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Douk VU3 Review (VU Meters)

KEFCarver

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For what it is worth, I use one this" VU meter" , but as a power meter. It is hooked up to the pre-out of my integrated amp, and calibrated so that 0dB is max power out of the amp. I am not sure if it causes any distortion when hooked up- will need to measure that one day. I think they have a newer version on Amazon. I have two other LED power meters I built using LEDs (I have this thing for LED power meters) that measure directly at the speakers.
IMG_1432.jpg
 

pseudoid

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That hardware on the left of your photo: Iz dat a Carver?
 

pseudoid

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You mean you want to actually read the meter?
"Sounds" like the HocusPocus or the FengShui effect I used to think I got from the glow of my MC275' tubes, when the lights were turned off.
 

KEFCarver

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That hardware on the left of your photo: Iz dat a Carver?
You have a great eye. It is my C1 which I just recapped per the "Bill D Mod", except for the phono loading caps. To be honest, it was pretty much a waste of time as the old caps were fine best I could tell.
 

pseudoid

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Spartoz

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Hi guys,
Thanks for the review.
So now I'm wondering, is this thing crap or not? I don't have a really hifi setup, is this vu meter really gonna mess with my sound, like in real life, could you really tell? I'm really tempted by the design and the amp with vu meters that I'm currently using is dying and I'm gonna replace it with some class D amp.
Thanks!
 

pseudoid

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... is this thing crap or not? I don't have a really hifi setup,...could you really tell? I'm really tempted ...
The best answer is 'it depends'.
Say, you really wanted to view VUs but for how long?
Properly designed/integrated power-amp w/2 VU meters may cost you an extra $45[?] at best.
Train your ears to hear the peaks (distortion) and that way you can spend the cost on a better power-amp; sans VU.
All those ASR peeps, getting nostalgic and/or romantic about VU meters (self included), have more than enough audio toys to get lavish with such add-ons.
They probably disable the VU meters, after a while...:D
 

Kommi

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Kinda wondering, have you made any progress with something like this @tomchr? I'd love a better version of this without the switching that I can plug in to my speakers because I only have one source.
 

tomchr

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I'm not currently working on it. Also, the prices mentioned here aren't exactly enticing me to spend any time pursuing VU meters.

Tom
 

Kommi

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I'm not currently working on it. Also, the prices mentioned here aren't exactly enticing me to spend any time pursuing VU meters.

Tom
Yeah that's fair enough. I'd mostly be in it for a kit honestly. Probably like 250$ maybe? Build my own box because I wanna go overboard.
 

tomchr

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If others are willing to pay $250 as well, I'd be interested. Last I pecked at it, I ran out of analog options pretty quickly. It seems the old bar graph driver ICs have been discontinued.

Programming a micro controller to sample the audio and drive the LEDs should be manageable. Maybe we'll talk in 2023 when you can actually buy a micro controller again... Not joking, sadly. The 500 micro controllers I ordered in April will ship in January of 2023 ... if the manufacturer doesn't push the delivery date out further. 18 months ago these were in stock by the tens of thousands.

Tom
 

Kommi

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Oh god... Yeah. I'm actually amazed and pleasantly surprised they haven't just cancelled your order. Finding any kind of supplies has been an absolute disaster the last two years.
 

tomchr

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Yeah. That's probably next. The original ship date was last month. Then sometime next spring. Then summer. Then "will advise". Then January 2023. I suspect I'll have to call the distributor and give them updated credit card information before the order will ship, assuming it ever will. The card will likely expire before they ship. Oh, well... :)

Tom
 

Doodski

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Yeah. That's probably next. The original ship date was last month. Then sometime next spring. Then summer. Then "will advise". Then January 2023. I suspect I'll have to call the distributor and give them updated credit card information before the order will ship, assuming it ever will. The card will likely expire before they ship. Oh, well... :)

Tom
This silicon die shortage is out of control. It's hitting me hard on the video card front. I sold my GTX1080 with the idea in mind to buy a new card and a month later card prices doubled and tripled. Even used cards are outrageously priced. I'm not expensing myself thousands of dollars for a video card. That's madness. :facepalm: I think when all those supply chain issues and silicone die issues really start to affect people will be in 1-2 years when peeps such as yourself can't get stuff and they are basically held hostage to the shortage and we the consumer can't get product.
 
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tomchr

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Yep. I'm definitely concerned. Not so much for the immediate future, but next fall could be dicey. I've done what I can to order parts ahead of time and am picking up some consulting gigs to backfill lost income. I'll be alright.

I also do whatever I can to keep my 2010 vintage car running...

Tom
 

Doodski

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I also do whatever I can to keep my 2010 vintage car running...
That's a entirely different ball of wax although the same base issues. I drove past new car lots the other day and saw the lots where sparsely inventoried. The people with good used cars are hanging onto them because things are going to get worse before they get better. Unfortunately my beloved 1977 MG Midget was totaled by a new driver that had a driver's license for 3 weeks and most any car replacing it will probably have lotsa electronics in it. I was reading yesterday that a semiconductor fab facility costs upwards of $60 billion now when before they where about $16 billion. So the article was explaining that there are few peeps that have the capitol, resources and the want to build another fab facility.
 

tomchr

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Yeah. You don't just start a fab. It also takes time to get the process and the equipment dialled in. At National we were always a bit leery about the first lot out after the Christmas shutdown. I'm not sure how much that fear was rooted in reality and how much was left over from a time when semiconductor manufacturing was a lot more of a "fly by the seats of your pants" operation than it is now. I would also imagine that the various semiconductor houses are in a bit of a balancing act right now. They don't want to sink $B into fabs only to have them sit idle two years from now.

Tom
 

Doodski

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Yeah. You don't just start a fab. It also takes time to get the process and the equipment dialled in. At National we were always a bit leery about the first lot out after the Christmas shutdown. I'm not sure how much that fear was rooted in reality and how much was left over from a time when semiconductor manufacturing was a lot more of a "fly by the seats of your pants" operation than it is now. I would also imagine that the various semiconductor houses are in a bit of a balancing act right now. They don't want to sink $B into fabs only to have them sit idle two years from now.

Tom
All I can think and say is, "What a mess." Something needs to be done to prevent this supply issue from happening again. :facepalm:
 
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