Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Just a quick video with close ups of meters flashing and moving. Which style is most useful? Most interesting to watch? To hear audio, right-click link below and open in a new window:

youtube.com/watch?v=ikC9s_oXZc0

Back in the 80s and 90s, I used mostly the segmented LED style peak meter, but I'm really beginning to appreciate the old fashioned "Stick" style analog meters which let you see the subtle differences more clearly in the stereo effects and so forth.

Below is a quick reference to what you see. I feel like the Technics is the best looking one on video, and the combination of Marantz & JVC is almost hypnotic. I sync'd these using the waveforms so there was no echo, and I wonder if some of the differences are due to response time and frequency sensitivity.

00:00 - Start, JVC KD-A7
00:19 - Realistic EQ Spectrum Display
00:35 - Pioneer CT-F650
00:54 - Teac Reel to Reel and JVC
01:21 - Technics M222
01:36 - Technics + Teac 210 cassette deck
01:50 - Pioneer and Marantz SD-1000
02:03 - JVC and Marantz
02:30 - A little bit of everything
03:20 - Closing out with JVC and Realistic