Three meters apart
In this one, I'm passing an eye over three more audio meters. Normally these are just for fun, but this time one of them also performs a useful function.
In loosely connected news, I reluctantly spent a full day reorganising my HiFi this week in order to swap out a cabinet. I'd been putting this job off for a while and I’ve attached an anxiety inducing picture that gives you an idea as to why. I hope to show some 'new' HiFi components once the Mrs stops working from home. I guesstimate that happening in mid space year 2021.
Anyway that’s all I’ve got for this week, take it easy and look after yourself.
UPDATE: A re-upload has occurred - The video might only be in 1080p until UHD has processed.
Comments (54)
Hey I just got one of these from AliExpress but the description on the listing about how to use that 'Mode' button is a little confusing and it didn't come with a bit of paper like yours did. Any chance you can scan that bit of paper for us?
I don’t think I kept any of the paperwork. Which one did you get?
Thanks for the video Mat. I love VU meters.
Did some eBay searching and found a version of the blue led model, but with green/orange/red LEDS. It looks very similar design (but more segments) so I can't see as being any more accurate, but more colorful, yes. Search eBay UK for "LED MIC Sound Level Indicator Music Light Bar Spectrum for Home/Car/Studio Audio"
I saw those in the same store I ordered mine from, I liked the larger blue design...it’s a bit different.
Good video as always, but I'm curious why you say 'video description text box' instead of simply 'video description' ?
Habit, that and the fact that in the past when I’ve said ‘video description’ loads of people thought I meant ‘video title’. Half the people don’t even know there’s a full description box.
Maybe it's just the color as shown on my monitor but that blue one reminds me of old Marantz stuff with the blue lights.
Loving these VU meters... looking forward to following the links and seeing how much these add up to in Australian dollars!
When I have a need for some visual feedback I play music through my Pioneer SX1080 receiver. It has the power meters and I have an old Technics graphic equalizer with a nice active display. Always mesmerizing.
Nice - they've certainly come down in price. I bought one from Lithuania for about £120 and now you can buy a similar one for just £40. Your VU meters (-res?) are why I started following you in the first place!
It's funny, whatever video I make, there will always be a few people who say, 'why are you making this video', 'this is boring', 'you've run out of things to talk about' - and then on the very same video there will be 'this is your best video', 'this was interesting' and 'these kind of videos are why I watch this channel'. It just goes to show that you can't please everyone - so I'm glad you liked it.
Not sure if anyone else has posted anything about these, but I picked up these and they are wonderful for LEDs that are way too bright without totally ruining the look of the device you are putting them on. They don't completely blackout the LED. They just dim the brightness 50-80%. It also comes with a nice variety of sizes and shapes. Sorry for the US link. I'm not sure what it would be in the UK. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLVEQCO/
I’d never seen these before - what a great simple idea. I’m going to go and look for a set. Thanks again. Update - They’re on Amazon UK too, so just ordered some.
Your cabling could be worse. Imagine that, only now imagine a very similar looking mess of wires being the only thing stopping a community FM radio station from going off the air. Been there, done that!
Pasta cableara? 😳
Sorry for the off-topic comment, but that's a killer 3-piece suit, Mat! (Or maybe 2-piece, as who would bother with pants on a talking head shot?) Dapper!
You're right about the pants - well trousers.
Nice video Mat, this really is a good use case for the cliche “they don’t make ‘em like they used to’ .. I got really cheap-and-nasty vibes from the last item (the main event), especially the VU meters. Needle was hard to see and too thin (as you said) and LED backlighting is nowhere near as cozy as good old incandescent. What was the case made of? No care taken in the LED brightness selection, incredibly blocky and ugly remote .. I know you don’t like when people comment on the price you paid .. but 140 pounds feels a bit steep for this piece of Chinese plastic
Fair enough. It's metal though.
Obnoxious LEDs are definitely a 21st century problem, I don't know why they can't seem to get the resistor values right or add enough diffusion. The two HDMI switchers I have here are the worst offenders but I have tape over lots of things. Enjoyed looking at these anyway, thanks.
All the old textbooks say 20mA. We were driving a white LED at 20mA and it was ridiculously bright. To get the same brightness as an adjacent red one driven at 20mA less than a mA was needed.
Nothing satisfies quite like the protective film peel...
I'm not sure that a protective film peel is suitable for children...
Welcome to this week's meeting of the Frivolous Nonsense Fan Club ... :-D
Hey Matt, think you should do a 'bigclive' on them all - nice to see their internals!!
It's only really interesting to me looking inside things when I can't picture exactly what's there without looking. With these I could draw it on paper and probably be a good 95% accurate. I'd guess at a small circuit board on the bottom - wires going off it one way to the back panel sockets and the other way up to the display glued to the front.
Well dang, I've actually been looking for another 4-port audio switcher to replace the janky Pyle one I have. You've sold me on that last one!
I'm wondering if the yellow dials would be clearer to see - probably.
The edit between where you checked if the last meter saved your setting and showing us it's use as a switch box felt a bit jarring. A short transfer into the "last act" could smooth it out. Even a line of dialogue to tell us what's next. Just a thought.
I thought it was fine - I’m trying to keep things moving along, keep it dynamic and exciting. Well within reason, don't want anyone fainting.
I love visualizers...I bought a Pioneer GR-777 almost solely for the way-cool spectrum display. I wish the Plex app on my streaming box took advantage of the huge screen to make some moving art to accompany the music. My one nit-pick is with the ones that mimic a proper VU meter visually but aren't calibrated to any kind of standard. They're still very pretty...it's just that when I see those bars pulsing into the red my nerdbrain is hardwired to think "overloaded audio." The meters on the switcher are labeled "dB." Are they proper dB meters? I'm wondering if the gain control is controlling the actual output of the switcher or if it's just there to adjust the visualizer. Very handsome device, either way!
The gain is just for the displays - the output is unaffected. I think these db meters are just off the shelf components, so while someone could wire them up to a true db measuring circuit, once the user has control over the gain of those needles then all bets are off.
Cool setup. About that big expensive it would be cool if you opened it and show us if it’s possible to do something about the lightbulbs guessing the meters would become more visible changing the color or something 🙂
More inputs, flashy blinky things, meters, and sartorial splendor in one video! Certainly above average cheese sandwich! I’m considering the One Little Bear or whatever it’s called. Even though I have a dbx input switch, the meters do look very nice. Thanks for finding stuff for us.
Here are some US eBay links for these: Meter 1 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/16-Bit-Microphone-Sound-Control-Level-Indicator-Music-Audio-Spectrum-Dot-Matrix/254342096086 Meter 2 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio-56-Bit-Level-Meter-LED-Music-Spectrum-MIC-Line-Stereo-Sound-Indicator/274173503306 Meter 3 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Way-Analog-RCA-Audio-Selector-Splitter-Switch-DB-Panel-VU-Meter-Level-Display/133542392115
Do these links not show up as US links from your end? - ebay’s link generator no longer lets me specify the country, so I assumed it’s automatically selecting the appropriate region for the viewer.
I notice the TP-link smart plug is still going strong. Have you noticed the price of these has fallen in the few years since you made that video? Most of us have a similarly nightmarish pile of cables but not all of us have been organised enough to label them.
Yes I’ve got five or so of those plugs around the house now. The HiFi has one power strip attached to one - with all the power standby type devices that don’t have a proper off switch attached. Then there’s another normal power strip that has all the things with a proper off switch attached. Finally there’s a third strip - a newish TP-Link three outlet power strip that has three voltage converters attached - two Japan and one US. Everything turns on or off as a group with one voice command.
Your stereo cables look like what I found behind my desk recently!
When I used to build power amplifiers you could buy a meter kit from RS Components. You chose the size, type of mounting, scales in VU, amps or volts, and made them up yourself The meters offed a choice of frame with a bezel for front mounting and another type for rear mounting. They were quite expensive so I bought a big Technics amp instead. My Godzilla amp was impressive as well.
Re your tidy up, I thought the rear of my TV was bad! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bxa3vraH1f37qVXbA :-)
I'm not sure I've seen anything more organised in my life.
We love your face Mat! Also, what Minidisc player was that?! It was quite a chunky thing, almost looked like a pair of binoculars.
It's a sports model MZ-S1 - picked it up the other week.
Bit harsh on Meter 2 no? Looked pretty useful to me.
I agree - I'd pinned this on YouTube "In hindsight when summing up I was perhaps a bit harsh on meter number 2 - I was really judging it's unenthusiastic mic response - when wired in it was fine and really not bad for the price."
I feel the same way every time I have to get behind my own HiFi. Not quite as much of a rats' nest as your picture, but nearly. Looking forward to seeing your future HiFi videos!
Dressed quite sharp for a video (a cheese sandwich one no less)! I approve! Looking forward to getting out and dressing up nicely myself, whenever that finally happens.
Yes, you look sharp in that vest.
I use black nail polish to dim or erase bright or pointless LEDs.
Very familiar, somewhat anxiety inducing, entanglement. At least you’ve got labels. That’s something I need to do... someday, when I have conquered the gods of procrastination.
I added the labels as I took the items out this time. I'd put some on before with a Dymo labeller, but they'd all dried up and fallen off - so this time it was a sharpie on masking tape.
I'll be watching soon and thos wire ain't half as bad as mine