Topic: DIY VU meters for any source ...

[blu666z]

Kevin, your tape didn't turn out good either for Marcus?    Mine had a shitload more crowd noise than I thought it would....during the concert it didn't seem to bad at all but my mics picked up much more than my ears did I guess.

Damnit, I didn't upgrade mics to pick up peoples conversations better ;p

Not one of my best tapes no.  Mel and I were clamped on a rack in the SBD.  Room was hard to get a feel for the sweet spot before the show.  After walking around during the show, we(Mel and I & you) were in the deadest point in the room.  Move over 10 feet in either direction and the highs really showed up and made the sound real crisp.  DFC seemed a bit flat and muddy.  Live and learn.  On top of that, I ran w/o my windscreens and Glen must have turned on an oscilating fan...nice breeze every 20 secs.  Haven't heard Mel's tape yet.  I'll talk to him tomorrow at PMB.  Peace!

-Kevin

Edit to keep on topic: Levels are GREAT though!

[ChrisV]

Well hopefully his turned out a little better...

Oh right, back on topic

Doing some more testing for calibration I noticed some very interesting key things....there are 3 entirely different levels for line outs I am getting.  One with the UA-5 RCA's out with the Monitor SW on....one with the UA-5 RCA's out with Monitor SW off and one out of the JB3 line out.    There is an about 5 db difference between the UA-5 RCA outs when the Monitor SW light is on and off.    This is when the UA-5 has the output knob maxed out...if it isn't maxed out the output levels go down as you turn it down.
The line out of JB3 is significally lower than both of those(also the headphone jack on the UA-5 when turned to max is pretty close to the line out...maybe only 1 db more).    Gonna do some exact tone tests with exact levels recorded to the JB3 and will come back with exact numbers on the differences between the line outs.   But for now just make sure whichever method of line out you choose you keep it constant and don't assume they are all the same.

The other test I did was regarding battery life and if that effects the lights at all as it drains.  Initial tests say no it does not which is a very good thing of course.  Although when the battery was getting really low, close to dead it was doing funky things to the lights(like 2 or 3 of the reds at the top going on at same time).

Oh yeah, pics soon!

[ChrisV]

Unit on with a contant test tone....hard to tell from the photo but the top yellow light is on(third from the top).

[ChrisV]

Battery compartment open

[ChrisV]

Size comparison.   It is a touch shorter lengthwise from top to bottom and also a little bit slimmer than the JB3.   Exact dimensions in inches are: 2.75 X 4.60 X 1.00H

[ChrisV]

And finally the inner "guts" of the unit.  Pre-assembled Canakit 10 leds...Mounted on the bottom(top of photo since upside down) is the stereo 1/8 inch jack and the on/off switch(useful because it *does* draw from battery even when no audio source is plugged in).   Mounted on lid is the left/right switch and drilled holes for lights.   There is a divider/seperator for the battery's area that sticks straight up at the end of the drilled holes which is very hard to see in the photo.

[mmmatt]

Looks Great Chris!  BIG +T for having the skills, and patience.  Very good job.  (Your momma would be proud)

Matt

[blu666z]

The monitor switch SHOULD only control the headphone output.

-Kevin

[CaptMax]

can you run the SVU-1/2 right out the JB3 ?

[mmmatt]

well... my prediction was right!  It is almost 3 am and I have been playing with this meter (beachtec svu-2) for about 4 hours.  Here is the low down:
The case is very nice the knob feels solid. Overall the unit appears to be built like a tank.  The "fit and finish" is good but not great.  The calibration knobs are not quite centered in their openings, but otherwise seems ok for the price.  The meters are very active and even though they bounce quite a bit I think they will be wonderful to read in a dark club or a bright outdoor venue.
     I will run it off the line out from my jb3 vs from the ua-5.  I thought that the knob controlled outputs from the ua-5 left room for error.  The output of the jb3 is a lower level however and with the svu-2 calibrated with the right side maxed, and the left side a tiny bit back (my final setting) produced a -o- db reading with the peak light flickering on the ua-5, and anything over +3 db overdrives the jb3, and clips the ua-5.
     I first started testing with music off my home stereo, then eventually went to a few test tones with ballance to one speaker and the mics symetricaly placed directly in front of the active speaker.  The final test tones I recorded (wht noise and 440 hz tone) were within 2% between left and right chanels.  I think I got it where I want it.  Hopefully is Karl Denson doesn't decide that the almighty dollar is better than the taper fans that got him where he is next tuesday, I will be able to administer the final test.
     As for the headphone amp.  It is loud... far louder than the edirol amp.  Much cleaner as well.  This should be a benefit in the field as well.  The thing I didn't like was that the calibration controll adjusted the headphone amp as well as the vu's.  Overall I think the unit was a good investment for me.
     The unit is powered by a typical 9v internal battery.  It doesn't have the typical connection, but instead has a little spring loaded tray that the battery slides in with the contacts exposed, then when you push the tray in, the contacts on the battery touch flat contacts inside the unit.  I made a little adaptor to conect to my ua-5 batterys, and that was fairly easy to do.

Thats it, any questions... let me know!

Matt

Yes... I use the line out on the jb3

[mirth]

Just got off the phone with Guy Graphics... +Ts all around to Team SVU-x, from your most recent member!

[mmmatt]

Back atch brother... I knew you'd give in!  did you get the svu-1 or the much better, far superior, gauranteed to make the hotties die at your feet svu-2?

[blu666z]

gauranteed to make the hotties die at your feet svu-2?

Damn....I knew I should have gotten that one.

-Kevin

[Diggin]

glad I got the SVU-1, don't want those hotties dying at my feet, rather have them dancing with me
testing for me starts tonight

[mmmatt]

+T's to all!  is a +T the online equivelent of buying a round of shots?