Douk VU3 Review (VU Meters)

[Madjalapeno]

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

It's not surprising though. The number of clients who end up ordering mold tools and assemblies from the Far East is depressing.

A medical company we work for was renting entire planes to get parts overnight at the start of the pandemic. It takes a year to fully qualify a new mold tool and set up all the processes. You can't just ship the tools to another vendor, as part of the 'secret sauce' is all the process parameters, assuming the tool is even compatible with the molding machine.

 

[pseudoid]

This silicon die shortage is out of control.

I am thinking the demand for cryptocurrency mining rage is on a down-slope, which should make prices more attractive.
Sorry, I am too lazy to do the research but a few years ago, I had heard that there was also a big shortage of "quality sand" (no, really!).
@Doodski, think of the positive side of your dilemma: Longer you wait, better off you are because next time you pull the trigger, you'd be ahead of the game of tech-obsolescence..., maybe even a new MoBo from Santa if doodski has been a good boy all of 2021. I'll vouch for you, if you wish!.

 

[LuckyLuke575]

I was thinking of getting one of these for the visual appeal, and to see if both channels are playing equally, but after seeing this I wouldn't bother spending the money only to mess with the clean signal coming out of DAC. Thanks for the review.

 

[KEFCarver]

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

For what it is worth, I built a 25LED/ch power meter for about $25, using an Arduino nano, not counting the case to mount everything. The LEDs are programmed to change colors when a certain power level is reached. It does not add any distortion, or very, very little. However, it may not work in bridged power amplifier situations....

 

[TheBatsEar]

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

They are cool? They move and jitter? It's like a bundle of notes shaking or a big butt wiggling. Warms the soul.

BEHOLD, THE DOUK AUDIO VU4!

Of course you need two when you have two channels, to get the full experience.

 

[JSmith]

THE DOUK AUDIO VU4!

Someone in the US has to buy this and send it for testing... XLR plus remote as well;

Four Analog VU Meter MIC Sound Level Display RCA/XLR Switcher Box Audio Adapter 820938276915 | eBay

VU4 is the original 4-channel professtional VU meter designed by Douk Audio, and designed with two display mode to satisfy more needs and get much fun and higher playability: VU Mode: display 2 groups of stereo audio input at the same time, each channel of each group corresponds to a VU meter to...

www.ebay.com.au

VU Mode: display 2 groups of stereo audio input at the same time, each channel of each group corresponds to a VU meter to display the specific input audio level, easily to monitor the music level in real time. The swing of pointer of each group can also be turned off independently.

EQ mode: four VU meters will show different frequency value (100Hz / 1KHz / 3.3KHz / 10KHz).Convenient to monitor the amplitude of specific frequency, just as a music spectrum analyzer to show the input level in different frequencies, very cool and amazing.

Hopefully this one has a proper buffer stage and is reasonably accurate.


JSmith

 

[Madjalapeno]

Hopefully this one has a proper buffer stage and is reasonably accurate.

Third time lucky? Hope so, but ...

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Hopefully this one has a proper buffer stage and is reasonably accurate.


JSmith

I think its a given that the meter ballistics are not going to resemble a real VU meter at all; making a meter movement which conforms to real VU meter specifications is expensive - so much so that even some 'professional' gear of the day didn't have meters which met the spec.

 

[pseudoid]

Of course you need two when you have two channels, to get the full experience.

How many of these will I need if I have a 9.2 system???

 

[TheBatsEar]

How many of these will I need if I have a 9.2 system???

11, if my math is right. Would probably look epic.

 

[dualazmak]

Hello @pseudoid, @TheBatsEar and friends,

Just for your reference, I recently shared this post and this post regarding a professional use 8-Ch VU monitor VUM-A208 having eight (8) of rather large (panel face W76 mm x H35 mm) VU meter unit. The backlight color of each of the 8 VU meters can be selected (white, yellow, purple, red, light-blue, green, blue, off) and the bright/dark switchable for all the meters together.

My plan (still in my mind) is to use VUM-A208 for monitoring amplifiers SP-out level signals branched at the SP-out terminals (or at SP unit's terminals) of the multiple-amplifier multi-driver setup, and I will/shall not use the VU meters' through-out into amplifiers so that I can avoid any possible slight sound degradation/distortion given by the VU meter's through-out circuits. VU meters shall work as just simple visual monitors!

In this case, I need High-to-Low converters (SP high level signal to RCA/XLR level line level signal) such as AudioTechnica AT-HLC150 or AT-HLC130 both of them I fully validated at here and here that they have 20 Hz - 40 kHz plus/minus 1 dB precision in high-to-low conversion (input impedance 500 Ω). I will also use RCA-to-XLR short cables to connect from AT-HLC150's (or AT-HLC130's) RCA-out into the XLR-in of VU Monitor VUM-A208.

 

[ntman]

Many of us want VU meters without having to pay through the nose.

I'd be on board with this.



JSmith

Totally agree, furthermore, this product is not just about VU meter but can be used as speakers /amplifiers selection swithc, which I would even pay more than $200 if there is no obvious ( not so audible if not golden year folks) degradation... This is a very useful product to people who have several pair speakers and amplifiers at home, and I am sure most folks checking out this site would likely have...

 

[pseudoid]

Don't hate me for asking this @dualazmak: Since the novelty will wear off and we are not really doing mixing or recording: Why not clean up one of your old smartphones and use an app to provide the VU metering?

 

[dualazmak]

Of course I do not hate you at all; thank you for your kind suggestion!
And please you would not hate me for my personal nostalgia and preference for old fashion rather big warm physical VU meters!

For possible monitoring of all the 10-channel actual SP high-level signals, I am also considering (still in my brain only) 12-channel VU meter array (including 2 AUX channels) with the Nishizawa R65 VU meter kits in my multichannel multi-driver multi-amplifier streo audio system ;

 

[Doodski]

Of course I do not hate you at all; thank you for your kind suggestion!
And please you would not hate me for my personal nostalgia and preference for old fashion rather big warm physical VU meters!

For possible monitoring of all the 10-channel actual SP high-level signals, I am also considering (still in my brain only) 12-channel VU meter array (including 2 AUX channels) with the Nishizawa R65 VU meter kits in my multichannel multi-driver multi-amplifier streo audio system ;
View attachment 196089

Wowowow. That's going to look awesome and flashy with the meters' backlighting. When people come to visit and see all of those meters dancing they are going to be mesmerized.

 

[arancano]

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.

The VU meters may be considered bling, but the switching functionality is very much appreciated and needed by many. I appreciate knowing the impact of using the device on sonics.

 

[TheBatsEar]

I apologize for offending anyone, but do we really need to waste Amir's time and ASR space with these silly products?

I think it's Amirs time to waste. Just enjoy it

 

[dualazmak]

As just wrote here, I am testing and evaluating Nishizawa R-65 VU kit; so far, it looks very nice...

 

[pseudoid]

Variety of level-meters are available at the DarkwoodDesigns website.

They all appear to be of the FREEware variety for WindowsOS.
Some other audio related simple utilities are also provided.

 

[dualazmak]

Variety of level-meters are available at the DarkwoodDesigns website.
View attachment 209544
They all appear to be of the FREEware variety for WindowsOS.
Some other audio related simple utilities are also provided.

These are interesting free software meters; thank you for the links.

I still have my nostalgia and preference for large glass-face actual physical VU meters monitoring analog line level signals and/or SP high-level signals after high-to-low conversion, though...