Audio Level Meters

[chendagam]

We need to purchase a DVD recorder that has front panel audio level meters. We prefer to have control of them as well. Can anyone suggest a good unit?

[gshelley61]

That is a very rare (perhaps non-existent) feature on DVD recorders... I can't think of any units that have it. Your best bet if you want to precisely control audio input levels is to get a small pro sound audio mixer. They have "Tape Out" RCA stereo outputs suitable for connection to a consumer DVD Recorder. With a mixer, you can control the source signal's pre-amp level peak to avoid clipping, as well as the mixer output level. Something like this would probably work very well:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-Eurorack-UB802-Mixer?sku=631238

[chendagam]

My main problem is being 100% sure that there is audio going from the mixer to the recorder. We have a mackie mixer hooked up but if someone fails to raise the slider or doesn't have the button pressed there is no sure way to know it's being recorded. I need to see the levels like they are on a prosumer VCR.

[gshelley61]

You might try looking up JVC and Panasonic broadcast type professional units online... they are really expensive, though. Why don't you use the audio signal outputs of the DVD recorder to monitor (so you can hear there is sound being sent to the recorder). You could even pass them through an old cassette deck to use the VU meters. You could also run your mixer output through an old cassette deck to use the meters (that's what I do.) You can get a nice older cassette deck on eBay for next to nothing. I have a Denon from the mid 1980's that I use just for this purpose (the VU meters).

[samijubal]

My Panasonic E-10, first generation recorder, has audio level meters and adjustable level, single adjustment, the E-20 had level meters, not adjustable. I haven't seen them since, that was 2001.

[Marvingj]

Toshiba has the audio meters I believe its the K-2 model.

[BJ_M]

i dont think the toshiba does - looking at the manual ... maybe im wrong , but they make no mention of it ...

the Panasonic LQ-MD800 does though ... but it is expensive