Rackmountable Analog VU meter bridge

Face and back plates for analog VU meter bridge.
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updated February 11, 2024

Description

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I work with multitrack projects weekly. I produce some of them but often rely on works created by others and the levels track to track vary quite a bit. The live playback environment is through an analog soundboard without any real outboard effects such as compression, etc.

There was a manufacturer that made a similar device years ago but doesn't anymore (no shock there, analog metering for the most part isn't needed anymore). So I decided to make one. Everything I wrote above was really just an excuse to build something that looks incredibly cool on my desk.

Most parts came from Amazon:
The rack mount project box I used: https://a.co/d/5txPErh 
The VU Meters: https://a.co/d/fYaor3P
The input jacks for the back (I wired in TS configuration rather than TRS): https://a.co/d/5WoZNVz
And a simple power switch: https://a.co/d/1m4y6my
Power Supply came from Newark: https://www.newark.com/cui/psk-30d-15-t/power-supply-ac-dc-15v-2a-rohs/dp/29AK4048

I split the front and back plates in my slicer so they would fit on my plate. Once assembled the front panel seam is nearly invisible.

I printed PCB standoffs :https://www.printables.com/model/247147-pcb-feetstandoffs-for-m3 and simply glued the PCBs in place.

Then just a bunch of soldering to put it all together. 

I calibrated the meters with a 1K test tone from Ableton and a multimeter attached to the leads for each VU Meter. A 1k tone that reads 1.22volts on a multimeter is analog 0dB (I know mastering is much lower at -18dB) but since my application is in a live venue with a analog board where the channels are gain staged at 0, this was the best option. 

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