Sweetvinyl

[DonBattles]

Came across a very interesting product by a company names Sweetvinyl, you gotta check this out: https://www.sweetvinyl.com/

They are a local company (to me), located in Mountain View CA so I've contacted them about a possible demo. Until then enjoy this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtnRXH5Oejg

[Antonmb]

It will be interesting to see your further report. Michael Fremer reported on this a year or so ago here:
https://www.analogplanet.com/content...d-tick-remover

[djwhog]

SugarCubeSC-1 hmm... so does it also have to remove some of the listenable tones to do that?

And the SC-2 they talk is a recorder too huh

[DonBattles]

Originally Posted by djwhog

SugarCubeSC-1 hmm... so does it also have to remove some of the listenable tones to do that?

And the SC-2 they talk is a recorder too huh

So far all accounts claim to loss/change in sound other than pop & click removal.

[NZ421291]

I am a Beta Tester for the SC-1. It's an outstanding product.

I signed up as a Beta Tester on this product as I own many very rare and irreplaceable records from obscure long dead New Zealand Bands of my youth & that are part of my life but are badly scratched & almost unlistenable.

All I can say is that it works. I have mates come around & marvel at how great my turntable sounds (I don't tell them about the SC-1) & how that beats digital etc. I then show them the SC-1 unit - their jaws just drop.

The SC-1 set-up was a breeze, routing the unit via the Server in & Server out inputs on the rear of the McIntosh C2300, and using REC-MON switch on the front panel- which also made it easy to switch the SC-1 completely out of the signal path, rather than via the bypass button.

Note: All records have been vacuum cleaned via my ClearAudio Smart Matrix record cleaner and static removed using a Thunderon Conductive Record Brush. Records are played on my recently rebuilt Garrard 401 with a Jelco 750D Tonearm & Lyra Argoi cartridge.

I initially selected 3 records for critical listening. One very badly scratched double album, another with minor visual scratches, and a brand new-never played record.

The SC-1 was set on the default 4 setting to start with and adjusted during play both up & down the scale. (Note: The default setting is now 5 after the latest update. I still use the number 4 setting for most records).

First LP’s up I haven’t played in over two decades-“ Virginity”, a 2 LP compilation/promotional set released by Virgin Records in 1979 in New Zealand only https://www.discogs.com/Various-Virg...elease/3534051. This album has seen more parties in the 80’s than I care to remember- played on rubbish turntables with worn out stylus, had beer spilt on them, greasy potato chip hands rubbed on them & had ice skates used on them (you know what I mean), these records look & are, badly mistreated- even after cleaning, they are unlistenable - so the perfect records to test out the SC-1.

Amazing, on setting 4, subjectively 99% of the clicks & pops were gone. The album was transformed from unlistenable to very enjoyable! The click monitor button showed the massive amount of repair work the unit was doing. Setting 5 to 7 there seemed to be no noticeable improvement, at 8 and above there were zero pops & clicks, but the presentation seemed to lose a little ‘air’ around the instruments & the soundstage flattened a little the more you climbed past 7. The recording also became a little ‘dark & closed in’. Less is more. I found the setting at 4 to be the best general purpose setting.

No point switching the SC-1 out for these 2 records, as noted above, they are unlistenable without the SC-1 in the loop.

2nd LP up was Maxine Sullivan’s ‘We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye’. Awesome album from a singer in the Ella Fitzgerald style. This record is indicative of the state of most of the record collection (about 2000 albums) The record looked clean & the surface seemed to have only minor surface scratches. With the SC-1 again on the 4 setting, I didn’t hear a single pop or click! I reduced the SC-1 to the 1st setting, and heard no pops & ticks! On the click monitor, there was some pronounced clicks & pops, enough to be annoying.

Switching out the SC-1, I couldn’t hear any difference in tone or sound quality, apart from the re-introduction of the ticks & pops.

The last test record was a brand new copy of Eric Clapton’s ‘Slow Hand’ 35th Anniversary pressing. This was to test if there was a change in sound quality between the raw output verses via the SC-1 loop without ticks & pops clouding the sound. Nope, on levels 1 to 7, I could not hear any difference, at 8 there is a slight darkening of the presentation. Only on settling 8 and above could I hear any difference in sound quality, and it was NOT a gross change.

I have listened to about 250 records so far, ranging from brand new to heavy scratched- the setting between 1 & 4 was fine for 98% of my records. As I was comfortable that the SC-1 had no effect on sound quality, & I was just too busy enjoying the music without pops & clicks, the 4 setting was my default & is fine for most listening and I state again- this setting appeared to do no harm to the signal. I do use setting 1 or 2 for new records.

Impressions in brief:

- Groove noise/vinyl roar is still noticeable no matter what the setting.
- Poor pressings still sound poor.
- Even on maximum settings, very bad scratches can still be heard, albeit very few and at a far less intrusive level.
- After the ‘testing phase’, I just left the SC-1 on the number 4 setting & just enjoyed listening to records I hadn’t listened to in years due to excessive pops & clicks, only dropping the setting to 1 or 2 with new records.
- Going above level 8 is contraindicated in my opinion. Less is more.
- It’s a little disconcerting at first to lift the tonearm & still hear music for a few seconds, but you quickly get used to the time delay.

I've had a fun time with the SC-1, it works, doesn't damage the sound & suddenly my whole scratched record collection from the 70's & 80's is now listenable again! I can also buy second-hand records & not worry too much about the condition of the record.

So, yes it digitalises the recordings, so does my DSP unit- SO WHAT.

I don't get anal about having a pure analogue pathway - I just want the BEST sound & I'm not really fussed about how I get it. Mates of mine who wouldn't touch a digital component have been impressed with the SC-1 & are gobsmacked at the high-quality sound I'm getting from old damaged records.

We all agree the SC-1 doesn't appear to damage the signal until at its near maximum settings.

I wouldn’t be without it now. That has to be the highest recommendation anybody can give to a hi-fi component!