And what's behind door number three, Monty? Maybe you didn't have Monty Hall on "Let's Make a Deal" in the UK, but he definitely comes to mind to us Americans of a certain age.
Mijc Osis - not as much as my Nakamichis 350 & 550 ! 😉! Ok I just checked out the 122 series, and nevermind.. They look great - especially the double speed ! Great idea ! I (I wonder what the freq. responses are at 3 3/4 ips!? ) .. and yes, Red Lebanese mostly..
i've said it before, and i'll say it again: your love of flashy lights gives is absolutely everything. i used to be kinda embarrassed about the amount of equipment i bought (for alot of $$$ sometimes) just because i loved the lights and the flashiness, which of course my friends would give me shit for. but you're out here doing the lord's work, making it cool to have LEDs flashing to your music. thank you, good sir.
Yes! I can mostly forgive that the groups of 8 lights are distinct because that's probably how they're soldered at the supplier (chip-on board), but the groups not all being in line is unacceptable.
I love these visual displays for audio. I'm the kind of person that thinks ANY amplifier should have VU meters on them! You find the coolest looking ones too, thanks for that!
Totally agree! Are you *really* playing music if you can't see VU needles bouncing or LEDs dancing? OK, I guess you are, but I just want that visual, too!
"should" eh? What for... pure wankery factor Williston Audio Phool? None of these have a useful VU function - indication of over-modulation during a recording or broadcast application. None can be reliably calibrated. AGC and built in Mic input is 100% proof of the useless wankery value.
I am going to get the third one. The switch is the key extra benefit and the remote tops it off. When I get it I will undo the box and put black tape inside the unit. No electronics engineer me!
A resistor might not work very well, depending on the LED. If you drop the voltage too much it will just turn off. I believe LED household bulbs that are marked as “dimmable” have a circuit that holds the lamp voltage steady while pulse width modulating the current.
@@markjames8664 It's not the LEDs that aren't dimmable in household bulbs, it's the power supply regulating the voltage. Also household dimmers don't regulate the voltage. They basically do pulse width modulation of the sine wave.
My Schitt Mani has an exceptionally bright white LED, brighter and more intense than that green one. I took the case off, taped a piece of paper over the inside of the hole the LED shines through, now it’s a pleasant glow. Shouldn’t be too hard to do the same to the VU meter.
I found my VU meter, the second one in this video, I bought it a long time ago, lost the manual and was looking for some pointers on how to use it, and I ran into this gem of a video! I remembered I watched it when it came out but had forgotten all about it, thanks again mate! Awesome content, and still helpful ❤😊
Ooh! I can imagine getting the second meter myself actually. Response time appears acceptable with the line input, you can actually see if the audio peaks soooomewhat (unlike the one meter you featured in the past that seems to be all random) and I like that you can change the way the lines fall and the sort. Price seems pretty decent too, you know compared to what one has to pay for a used RTW now hehe. Thanks for the video Techmoan!
Those green LEDs could actually be tamed quite easily with the change/addition of a resistor on each one. Just needs a higher value resistor to lower the current, and by extension, it's brightness.
This was a really good one! I am a Sound Designer for game development and was educated using needle VU meters. I miss the analog meter. Great selection.
THANK YOU for making this video-I always thought I was kinda goofy for wanting to have meters and flashing lights on my equipment. As a recording engineer/musician/DJ, these things have been part of my life since 1961, and I have actually purchased equipment based on its flashing lights. In today's youtube world, I wish more people used some sort of meter to standardize the volumes. It seems all day long, the buttons I use the most are volume up and down, to correct for the too loud or too soft clips I encounter.
Gotta say, having a 1-to-4 AND 4-to-1 mux in that last meter is a pretty good idea. Both could be useful for different people and it's cool that they managed to put both options in. Also of course needle VU meters ftw!
I have no idea why RU-vid algorithm recommended me this video, but I'm not disappointed. That's a very nice channel you've got, and even though I have no idea about sound devices I find this video pretty interesting. +1 sub for sure!
Great video just like always. For a while you've been another reason I look forward to the weekend. Thought it was about time I told you. Please keep going for many years to come Techmoan. Great stuff
The segment components usually host 8 LEDs, to be driven by an 8-bit shift register, and not only are they not straight, but every 8 LEDs you get a larger space between them.
You know I didn't even notice that, what I noticed was the on the bottom row, the end section of the red LEDS are slightly more red, you really notice it right around 6:13 the last 8 or so, which I couldn't tell you how that happened, like either they are getting slightly different power, or different manufacture, crappy build quality on the builder of the LEDS, very odd.
Thanks for doing this. I had been browsing VU meters on ebay for my recording setup at home but never bought any or could decide. But I definitely could use the nice one you found. It's funny, a Chinese brand that actually has a brand name on it! They must actually care about their product then. I think that's the first time I've seen that.
I like my modern receiver for all the inputs and features plus 7.2 surround but I do miss the days of all the cool lights and meters. My Dad's Technics had meter and cool lights and I remember playing with those Awia shelf systems back in the day that had a fancy light show on the front and loved mine.
0:43 I like the visual joke you took the time to insert here. You always strike a good balance between fun and business in your videos. My favorites will always be the chess savant sketch and the puppet youtuber, "Lichen Subscribe".
That minidisc player you were using in the VU/Switchbox part of the video was the same minidisc player I had here in America when i was younger, been years since I have seen one of those, thanks for showing it, brings back some memories for me of loading music and that Sonic stage software.
it could also be very handy if like me your amp has one 1 tape out but your have multiple recording devices, I can go to Cassette, minidisk, and reel to reel. but it usually requires me to move cables around.
Would be great to see you get into more DIY stuff. You obviously have the aptitude and interest. Would love to see you set up a little bench op lab with a cheap oscilloscope, benchtop multimeter, function generator, the basic soldering stuff and things like that. It would blow your mind how cheaply you can set up a very functional benchtop laboratory. It truly is the golden age for cheap high end test equipment and tools. Would be one of the all-time best electronic channels!
I love comparisons - each has a specific use. I have been looking for good old fashion analog VU meters and have been nostalgic from my radio broadcasting days. I thought they stopped making them years ago. I always test my VU meters with a 1 kHz tone oscilator for level adjustment as I find many audio levels as being too hot from electronic devices.
I liked the one with the real moving needle meter it looked real good, I was just about to comment earlier and say it would have been great had they have been lit, and then in the next clip there it is lit up, including the over bright green LED.
I have little to no interest in the subjects you talk about in your videos , but every time you upload a video I find myself watching it. Thank you sir.
I really appreciate your little correcting on the second UV Meter at 16:50 ! Its visuals are perfect for me, and it seems to work well and offer good control over the reactions. The third one is the best in many ways, but its hard to see from a distance.
Techmoan I always watch your videos and I have to tell you ... Really fun and always interesting. Thank you for sharing this with us. Peace and love and of course enjoyment. Greetings from the Netherlands Limburg Maastricht. Stay safe with your family. ✌😘👌👍😉🥳
Thanks for this video. I ordered the last meter with the twin VUs but with the incandescent bulbs. It looks great in a temporary home beneath the TV. In a few days it'll be joining my open reel tape machine.
man every time you got a new video out I have to watch it asap... this one really liked, I have to buy that uv meter with the needles. I got a project that that should fit in
After watching your 2016 video I did some research on building a VU meter switchbox and what it would take to manufacture a small run of them! Nice to see these guys brought it to completion!
The little bear one is actually very accurate, it's all pro meter parts, you'd just have to put your own scale on it and of course calibrate it to whatever you're metering.
"One little bear", the company that made the second one, are the same company who made that terrible portable headphone amp you reviewed two or three years ago that just added hiss to everything. I rewatched some old videos whilst ill recently and recognise the name and typeface on the logo.
I am so glad I found your video and channel. Firstly, VERY well done video and commentary. I have been looking for a combination VU meter for quite some time and also more information on the Little Bear VU switcher. I have 2 of the APM-200 meters (a 100 and a 500 as well) and they’re OK but not perfect. Biggest thing I wanted in those is to boost the meter gain as I don’t want to have to crank up my stereo volume all the way to get the meters to work. You answered all my questions and I am going to purchase a VU2! Thanks again and look forward to checking out more of your reviews. Cheers!
*_Thank you Techmoan for letting me discover the 3rd item.Infact I've bought the one with white VU meters and yellow light bulbs (like a 70s style)...I recommend it,it's a good product that has changed positively the look of my Hi-Fi system._* ;)
Mat: Well dressed, clean-shaven... ready for the camera Mincraft/Fortnite content creator: 1pm, just woke up, knowing body hygiene just from YT commercials... ready for the camera
I am buying the first VU meter for my you tube channel background, the second will be for my old high-fi, also I gotta say that is one killer wool suit, a great video as always!
8:25 Yep, you're right! If I recall correctly, some 'Sona' fans (sold in Singapore, but likely Chinese ODM products) have a remote like that! Those would also be the kind that would have 'ON/SPEED' and 'OFF', rather than 'ON/OFF' and 'SPEED' like KDK/Panasonic fans tend to have.
When you were reading the instructions of the first meter, and it said "one second" , I'm pretty sure that it was referring to the meter holding the highest peak reading for 1 second. So that when the meter is bouncing up and down, it will hold the highest level reached for a second, giving the viewer time to see what the highest peak was.
Great video 👍 Yes the VU metre would be even nicer with an Illuminated needle and thicker. Bit expensive for me and also the size. And it was great that the part from 2016 was included in the edit 😎 !
Thanks Mat. 👍 Of course the most expensive one is the best in this case (and in most cases). Not only is it the most aesthetically pleasing but it has functionality to it as well. Not sure if I mentioned it yet in a previous comment but congratulations on surpassing 1 million subs sir. 👏👏👏 The first million is the hardest. 😉
As I watch this, to my right is my decades old Realistic switch box with VU meters and phono pre-amplifier. 3 mic inputs, two line inputs and output volume control. If the line is a phono, then it will use the pre-amplifier I do not recall how much I paid for this when purchased back in the late 80's. This type of device was more common back in the 80's.
Just a pity that I generally need more than 4 inputs or outputs on a switch box I suppose the only way I would be able to get it to work in my weird setup (where the amp has only ONE input that I can use, and no recording outputs) is to connect it between the switch box and the amp (there are 2 outputs on the switch box, the other output will go to the second switch box which handles the recording inputs, once I have finished rewiring everything, which might take a while as there are still at LEAST 2 more components to be added to the system) and put a 2 way splitter on the output of the 3 head cassette deck, run one cable into the VU switchbox, and the other into the normal switchbox
There was a 20ish bar version of the second meter as a visualizer in windows media player bundled with Windows XP. I really enjoyed it when I was doing homework in my room at 15 and I still enjoy it today.
Being on topic with my comments. Quote: "I'm looking at three audio meters designed for entertainment rather than accuracy." The choice of which one is the most entertaining depends on the distance between the device and the viewer. If it is a small room/desktop setup, the third one with the analog meters would be my pick. It looks like old professional analog gear. What if? It's a home theater room setup and the equipment is at least 10 feet/3 meters away from the sofa you sit at? You can't see the needles move on product #3. So. In that setup. I would pick the second meter in this video. Easy to see. Though it is clumsy in the setup.
I will look at buying several of the second one. Sometimes I need to know when I have a good stereo signal going through my digital timebase correctors which I use with video capture. Not all video equipment has V.U. meters built in.
