adding a nice old db vu-meter

[marco08]

got everything workin" again (the big auto-transformer did it, thanks paul).

I'm getting into a woodworking frame of mind, and I've started on a teak and bronze enclosure. i've found a matching vu-meter and driver board on the bay, and would like it to add some accent in the front.

I guess I could use the 31/28 pins to get the 12dc to power the driver and ligth on the meter, but what would be the best suggestion to get the signal from, in order to minimise the chance of noise generation (I dont need to measure anything, really, it only to get the needle to dance with the beepre singing !!)

thanks all.

[Doc B.]

Bear in mind that a traditional VU meter input impedance is usually around 3500 ohms and will load down the BeePre.

[marco08]

thanks Doc,

I was also ooking at using one of these chinese contraptions, based on cheap but nice looking DC meters driven by what seems to be a buffered driver, not a "real" NOS AC vu meter.

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/2pcs-DC-8V-VU-Metre-Meter-Retro-eclairage-Audio-Niveau-Compteur-Moteur-Module-/322123762998?hash=item4b00128d36:g:PesAAOSwUfNXSBE8

difficult to get the detailled specs, but the driver board should provide some kind of buffering and maybe not alter noticeably anything ?

another driver that seems marginally better spec'd could be this thing

https://www.amazon.com/Ta7318p-Driver-Circuit-Stereo-Upgraded/dp/B00GBYM7HS

Any thought on that or recommandation for another route ?


thanks

[Doc B.]

I don't see any mention of buffering and I only see a single transistor on the PC board. I googled this, but know nothing about it -

http://www.jlmaudio.com/shop/vu-buffer-peak-led-kit.html

[marco08]

your right, thanks, the first one looks like it's not buffered. the second one, with the toshiba IC dedicated to Vu meter is buffered, says the spec sheet I found elsewhere.

thanks for looking, and the one you found could be an alternative. I'll get both, try them, and tell the community about the testing (specially if it looks nice... I won't forget the pics) !!

any rec to where in the circuit would be best to tap the signal ?