I use a 6 channel Logitek LED PPM/VU meter. They run cheaper than the Dorroughs but still do the job nicely - and have the advantage of some of them being in a compact (but still easy to read) 1RU design.
Logitek: Products
The first two channels I have fed from my Coleman monitor controllers meter out so that I can see the level of whatever I have chosen as input. Nice for making sure the levels going into the process chain are set correctly, or for quickly checking level of a reference CD a client brings in without having to load it into the DAW first.
The next two channels are fed from the secondary outputs on the DAC (it has both XLR and TRS balanced outs that are fed the signal simultaneously) that is fed from my capture DAW so that I can see whatever final level I have set without looking at the DAW.
And the final channels are fed by the secondary outputs my turntable pre (which has both XLR and RCA outs going at the same time). Lets me compare levels on test records that clients bring in - not that this happens much - but I wasn't using the 5/6 channels until I hooked this up as I don't ever do any surround.
As far as digital metering - the Sonoris Meter makes a nice cheaper alternative to the Waves Dorrough -
Meter - Sonoris Audio Engineering
Best regards,
Steve Berson
Best regards,
Steve Berson