VU meters

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cbdb

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Joined 2008
What did yo want the meters to show? VU meters are normaly (but not always) for pro not consumer levels: 0VU = +4dbu (consumer -10dbu). And you will need to put them before the volume adjust or they wont make sense. So all they will show is the different input levels plus the preamp gain.
 
Steerpike

Steerpike

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Joined 2006
web.eject.co.za/s8nspawn/hifi/ak/index.htm
Real VU meters that conform to the ASA standard are VERY expensive. Few moving coil meters on audio equipment (other than pro equipment) are true VU meters.
Usually though, the characteristics are determined by a combination of the drive electronics and the movement balistics, so even if you have a 'cheap' movement that doesn't behave 'nicely', it can be made to behave with suitable drive circuits.

My view: Buy the prettiest ones (of those two, the Sonys), then design around their capabilities.
Ones with a translucent scale - that can be back lit - appeal to me. Not all can be lit this way - some designs put the magnet right in the way of where you want the light bulb.
 
Mace_Hacker

Mace_Hacker

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Joined 2008
angelfire.com/poetry/sandcastle/
Nrik said:
The only real difference between Pro and consumer 'meters' is precision in linearity and calibration.
So basically : Yes - for home use they will work just as good, provided that you make a good quality driver and spends some time adjusting the thing.

Check this out
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention Rod's site since it is one of his projects. I guess I should pick what I want then ask Rod about them.
 
Mace_Hacker

Mace_Hacker

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Joined 2008
angelfire.com/poetry/sandcastle/
Steerpike said:
Real VU meters that conform to the ASA standard are VERY expensive. Few moving coil meters on audio equipment (other than pro equipment) are true VU meters.
Usually though, the characteristics are determined by a combination of the drive electronics and the movement balistics, so even if you have a 'cheap' movement that doesn't behave 'nicely', it can be made to behave with suitable drive circuits.

My view: Buy the prettiest ones (of those two, the Sonys), then design around their capabilities.
Ones with a translucent scale - that can be back lit - appeal to me. Not all can be lit this way - some designs put the magnet right in the way of where you want the light bulb.
Click to expand...

Any suggestions besides the ones I listed?
 
Steerpike

Steerpike

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Joined 2006
web.eject.co.za/s8nspawn/hifi/ak/index.htm
Oh, one extra thing: If you put a VU meter on the output end of a pre-amp (after the volume), it will spend most of its life not moving, reading -20dB, since normal listening levels are mostly more than 20dB below the 0dB (max volume) of an amplifier.
To get a nice visual display of music that also reflects the volume setting (the sort of meters on the big power amps of the 1970s) you'd need a log amplifier to expand the meter's scale.

I couldn't find a really ideal example on the WWW a few months ago when I searched. I was going to 'steal' the driver circuit from the ReVox B740 amp (th schematics of which are on the www in several sites).

If you are feeling rich, Sifam make a range of VERY pretty new ones:
http://www.sifammeters.com/
 
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E

Enzo

Member
Joined 2004
Some confusion: There is a difference between a VU meter as a piece of equipment versus the meter movement as a part within a piece of equpment. The latter merely has to perform with the rest of the circuit to meet the specs, while the former meets the standards on its own. SO the "VU meters" in some piece of consumer gear are probably simple meters, not necessarily of a given current range, since the amplifier circuit will be driving them separately.
 
C

cbdb

Member
Joined 2008
Mace_Hacker said:
I wanted them to show the preamp levels. The preamp project is one of Rod Elliot's (P66) I will be using 2 P66 boards making a total of 2 stereo channels. I wanted one meter for each channel.
Click to expand...

A VU meter is for setting line levels. If you put the meter after the volume control it wont get much over -20 till you turn it up to almost full level (same as on the amp) . It you want it to show sytem power youll need a meter with more like a 60db range.
 
B

bambo

Member
Joined 2006
DIY VU meters

Hi there,

I don't know whether you have found these docs on the web. I found them very interesting. This one is about making a VU meter out of an 'ordinary' small signal analogue panel meter, and this second one is really special, about a "volume unit meter that spans a 60 dB range" :cool:.

enjoy your music!
Mark
 
john65b

john65b

Member
Joined 2005
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I am looking for the same setup. I don't care of accuracies and complex circuits and such., just the the needle moves in some semblance to the music.

Mine is one of those Aleph X round jobbies of Fleabay. It is one that the needle is centered in the middle and swings both sides and measures 600 ohms...I can re-center the needle to one side easy enough...but wonder if there is a way to attach it across the two + ends of the SE Inputs to swing the differential voltage between them

With a cool blue LED installed, irt should look quite nice.
 
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