Electronics > Beginners

Analog VU Meter & Volume Pot

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vidarr:

--- Quote from: Richard Crowley on September 01, 2019, 01:44:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: vidarr on August 31, 2019, 02:21:02 pm ---Where do VU meters typically go to "avoid" this?
--- End quote ---
We use VU meters (or the modern equivalent) while mixing sound for "production" of a finished product.
The finished product may be a recording (cylinder, disk, cassette, CD, MP3, etc.)
Or it may be a live program (broadcast, network, online, streaming, etc.)

But in any case there are certain constraints and standards for audio levels.
If the audio levels are too low, then the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) suffers and the result is noisy.
But if the audio levels are too high, then they distort and clip from running into the limits of the system.

So the VU meter was developed to monitor audio levels to keep them in the "sweet spot".
Not too low "down in the mud" of the noise-floor, and not to high, distorted and clipping.
In the digital era, it is even more critical to avoid too high = clipping.

At the destination end of the system (the audience), the audio signal is re-constituted.
At some point, the audio signal is at the same ratio as when it was created/transmitted.
But then the end-user has a "volume control" where they can select some portion of the original level.

If you can connect your VU meter BEFORE the volume control it will represent the level of the original program.
But if you put it AFTER the volume control, it will only represent your prefered listening level.
Now, that may be what you want, but only you can decide how to connect/use the meter.

--- End quote ---


Got It!

Thank you.

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