Is it possible to make a 16-channel VU-meter on one controller?

Question

Electronics

Something since the last open wu-meter designs I've seen have gone online, microcontrollers have gotten cheaper and faster. Maybe it's already possible to hang more than two channels on one using led drivers with a digital input and external ADCs?

Answer 1

Take a multiplexer with a low Ron (for example, NX3L4051), start channels on it and connect it to the ADC. You can use a tricky recommutation scheme to get rid of the inherent resistance of wires and multiplexers.
With proper wiring, it is quite possible to get honest 18 bits from a 24-bit external ADC.