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| The VU meter |
A volume unit (VU) meter is a device found in analog recording equipment displaying a representation of the signal level. In more modern equipment there were peak meters usually made up of a series of LED or fluorescent displays to indicate the highest output level at any instant. They are used during recording to an analog tape or cassette to set the maximum recording level without distorting the signal.
As a general rule you have to set the recording in such a manner that the loudest part of music does not exceed the 0 VU (100%) marking on the meter. That's when it enters the red area where the music might get distorted. There are a few exceptions however where you can push the level into the red zone when using Type II or Type IV tape in a compact cassette. Here are some examples of various VU meters found on some of the recorders found in our
collection:
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| FISHER CR-4150 (aka SANYO RD-880) |
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| TASCAM 112B - The Classic |
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| SIEMENS RC 555 |
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| FG PROFI RECORDER 306 |
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| AIWA AD-F660 using a Type II cassette |
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| JVC PC-D5L - basic on a portable unit |
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| WEGA C120 - a SONY in disguise |
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| YAMAHA K-540 |
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| Lenco Italia MC 70 |
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| GOLDSTAR GSK-1100 |
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| TELEFUNKEN HC 750M |
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| PIONEER CT-F850 |
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| PIONEER CT-S88R - a programable cassette deck |
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| JVC KD-V35 - with added spectrum analyzer |
You can see detailed description of each presented unit
here.
