Douk VU3 Review (VU Meters)

[pseudoid]

I still have my nostalgia and preference for large glass-face actual physical VU

I've never been a fan of "Idiot Lights" either and I am old enough to know the virtues of nulling out the parallax effect...
Is that nostalgic enough?

 

[dualazmak]

I completed my DIY of 12-VU-Meter Array using the nice NISHIZAWA R-65 VU meter with large glass-face (face size 100Wx40H mm) and high-grade 2700K LED illumination;

If you would be interested, please visit my post here on my project thread for the details;
- 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 on the project thread.

Edit:
As shared here, NISHIZAWA R-65 VU meter plus ATV205EXT VU amp board is fully compatible with IEC 60268-17 VU meter specification/standard.

 

[sjeesjie]

I apologize for offending anyone, but do we really need to waste Amir's time and ASR space with these silly products?
Need VU meters? Buy Accuphase or Mcintosh, whatever... Can't afford it? Then get some virtual VUs on your display or tablet and don't mess with extra cables or waste SINAD.

A bit late on this comment but I really appreciate these measurements. I almost bought it, (not for the VU meters but they’re a nice welcome). Seemed like a harmless little device but it degrades the whole thing after all.

 

[Sedgebo]

I apologize for offending anyone, but do we really need to waste Amir's time and ASR space with these silly products?
Need VU meters? Buy Accuphase or Mcintosh, whatever... Can't afford it? Then get some virtual VUs on your display or tablet and don't mess with extra cables or waste SINAD.

Actually I was looking for a switch box for 2 amps in, 1 speaker conn out. This so far is the only one that is configured that way, although it has the option of outputting to one of two sets of speakers. I don't really want the meters, but they come with the unit. So...it's not a "silly product" from that perspective. If someone knows of a 2 in, 1 out (that would be 8 leads in, 4 leads out), please offer up!
Thanks

 

[pseudoid]

We have been admiring all varieties of VU meters but the coolest would be a few of these fake nixie tubes (@$20 ea.) in a nice matching DIY box:

And marrying them to a tube amp.

I currently switch between two pairs of speakers with a Beresford TC-7210 - this has a couple of decent quality rocker switches on the front panel.
It's actually intended to switch 2x amplifiers to one pair of speakers, but works just as well the "wrong" way round.

Using such switchers can cause bad problems at the output of tube amplifiers.

 

[polmuaddib]

Actually I was looking for a switch box for 2 amps in, 1 speaker conn out. This so far is the only one that is configured that way, although it has the option of outputting to one of two sets of speakers. I don't really want the meters, but they come with the unit. So...it's not a "silly product" from that perspective. If someone knows of a 2 in, 1 out (that would be 8 leads in, 4 leads out), please offer up!
Thanks

I've already explained. I wasn't aware of the switch function which is legitimate. I reffered to VU meters, because at the time, there were many gimmicks beeing tested with VU meters, solely for the purpose of adding them. I apologize for my oversight, once again.

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

The best place for this kind of device is between pre & power amps or in an EQ loop (where present on an integrated amp), with some simple method of calibration. It would also benefit from a decent PSU and not running it off cheap switch mode power supplies.

Putting any additional resistance (cheap relays*) in the speaker chain is never a good idea.

*those relays might be cheap iron framed relays which Self has demonstrated introduce a lot of distortion because the signal is being passed through the iron frame.

I currently switch between two pairs of speakers with a Beresford TC-7210 - this has a couple of decent quality rocker switches on the front panel.

It's actually intended to switch 2x amplifiers to one pair of speakers, but works just as well the "wrong" way round.

View attachment 155358

How does it work? Does it mean the left speaker can select the signals from AMP A, and the right speaker can select signals from AMP B?

 

[lordearl]

Re-igniting an old thread - what is a good device (passive or active - ie. with or without VU meters) for A-B testing of two different power amplifiers using a single set of speakers?

 

[KEFCarver]

Not to toot my own horn, but check this out:

Technical Review of the NJ&FX AUDIO PW-6 “HiFi Audio Power Switcher” (A/B switch)

This is a review of the NJ&FXAUDIO PW-6 “HiFi Audio Power Switcher”. I had been looking for an A/B speaker/amplifier switcher and really liked the Douk VU3 “Little Bear”, which I purchased. I was happy with until I tested it and discovered that it had a +1dB boost in the frequency response at...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[lordearl]

Not to toot my own horn, but check this out:

Technical Review of the NJ&FX AUDIO PW-6 “HiFi Audio Power Switcher” (A/B switch)

This is a review of the NJ&FXAUDIO PW-6 “HiFi Audio Power Switcher”. I had been looking for an A/B speaker/amplifier switcher and really liked the Douk VU3 “Little Bear”, which I purchased. I was happy with until I tested it and discovered that it had a +1dB boost in the frequency response at...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Excellent!
I was looking at passive units like these:

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However this NJ&FXAUDIO PW-6 takes it to the next level!

In theory would a passive switcher affect the audio signal less than an active one?

 

[KEFCarver]

I also use one of these passive switchers to switch between an A/V amp and a Vintage integrated amp and the same set of speakers- it works great. THe one in the review uses a remote which is easier for a/b testing:

Amazon.com

The passive amp would affect the signal less, but it the one in the review I did is basically passive in that it is switches, just like the manual one, but in the form of relays that are switched. In this case neither affects the signal much.

 

[audio_tony]

How does it work? Does it mean the left speaker can select the signals from AMP A, and the right speaker can select signals from AMP B?

No. You would either use it with 2 amps to one pair of speakers, or 1 amp to 2 pairs of speakers.

 

[dualazmak]

Just for your reference,,,

Note: I am an end user audio enthusiast and I have no conflict of interest at all with any of the manufacturers, import companies, distributors and audio shops relevant to this post. This post is not intending to intensively share objective and/or subjective evaluations of the audio gears, but I would like to share about how carefully the manufacturer(s) avoid magnetizable metals in SP selectors and line selecters.

Even though I shared this info here and here on the remote threads, just for our nice reference, let me share again on this thread; I do hope your browser would properly translate these web pages into English. Sorry, but I do not know whether they would accept international purchase order or not.
https://audiodesign.co.jp/
SP selectors;
https://audiodesign.co.jp/HAS/HAS-3S.html
AMP + SP selectors;
https://audiodesign.co.jp/HAS/HAS-33S.html
Line selectors;
https://audiodesign.co.jp/HAS/HAS-3L.html
Balance Line selectors;
https://audiodesign.co.jp/HAS/HAS-3LB.html
Dual Line selectors;
https://audiodesign.co.jp/HAS/HAS-33L.html

 

[lordearl]

I also use one of these passive switchers to switch between an A/V amp and a Vintage integrated amp and the same set of speakers- it works great. THe one in the review uses a remote which is easier for a/b testing:

Amazon.com

The passive amp would affect the signal less, but it the one in the review I did is basically passive in that it is switches, just like the manual one, but in the form of relays that are switched. In this case neither affects the signal much.

I notice some manufacturers appear to have dummy loadings depending on the type of power amplifier attached to the switcher, eg - HEAREAL make two switchers - the Z4 which appears to have relays but be entirely passive (like the NJ&FXAUDIO PW-6) linked below:

Heareal Z4

But they also have a dedicated amp switched for tube amplifiers as well, the Z3 linked below:

Heareal Z3

I need to alternate between a tube amplifier and gainclone solid state amp, is this sort of loading within the passive switcher important?

 

[KEFCarver]

Some of the switchers have a load on the outputs, maybe 100ohm, 10w. I know the one I did the review on does not, neither does the other, basic one, I mentioned. I do not know the thinking for having them other than possibly having a small load on the amps for reasons that I don't know. I will be switching between a tube amp and a solid state one at sometime and will let you know how it goes...

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

No. You would either use it with 2 amps to one pair of speakers, or 1 amp to 2 pairs of speakers.

If it is 1 amp to 2 pairs of speakers, can the 2 pairs of speakers work at the same time?

 

[KEFCarver]

If it is 1 amp to 2 pairs of speakers, can the 2 pairs of speakers work at the same time?

No- it is either one pair or the other pair..

 

[lordearl]

No- it is either one pair or the other pair..

that's right - 2 in and 1 out or vice versa

I've gone down quite a rabbit-hole in terms of checking out what is available on the market for these switchers (short of building one myself), and settled on this one:

LINEPAUDIO 2 in 4 Out Speaker Selector Switch Box 4 Zone Amplifier and Speaker Selector with Volume Control Banana Jack 6.5mm Earphone Jack : Amazon.com.au: Electronics

LINEPAUDIO 2 in 4 Out Speaker Selector Switch Box 4 Zone Amplifier and Speaker Selector with Volume Control Banana Jack 6.5mm Earphone Jack : Amazon.com.au: Electronics

amzn.asia

Allows for a lot of flexibility on the amp/speakers and also as a headphone monitoring socket, which I assume is wired by way of a simple resistor array. I'll report back once received and tested.

 

[audio_tony]

If it is 1 amp to 2 pairs of speakers, can the 2 pairs of speakers work at the same time?

Not with the switch I have, no.

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

No- it is either one pair or the other pair..

But in sometimes I would want my 2 pairs of speakers play at the same time, see 2 pairs in my 2 rooms, do you have such switcher to recommend?