built a new product category from the ground up. Yes, I know there are competing de-clickifier programs, but, AFAIK, none of them are as automated as the Sugarcube, in stand-alone boxes that do not require a computer, and the algorythms Sweetvinyl developed took a long time to get right. I would suggest that for the extra $1000, the SC-2 is a better deal for those digitizing their vinyl, at least it will be once all the functionality is complete.
I got a break on the price via the Indiegogo campaign, but even so, it is still a big ticket item in the context of my modest system. I would say it is worth it, although without a lot of the promised functionality that has yet to be implemented, it is borderline. But once these functions are installed (firmware updates via the web), it will be an indespensible part of my rig.
I don't know what their plans are for the future, although I believe a pro version, which might be more along the lines of your SC-.5, is planned eventually.
According to one of the main guys at Sweetvinyl, sales are good. I think once the SC-2 is fully functional, which at the pace they are going could take another year, it will be a very hot seller. I would also anticipate some audio reviewers to write about it once the software is fully implemented.
I continue to make excellent digitized recordings via my SC-2 into a pro-sumer CD recorder. It's a lot of fun to take an old, beat-up, garage-sale LP, clean it, and then get a pristine rip using the SC-2. There are some bugs in the control app for Android, and as a beta tester, I am working with Sweetvinyl to report these issues. They have been hard at work ironing out the kinks. Once they finish that, they will focus on the SC-2's automated track-splitting, better metadata retrieval, the ability to send digitized files to a networked server, and more control over the recording options (level, balance, resolution, etc.). |
Will be interesting to see if Sweet Vinyl sells enough of these to keep the product line / company going. For me, the SC-1 new is:
- 3x more than my phono preamp
- about the same price as my modded RP6 (I got it as a demo) with GT Ref subplatter and AT-33PTG/II cartridge
Which means $2000 for the SC-1 is quite expensive for my system. Would like to see a SC-.5 without internet connectivity, without front display (basic mode knob or push button selector would be fine) and without phone remote interface. I wonder what price point the minimum feature SC-.5 would come in at?
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tablejockey - I would not be so sure about a MkII version. Sweetvinyl did a lot of work to ensure that the hardware would not need any revision in the Sugarcube, only downloadable software updates. And the SC-1 you're referring to is pretty complete, since all it does is process the clicks and pops, which is, I think, in it's final version. But buying one used, or a demo, is always possible. |
I got the latest mailer from Music Direct, and the Sugar Cube is ready for Xmas delivery for $2k....
Seems like a godsend for those of us who are original press guys.
I've grown accustom to a few ticks/stitches on my albums.
I'm gonna wait, an MK II version will pop up later next year, and Agon listings will have one of these for $1.5K.
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thanks Bondmanp, I will most likely wait to see how the FW progress's. I really only want it for digitizing vinyl. My records are in pretty good condition so the click removal feature is not that necessary for me.
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mallen123: According to the guys who are in charge at Sweetvinyl, the next suite of features for the SC-2 will be out in late January or February. These should include track splitting and the ability to send the digitized files over your home network to a server or NAS. The hardware will not change. These are all downloadable software updates. So, if you trust them, you can buy the SC-2 now and wait for the updates. I had mine delivered without these features, since I run the SC-2 outputs to my CD recorder. So at least I benefit from the click processing. But I agree with you on the key importance of the track splitting feature. And I have said so to the folks at Sweetvinyl. Frankly, if the SC-2 did everything planned for it, but not the click filtering, I still would have wanted one!
I have digitized a few tracks with the SC-2 onto a thumb drive at 192/24 FLAC. As far as I can tell, they came out well, but my system only can handle 96/24 right now, and the ability to digitize at intermediate resolutions between Red Book and 192/24 is also a future upgrade at this time. So I listen through my laptop and entry-level Grado cans.
The album recognition feature works fairly well, but it is not perfect. There are planned upgrades that will allow editing of meta data, and submission of corrections to Sweetvinyl in the future.
I will post here if there any firmware or software updates to my SC-2. |
I see the SC-2 is now selling thru Musicdirect for $2900. As my interest is digitizing my LP's, does anybody here know when the track splitting is available? I don't see anything on it in the Musicdirect description. |
coryl - Welcome to the club! I am not much of a techie, but if you have the Play Store app on your Android, you used a gmail address to set it up. That's the email address you should use. I hope this helps. |
Bondmanp, I'm a regular production customer, and am wondering how to identify the email used by my Android. I have several email accounts for different purposes. Two accounts are Gmail, but my recovery account isn't. Can you help me determine which they need? I asked Dan, but he doesn't seem to know how to find his own. Thanks!
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I continue to be highly impressed by the dedication of the folks at Sweetvinyl to getting as close to perfection as possible with their products. I reported what a few of the golden ears heard as differences in the processed vs. non-processed sound of the SC-2. I got a reply the same day that one of the developers of the Sugarcube is working on changes to the D-A coding that might remedy what these few people are hearing. They can't hear it, I can't hear it, but knowing some people are hearing it was enough for them to put some serious effort into fixing it. |
I am a beta tester for the SC-1. The build is excellent, the click/pop removal is excellent. Customer service from Dan Eakins and the rest of the Sugarcube team is excellent. I have given them a few suggestions and they seem open to incorporating them into the system. |
malosuerte: My time with the SC-2 has been hampered by an amplifier failure. Whiile my amp is in the shop, I have been doing little critical listening, instead using the time to digitize more LPs, during which I monitor the process usinfg headphones (Audio Technica ATH-40X).
But here are some early impressions: Fit & finish is excellent. The unit runs cool, and setup (connection to wifi) is pretty easy and simple. Sound from the headphone section of the SC-2 sounds good over my liesure cans, Grado SR-60.
Much of the functionality of the SC-2 has yet to be switched on. I am using the Android app, and it seems to work pretty well. But the track-splitting is not yet available. Neither is the ability to send a digitized file to a server on the network. For now, the only recording that can be done is to an attached USB stick. I tried one recording, and it seems to work fine. I used 24/192 FLAC encoding, but I am waiting for 24/96 FLAC encoding (which is promised) because of limitations elsewhere in my system. Also, the SC-2 cannot yet play back from the attached USB stick, so playback was through a laptop using Foobar2000 and the Grados. Without the track splitting or ability to send files to my server, I am still using my CD recorder to create CD-Rs from my vinyl. I am routing the signal through the SC-2, so I get a nice clean needle-drop. I hope to be able to avoid using the CD recorder once the SC-2 is fully functional. The album recognition feature is spotty. It has successfully identified a few pretty obscure LPs , but does not succeed often with classical LPs. Sweetvinyl says they are aware of these issues and are working on software fixes.
Other things still being worked on are a way to manually add/edit metadata, and to submit missing metadata to Sweetvinyl's database. More recording resolutions are planned, as are a L-R balance control for recording, and a calibration memory for multiple 'arms/cartridges. A screen dim/off function will also be added.
All that said, the click processing works extremely well, although changing the level of processing seems to have little effect. To my ears, there is little to no difference in the sound whether in bypass, A-D-A but no click removal, or click removal modes. Even on the worst LPs I threw at it, about 95% of the clicks and pops were inaudible. The downside of this is that surface noise is alot easier to hear. Sweetvinyl says they may eventually release a surface noise processing feature, but this might not be a free upgrade because of the complexity and effort required to develope it.
I took the SC-2 to my local audio club meeting yesterday. Only one or two of the those listening claimed to be able to hear a difference in the sound depending on the mode of the SC-2. They felt that the sound was a bit less forward with the processing engaged, and that the highs were just slightly shelved down. But except for them, the rest of those in attendance could not tell a difference between the processed, the A-D-A without processing, and the bypass modes.
I am holding off on a more thorough review pending the SC-2 being fully function. But if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask them here. |
So, what are your impressions a month in? |
Sweetvinyl intends to use its own metadata base to derive track divisions. Once the LP is recognized, the tracks are split based on the metadata. |
Bond, yes same thing. Tracks that do not have clean silence between them are very hard for a computer program to do correctly in accordance with what is needed to then auto tag each track correctly. A good example would be progressive rock "suite" like say Suppers Ready by Genesis where the portions of the suite run into each other. You need a really smart program and a very extensive and detailed set of metadata about the track for a computer to have a chance of getting it right with no manual interaction. It can be done I'm sure but I'd be surprised to see it done accurately in many cases. OR teh program might recognize what it does not know and prompt the user to help it. That might still be somewhat fast and efficient if done right. Someday soon I'd bet.
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Mapman - Sorry for my ignorance, but is "delimiting" computer-speak for track splitting? If so, the Sugarcube cannot do this yet. I did see it demonstrated on a prototype, and it is promised, but so far, it's not available. When it is ready, it will be a software upgrade. It will not split tracks after the digitizing, but on the fly, once the LP is recognized. Sweetvinyl has been building its own LP metadata base, and claims to have over 1 million LPs in it so far. |
I’ll have to check that out. Currently, it takes me about an extra 15-20 minutes per album to delimit tracks and process using tic removal and normalization once played and digitized. I use free Audacity software for this part.
Then I autotag using free Picard software which usually requires some minimal manual interaction to recognize teh custom digital files I’ve created usually. If Picard doesn’t work due to some one-off recording or release then its manual tagging with DBpoweramp which adds more time. Picard has Shazam like music recognition capabilities that works pretty well overall with more popular commercial sourced digital releases but not as well in general with custom music files you digitize yourself from vinyl.
Overall, I use mostly free software that does a good job and I have a process down pretty well to get things done reasonably fast.
But any product that makes things mostly automated and saves me time has value and I am interested.
Have not found anything yet that can reliably auto delimit the tracks with a file digitized from a side of a record. Audacity has some things that try but its usually faster for me to just go in and delimit in Audacity manually .
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Okay, so I have not had much time to actually use my SC-2. As a beta tester, I expected a few glitches, and there are some. So far, the SC-2 has gotten stuck during updates and required a restart two times. Sweetvinyl says this typically happens around 5% of the time. The pairing of the SC-2 with my Android phone is a little tricky. I thought I had it done, but the app is telling me to re-pair the phone with the SC-2. Sweetvinyl says I should go through the pairing process whenever prompted by the app. Because of this, I have not yet explored the advanced menu, but hope to do so soon. The unit is designed to stay powered on (power switch on the rear). So far, it has never gotten more than slightly warmer than room temperature to the touch, and that is with a plastic sheet covering my equipment rack. Sweetvinyl can actually monitor the internal operating temperature of any SC-2 connected to the web. That's cool, so to speak. |
lewm - Oh, sorry. I misunderstood your question. I don't expect to record on both devices simultaneously, but I want to keep the option in case I decide I need a CD-R of whatever I am recording. Also, I do not yet know how the recording function on the Sugarcube will work when recording sources other than LPs. For example, I have numerous singles to digitize, as well as material on DVD, BD, and some soundtrack music I have on my DVR.
Good point about the impedance issues. I could use the Y cables instead to split the output of the SC-2 in order to feed the Marantz and my preamp's tape loop input. Perhaps that would prevent that potential impedance mismatch, and still offer the ability to record a CD-R. Although, would that have the potential to mess up the signal being fed to the Marantz and the preamp? Ugh. |
Bondman, Your response speaks to my question but does not answer it. I agree that the SC2 ought to blow away the Marantz for recording purposes, which is precisely why I asked why you were of a mind to record on both simultaneously, using a Y-adapter. Also, be careful doing that. The SC2 will "look back" to both the Marantz input and the signal source output and see their impedances in parallel. That can sometimes cause frequency response anomalies, depending upon the values of the two impedances "seen" by the SC2 input.
I hope you have a lot of LPs and therefore a long life ahead.
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thaluza - from an email I received from Dan Eakins at Sweetvinyl: In the app:
. In the
Advanced section on the SC-2 you can also: (top right of app - pull down menu)
a. Change your
display – show artist and song info
b. View Album
recognition
c. Record
So, pretty much everything except track splitting, recording level control (promised) and record L-R balance adjustment (also promised).
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thaluza - That could be the case. The update took place last night, but I did not get a chance to see what it was updating. I will keep you posted. I opted to receive my SC-2 early (first shipment), since the hardware is finalized, and all the other stuff is dowloadable software updates. lewm: If I were evaluating the the digitizing quality of the SC-2 as compared to the Marantz CD recorder, you'd be correct. But I think it's a safe bet that SC-2, which has been designed as a high-end audio component, will be an improvement over the Marantz, which is a pro-sumer CD recorder that is over 10 years old. Also, the SC-2 digitizes up to 24/192, whereas the Marantz is Red Book only. I also can easily digitize something on the SC-2 that I previously digitized on the Marantz, load them onto my server, and compare the results. I may try that at some point, but I am racing against death to complete the digitization of my LPs (in the 12th year of this process, currently), so I mainly want to continnue moving forward with my as-yet undigitized LPs. |
You wrote, "Once the Sugarcube is fully functional for recording, including the track-splitting and meta-data functions, I will rearrange the outputs of the equalizer, via Y cables, to feed both the Marantz CD recorder and the Sugarcube, so that the Marantz will not be in the signal path of the Sugarcube inputs."
This probably reflects my ignorance of the digital world more than anything else, but why would you want to feed the signal to BOTH the Marantz recorder and the SC2, once the latter has active recording capability itself? To compare?
Thanks for your patience. |
