Douk VU3 Review (VU Meters)

[shal]

What is the purpose of these VU Meters anyway? I never understood why people like/want them other than for nostalgia?

In one hour, I will take my car and will buy a Yamaha PC2002M . I already have a PC2002 . The difference between PC2002 and PC2002M..... There is VU meter.

Yes , only the nostalgia. My personal approach that how a good amplifier should be

 

[Jimster480]

In one hour, I will take my car and will buy a Yamaha PC2002M . I already have a PC2002 . The difference between PC2002 and PC2002M..... There is VU meter.

Yes , only the nostalgia. My personal approach that how a good amplifier should be

Alright, so it is just nostalgia. I guess since I have none of that as I grew up past the age of these existing I am safe then

 

[Helicopter]

What is the purpose of these VU Meters anyway? I never understood why people like/want them other than for nostalgia?

They can tell you if you are clipping, they can tell you if things are getting loud enough to get into higher distortion, they can give a visual reference for how loud you are playing, and most important, they look cool.

 

[Helicopter]

I might ask why the meters are missing on so many amps these days?

Orange VFD meters and 'vellum paper' analog meters are so lovely.

Even the green/yellow/red Focusrite indicators are great and super useful.

I wonder how many metered variants manufacrurers could sell of Vidar M, AHB2 M, etc.

 

[pjug]

I'd love to see someone make the Anthem style as an add-on. I would want volts rather than power into nominal impedance, or at least have volts as an option. The Anthem has true peak, without that I'm not interested. 8:40 in the video.

 

[shal]

In one hour, I will take my car and will buy a Yamaha PC2002M . I already have a PC2002 . The difference between PC2002 and PC2002M..... There is VU meter.

Yes , only the nostalgia. My personal approach that how a good amplifier should be

The amplifier is here . Some work on it has to be done (more that 35 years) but it work well on my JBL 4430.

The deception : the needle is between 0 and 0.01W

And it is not a VU meter it is a Peak meter (with clip indicator)

 

[solderdude]

the needle is between 0 and 0.01W

That's what the little hole under the meter is for.
With power switched off you can use a very small screwdriver and set the meter to 0.

 

[shal]

That's what the little hole under the meter is for.
With power switched off you can use a very small screwdriver and set the meter to 0.

Thank for the comment.
Yes there is a calibration procedure (But use a 100W/8 ohm resistor that I haven't)

But at power off , needles are at 0 as expected.
It's only when I play music that needles moves...between 0 and 0.01W .
Perhaps my 93db speaker and my moderate level of listening is the response
Perhaps , peak meters have need calibration. Don't know.

But the "deception" is a joke. I am happy with my new toy. It work and have just need some attention

 

[pseudoid]

To counter the question as to why VU meters are desired, is like asking a mechanic why he needs all those tools when a crescent wrench and pliers would do the job...
Anyways...
If you really want vintage VU meters, may I interest you in this BRZHiFI power Amp for $210USD?
It's a 100W@6ohm (0.4%THD), ClassA/B ClassH, (thank you restorer-john) amp, based on a set of NOS Sanyo STK412 thick-films.

Just for you; they'll throw in the VU meters and a BT to the bundle free of charge.

 

[RickS]

To counter the question as to why VU meters are desired, is like asking a mechanic why he needs all those tools when a crescent wrench and pliers would do the job...
Anyways...
If you really want vintage VU meters, may I interest you in this BRZHiFI power Amp for $210USD?
It's a 100W@6ohm (0.4%THD), ClassA/B amp, based on a set of NOS Sanyo STK412 thick-films.
View attachment 155776View attachment 155777
Just for you; they'll throw in the VU meters and a BT to the bundle free of charge.

Dolby too?

 

[Grooved]

To counter the question as to why VU meters are desired, is like asking a mechanic why he needs all those tools when a crescent wrench and pliers would do the job...
Anyways...
If you really want vintage VU meters, may I interest you in this BRZHiFI power Amp for $210USD?
It's a 100W@6ohm (0.4%THD), ClassA/B amp, based on a set of NOS Sanyo STK412 thick-films.
View attachment 155776View attachment 155777
Just for you; they'll throw in the VU meters and a BT to the bundle free of charge.

Checked your link and saw this one :

Looks nicer to me, cost less, but specs are lower

 

[Helicopter]

To counter the question as to why VU meters are desired, is like asking a mechanic why he needs all those tools when a crescent wrench and pliers would do the job...
Anyways...
If you really want vintage VU meters, may I interest you in this BRZHiFI power Amp for $210USD?
It's a 100W@6ohm (0.4%THD), ClassA/B amp, based on a set of NOS Sanyo STK412 thick-films.
View attachment 155776View attachment 155777
Just for you; they'll throw in the VU meters and a BT to the bundle free of charge.

I really like the look of the little $245 15W Hood 1969 Weiliang A100:

 

[pseudoid]

Inbred Jeds?
There seems to be much nepotism within the [er.....] far-east audio manufacturers.
Douk, NobSound, Weiliang, BRZHiFi, GZLOZONE, and probably their "Little Bears" relatives[?].
Can anyone shed light?

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

I might ask why the meters are missing on so many amps these days?

Orange VFD meters and 'vellum paper' analog meters are so lovely.

Even the green/yellow/red Focusrite indicators are great and super useful.

I wonder how many metered variants manufacrurers could sell of Vidar M, AHB2 M, etc.

Like this?

 

[Helicopter]

Inbred Jeds?
There seems to be much nepotism within the [er.....] far-east audio manufacturers.
Douk, NobSound, Weiliang, BRZHiFi, GZLOZONE, and probably their "Little Bears" relatives[?].
Can anyone shed light?

It seems common for one firm to have a little brand portfolio, but there are several firms, and I wouldn't call them inbred.

Weiliang store has a lot of BRZHiFi, so I would guess they are both under one firm. Same for little bear, douk, nobsound.

 

[pseudoid]

Check your link and saw this one : Looks nicer to me, cost less, but specs are lower

Tsk, tsk! Sharing a link makes it all the moh bettuh for other ASR fellows and will get your more eyeballs.

 

[restorer-john]

If you really want vintage VU meters, may I interest you in this BRZHiFI power Amp for $210USD?
It's a 100W@6ohm (0.4%THD), ClassA/B amp, based on a set of NOS Sanyo STK412 thick-films.

The STK-412-030 is/was a class H device. For correct operation it needs +/- Vhigh and Vlow rails. It looks like they are running it on the high voltage rails all the time based on the 63WV capacitors and single supply. So, the advantages of decreased dissipation are lost.

That said, the heatsink is grossly inadequate, even for a 30wpc amplifier. And with a 1000uV residual noise (1mV) it's hardly HiFi.

It may make a good doorstop, but that's all.

 

[restorer-john]

Tsk, tsk! Sharing a link makes it all the moh bettuh for other ASR fellows and will get your more eyeballs.

The STK hybrids were and still are cheap, low performance, fragile solutions. They were put in mass market, low end HiFi through the 1980s. Most of the devices I have seen for the last 20 years have been fake STKs, built with SMD devices and made to look like a genuine Sanyo. They just blow up.

We know 100% those "STKs" in the link you posted are fake as the very old 443 hasn't been manufactured for nearly 40 years.

 

[Grooved]

Tsk, tsk! Sharing a link makes it all the moh bettuh for other ASR fellows and will get your more eyeballs.

$55 less (including shipping cost) here : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001121395673.html

Sad there's no option, even for a higher price, for the same look but with something like a TPA3255 to at least get average/good performance

 

[pseudoid]

It may make a good doorstop, but that's all.

A door stop w/VU meters: To explain that to your better half, tell her that you are going to patent it!