Douk Audio VU1 Analog VU Meter, Sound Level Indicator with Panel DB for Amplifier/Preamp

The media could not be loaded. Works nicely, I loved these small VU meters. The stickers are meh but they can be removed if you don’t like them - actually it looks better now that I removed the one from the top :-)The backlight has 3 levels of brightness controlled by the power button on the back, you have to press it 4 times to turn if off. There's also a switch that has to be put at "RCA" position otherwise the VU meters will move incorrectly or not move at all depending on the audio signal. The case is all plastic and the plastic used looks very cheap, but at same time it gives a handmade look to the product.I have it connected to the RCA output of the S.M.L.S. M500 DAC which is connected to the S.M.L.S. SP200 HP Amp via XLR so I don't know if it could cause interference with the audio quality.

I wanted a simple style VU meter to monitor the line outputs from my external DAC before going into my amplifier, and this little unit fit the bill perfectly. It does exactly what it's suppose to do, easy to set up, pretty decent build quality. There are bigger, pricier units like this one, but if you just want a good straightforward VU meter, hard to beat this little guy.

When I first ordered the meter, I thought the "exponential compression" mode would be useful since the meters would have more movement in the lower sound passages. However, since the intended purpose was to insert these meters after my digital audio interface to monitor signal level, I really needed something that measured decibels. Thankfully, my order included the "new and improved" model of the VU1 which can be switched to a dB mode, which faithfully tracks the signal level with no compression. Being that I use my audio interface to digitize vinyl, I calibrated the meters to 0VU using the Analogue Productions test record and now I have a very useful meter for setting record levels. There are selectable backlight levels and a rotary control to calibrate the left and right channels in unison. Other alternatives to this meter were many times the price. Be forewarned that the meters are very small, so this is more of a product for a purposeful audio workstation and not to wow your guests from across the room. The case is made out of cheap plastic without any flair but it seems durable and serves its purpose. Highly recommended.

This unit is an excellent add-on VU meter set for complex audio systems where you need to monitor signal levels at specific points in the signal chain. I use it as part of a 4500 watt home sound system that incorporates 7 amplifiers, several processing devices, and custom-built booster pre-amps. The system has several test points where I can balance the system using test tones and voltmeters. This unit added level monitoring at the output of a key booster pre-amp at one set of test points. It saves my using hand-held voltmeters for making adjustments (may need to add input balance pots to calibrate left/right meters precisely for this purpose). The meters are small but quite useful and reasonably priced.

this is not a calibrated instrument, it doesn't look great. The calibration is a twist of a screw, it will not tell you the output level unless you have a tool to calibrate it, ie some calibrated pink noise from the output of another device.If it cost $12, I'd say fine, but this is a $12 product selling for about $50.

While overall this does a nice job of looking like an old set of meters, you don't realize until you actually receive them how small they are in fact they're so small that they are no longer convincing as vintage meters.

VU1 ( Upgraded Version ) ?RCA in. RCA out. Gain knob. Mic/RCA Switch.Light dimming button with 4 lighting selections w/off. Individual L/R light pots.Set your volume to normal listening level then adjust gain knob for the meters.works great and looks amazing at night, heard no noise introduced to system.only cons are the color, plastic case and the screws on the bottom can scratch your other equipment or table. so buy some cheap stick on rubber feet. also has what looks like a upgraded power connector that has a very bright green color LED.*Update the backlights stopped working.

I've found this to be a very useful addition to my audio stack. I'm using Schiit audio components and they fit very well on top. The meters perform very well. I used a separate amplifier to drive them because I wanted them to show movement for even low volumes. This way I can enjoy the movement of the needles no matter the volume to the speakers and it's fully adjustable. It is a plastic case and not a metal case, but that's a minor annoyance and not really a big deal. I did have to put some rubber feet on the bottom to keep it from sliding around easily.