Which lm3916 circuit to build?

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I'm getting ready to build up a VU meter with a pair of lm3916 for show, and also to monitor input to some amplifiers, and was curious as to which circuit from the datasheet would be a better general purpose use design, figure 5, figure 6, or figure 7.

I want peak hold, bar (not dot) style and average volume level to be read out. Would figure 5 or 6 be best for this? Any tips or ideas to make it better?

Also, would an lm324 quad opamp work for both channels, or should I use a basic pair of dual opamps like the opa2132p?
 
If you want a VU meter then use the VU meter style of circuit, i.e. fig7 into SIG.
If you want peak detecting, then feed Fig6 into the SIG.
Looks like you use pin9 for bar mode.

Looks like figure 7 it is then.

Do you think building it up with a gain of 1, or gain of 10 would be more useful? I'm thinking 10 would be best, as it can simply be attenuated if needed.

Thanks!
 
LM 3916 is desing to control recording level and other critical applications the scale have small dB steps around zero dB and the steps get bigger when you are far from 0 dB..

LM 3915 have 3dB steps all the way and is more usefull to monitor power level at the output of an amplifier ...

Unless you want to monitor to keep the amp just below clipping then go to LM 3916

LM 3914 is a linear scale but not a dB scale it is a voltage scale.
 
LM 3916 is desing to control recording level and other critical applications the scale have small dB steps around zero dB and the steps get bigger when you are far from 0 dB..

LM 3915 have 3dB steps all the way and is more usefull to monitor power level at the output of an amplifier ...

Unless you want to monitor to keep the amp just below clipping then go to LM 3916

LM 3914 is a linear scale but not a dB scale it is a voltage scale.

Yup, per the thread title, I'm going to build the lm3916 up. The original question was which circuit from the datasheet would be best for the input circuitry.
I've attached the screenshot of the circuit, figure 7.
 

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