Where to obtain rack cases and meters for the SC-1

Tweak · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:21 am

Hello everyone! I am wondering where to get some suitable rack cases and analog style VU meters for the SC-1. If anyone has found a combination that they really like, please post.

corgan4321 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:54 pm **Posts:** 70

Owel says he likes www.par-metal.com

www.redco.com also has good ones but they are slightly more expensive (order your connectors there too!)

owel · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:40 am

Hey Tweak, welcome!

Yes, par-metal.com seems to have the best combination of price and quality.

As for VU meters, try this source.
http://www.meterdistributor.com/TripPages/pg15.htm

Quote:

Ballistic Characteristics comply with specifications established as a result of C16.5. This instrument is essentially a low range rectifier type voltmeter (using a full-wave silicon diode rectifier) consisting of a D'Arsonval element with Alnico V magnet The rectifier is a type developed for performance under wide variations of frequency. Internal impedance of the insrument is 3900 Ohms. A 3600 Ohm external resistor is required to give total resistence of 7500 Ohms. Required voltage to drive meter to 0 VU is 1.228V RMS, which is +4dBm, referenced to 600 Ohm impedance

shaaregeulah · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2007 12:39 pm

Hey Rich,

Nice to see you're taking on this awesome project as well. Good luck!

I purchased my rack chassis from par-metal as well. Good stuff!

As far as the vu meters, I got mine from this site:

http://www.surplussales.com/Meters/MtrVU.html

I got the (MTR) 810559-15DVU $49 meters. They're a bit small but they seem pretty decent and, as per Owel, they're "real" vu meters and priced great.

scottso · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2007 1:48 pm

Is there anything special required to hook up a meter to the sc-1? Do we just solder it in series with the input connector and a resistor? That will only show the peaks and not the average right?

owel · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:06 pm

scottso wrote:

Is there anything special required to hook up a meter to the sc-1? Do we just solder it in series with the input connector and a resistor? That will only show the peaks and not the average right?

Nothing special to do... Real VU meters have the necessary rectifiers in the meter itself, so all you need to do is hook it up to the output of the preamps.

Just wire the VU meter across the outputs (specifically pins 2 and 3 of the PCB output pads).

scottso · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:57 pm

So if I hook it up to the output of the pre-amp that will give me the levels from the pre-amp right before it goes out the XLR right? Don't meters usually measure between the input and the pre-amp circuit? I mean the equipment/DAW or whatever the pre-amp is connected to will be able to tell me the output levels of the pre-amp, right?

Does not being able to measure how hot the input signal matter? I guess I'm confused now! :oops:

owel · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:09 pm

scottso wrote:

So if I hook it up to the output of the pre-amp that will give me the levels from the pre-amp right before it goes out the XLR right? Don't meters usually measure between the input and the pre-amp circuit? I mean the equipment/DAW or whatever the pre-amp is connected to will be able to tell me the output levels of the pre-amp, right?

Does not being able to measure how hot the input signal matter? I guess I'm confused now! :oops:

Normally, the VU meters are on the output of the preamp. If you put this on the input, I don't think you'd see anything as the mic level signals will be very small. The meter needs 0.775Vrms to even read 0dBVU.

Now, if you have a compessor, or EQ or any other line level gear, then you can meter either the input or output (or use a switchable configuration).

But for mic preamps, the output is where you connect the VU meter.

scottso · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:19 pm

Ok that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up for me!

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Where to obtain rack cases and meters for the SC-1

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