16 channel vu meter

[Mister_magister]

Hello, I am back again with another whacky creation so let me get to the point, hope you enjoy!:

Q&A:

• How?
  • I fetch the volume level from camilladsp over websocket, which gives me level per channel, and then feed that over serial to arduino pro micro, which then talks to the PCA9685 in order to control all 16 voltmeters. Additionally pro micro was previously translating IR remote to keyboard input and that is still integrated and the ir receiver led is in the case
• W…why?
  • Since everything is EQ'd and amp is not that strong, the volume level might be often too quiet purely because song is quiet, but i could technically boost the volume and still not peak. So I added like 30dB boost but now I needed a indicator that clipping is happening and needed nice spot to put the indicator led. Then i thought since i'm gonna fetch info from camilladsp anyway why not fetch the volume and make VU meters and HECK VU METERS ARE COOL
• Ahh you cheeky bastard those are voltmeters not VU meters!
  • Yeah I'll do VU labels on later date as I'm tired of making everything *16
• Are you gonna add backlight to them?
  • No, its home theater, i don't need light bleed.
• Do you even have 16 channels?
  • My DAC (18i20) can do 20 balanced analog outputs so i'm technically undercutting the channels. Honestly i don't remember why i settled on 16 but it just makes sense (i think atmos has 16 channel limit iirc) because like 7.4.4 = 15 or like 9.2.4 or if i had 7.2 and wanted to drive high and low speakers of the speakers then that would double the outputs making it 12+1(center channel)+2 which is also 15. Currently i have 5.1
• Do you realize this has nothing to do with actual VU values?
  • Yeap, this is mostly for "haha the arrows go brrrrrr" as its not actual VU its just the digital side, still helps with monitoring i guess
• Is your center channel standing on vaccum cleaner box?
  • shhhhh, its our secret now (send help)

Some more photos and video:

Fully loaded lackrack, htpc, dac (18i20), amp (custom case but inside psu and XH-TDA7498 based 6 channel amp)

video: https://pomf2.lain.la/f/8yjtlhf8.mp4 (phones are really struggling to record it)

 

[Keith_W]

Very cool!

 

[Randyman...]

This has @dualazmak written all over it

Lovely work!

 

[DWPress]

Yup, cool.

 

[Rednaxela]

This has @dualazmak written all over it

Let’s hope he’s not drinking away the realization that he only has twelve.

 

[Randyman...]

That rack of VU's would look VERY at-home above my (2x) 8-Channel DIY racks of discrete Hardy/API/Millenia/Neve mic preamp clones from Seventh Circle.

(the Bottom 2 units in that pic)

 

[dualazmak]

This has @dualazmak written all over it

Lovely work!

Thank you for your referring to my DIY-built IEC 60268-17 Compatible Large-Glass-Face 12-VU-Meter Array in my audio project;
- My nostalgia and preference for large glass-face VU meters: DIY of 12-VU-Meter Array in multichannel multi-driver multi-way multi-amplifier stereo audio system: #535

Here, let me briefly join with OP @Mister_magister and all of you by copy-pasting just three photos and some links from that my specific post, as follows, under the spoiler cover;

Spoiler

For the details, please visit my post on my project thread;
- My nostalgia and preference for large glass-face VU meters: DIY of 12-VU-Meter Array in multichannel multi-driver multi-way multi-amplifier stereo audio system: #535

- Dancing video of my IEC 60268-17 compatible large glass-face DIY 12-VU-Meter Array
_____Part-1: with "High Frequency Linearity Check Track" of Sony Super Audio Check CD: #750
_____Part-2: with typical "Full Orchestra Music"-1: #751
_____Part-3: with typical "Full Orchestra Music"-2: #752
_____Part-4: with typical "Jazz Piano Trio Music": #753

- New video clips of dancing 12-VU-Meter Array (IEC 60268-17 compatible) together with all the on-screen Peak Meters of audio software tools while playing reference/sampler music tracks by JRiver MC, ADOBE Audition 3.0.1 and MusicScope 2.1.0:
_____Part-1: using a typical reference/sampler music track suitable for high-Fq (treble) transient music sound: #974
_____Part-2: using a typical reference/sampler music track suitable for mainly checking and tuning of low Fq (bass) transient music sound as well as total tonality Fq-SPL balance all over 15 Hz to 22 kHz: #975

 

[Randyman...]

Sexy!

@Mister_magister - I almost thought I read that the PC looking thing was your power amp. I almost shat myself lol (blew my mind for a minute there). But then realized the amp was the 2RU "Blank" chassis. Still very very cool - but maybe do that in a PC case so I can actually crap my pants next time

 

[Mister_magister]

Wait - The "PC" looking thing is your POWER AMP?

Wow - WAY COOL. +1,000,000 points!!!!

ye but its just a case, its mostly empty, it has 36V 600W psu in it and https://store.sure-electronics.com/product/114 this amp

 

[Rednaxela]

View attachment 412282

Ah it’s fourteen. I stand corrected.

Great picture by the way!

 

[Randyman...]

ye but its just a case, its mostly empty, it has 36V 600W psu in it and https://store.sure-electronics.com/product/114 this amp

yes very cool! I initially thought the bottom unit (the actual PC) was your amp - lol. I deleted and re-posted due to my error...

 

[Mister_magister]

Ah it’s fourteen. I stand corrected.

Great picture by the way!

the array itself is 12 though

 

[kemmler3D]

Totally wild! This is basically a dial-based spectrum analyzer, no?

 

[Randyman...]

Totally wild! This is basically a dial-based spectrum analyzer, no?

Assuming @Mister_magister 's 18i20 has per-output DSP EQ/Filters (Like RME TotalMix FX), then I don't see why not! Could set HP/LP pass-bands as desired for each meter.

 

[dualazmak]

Ah it’s fourteen. I stand corrected.

Great picture by the way!

the array itself is 12 though

Yes, the array itself is 12!

If I would also count YAMAHA A-S3000's and ACCUPHASE E-460's, the total is 16, though...

Spoiler

 

[Mister_magister]

Totally wild! This is basically a dial-based spectrum analyzer, no?

basically

 

[Mister_magister]

Assuming @Mister_magister 's 18i20 has per-output DSP EQ/Filters (Like RME TotalMix FX), then I don't see why not! Could set HP/LP pass-bands as desired for each meter.

yeap camilladsp is outputting 20 channels and 18i20 is DAC'ing them, though currently there are only 6 in use