VU Meters

[BruceTheProduce]

Hi folks
I recenlty got 2 Vu Meters ( just the meters) and I really wanna hook 'em up to mt DAW. I've gotten some circuitry info but it really isn't that clear to me still. If any of you have any further BASIC ideas on how to complete the circuit, please post a reply. Thanks

[idylldon]

Originally Posted by BruceTheProduce

Hi folks
I recenlty got 2 Vu Meters ( just the meters) and I really wanna hook 'em up to mt DAW. I've gotten some circuitry info but it really isn't that clear to me still. If any of you have any further BASIC ideas on how to complete the circuit, please post a reply. Thanks

Post your question here . It's the best DIY source I've found on the net.

Cheers,
--
Don

Not meaning to diss, but those are not true VU meters - they will be fun to look at perhaps but not accurate to the standards. It may not matter, being only a reference for you, but just because it says VU does not make them accurate - and I'll guarantee you these will not be accurate!

Look up the standards if you want to see what I mean:
the introduction to this arrticle explains a little, and there is a nice circuit you could build:

http://sound.westhost.com/project55.htm

more info at http://www.coopersound.com/buzz.htm

and google will bring lots more. Have fun but don't use them as absolute indications of anything!

Lou

[brianroth]

Bruce, are you just looking for "eyecandy" or something that behaves according to the old ANSI specs?

As others have mentioned, the odds of those meters you show of meeting the ANSI specs are about zero. Also, it's not apparent if the meters you have include the AC rectifier which is a "must". I picked up some cheapos for a "lark" and they require external rectifers. Glad they were only $3 apiece!

REAL VU meters these days are available from only a few companies (Hoyt, Triplet, Modutec, Crompton, Sifam) and cost in the $75-up range.

Bri

Try this:

http://www.pspaudioware.com/download/docs/PSPvm.pdf

<L>

[BruceTheProduce]

well, they were cheapos too, i got them for like $8.00 on ebay. I just wanted to actually build the circuit my self and see how they worked. And maybe just eye candy if they actually worked. I reference to the ones my Tascam Fw 1884 peak meters has, but hey i'll learn more by building them. thanks for the info guys.

[Tim Farrant]

If you are looking for something a bit more like a real VU, you can get these...

Audioshop

They require an external rectifier, but a small PCB with a trimpot and rectifier diodes will be available shortly.

Cheers
Tim.

[brianroth]

Bruce, one BIG unknown is whether or not those meters you have include the internal rectifier that allows them to be directly driven from an audio signal. Many of the small, inexpensive meters (like those I bought from All Electronics a year or three ago) are just DC milliammeters with a VU scale printed on the front. *Those* require additional circuitry to be useable as an audio level meter.

A meter with an internal rectifier will always deflect "upscale" regardless of the polarity of the signal applied to the terminals. I guess there's a test you need to make. Just shooting from the hip here, but try wiring a 10K resistor in series with the meter and then use the Ohms range on your meter to see if the needle deflects to the right regardless of which way you measure the resistance across the R plus meter.

Bri