Room for one switch: VU pre post or -20db Pad?

So for reasons that mostly have to do with mission creep and being new at design, surprise!  I'm dealing with limited faceplate real estate on my console input card. 
As it is, I'm left with a button I previously slated for VU pre/post, but I'd like to get your opinions on possibly trading it out for an input pad.

The reason I'm leaning towards the VU is because Slot 1 on the console (entirely separate from the input card in question) will house mic pre's and they will have standard -20db pads. However, I could see value in having another pad for heavy line level in's, or to gain up a micpre doubly more than normal before being passed to the prefade amp stage.

btw, the plan is to use the line level in's mostly for daw mixdown so unruly input gains/devices won't be a common occurrence.  Some of the pre's will also include hi-z inputs. However I simply don't have the experience to know which would serve me better over time : having a VU that can be selected for both pre and postfade gain staging, or an input pad for the occasional wooly inputs.

Any advice / suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Edit: Forgot to mention this an inline mixer design, so if it wasn't obvious, single channels accept both recording and playback.

You should only ever need one 20dB mic input pad unless you have a really unusual mic pre design.

I am not sure a VU pre/post switch is much use either

Cheers

Ian

on/off switch...?

FWIW back in the day I would put pad polarity and even phantom only on several channels to deal with special cases.

JR

Thanks gents for your input.

"I am not sure a VU pre/post switch is much use "

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Hmm. Well I already did the layout for it.   The thought was during tracking, learn the vu's behavior for good preamp settings / peak detection (ears included), then later on switch it over to post fade for mixing duties.

"on/off switch...? "

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Ha. You're saying omit both and go for an on/off switch for the channel?  How'd you know I didn't include one.    I figured mute would keep unused channels quiet.

By the way I recently discovered pics of Paul Wolf's 'Fix' console with the dual 500 slots.  Makes me want to put the solder gun down and just go rob a bank.

boji said:

Thanks gents for your input.
Hmm. Well I already did the layout for it.   The thought was during tracking, learn the vu's behavior for good preamp settings / peak detection (ears included), then later on switch it over to post fade for mixing duties.
Ha. You're saying omit both and go for an on/off switch for the channel?  How'd you know I didn't include one.    I figured mute would keep unused channels quiet.

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I was making a joke... I can't make a rational suggestion without knowing what you already do and don't have...

JR

I'm too dense to pick up on your wit JR.  I figured in addition to your EE magik, you also moonlight as a psychic.

For what it's worth, here's what is on the faceplace:

4 sw for assigning two 500 slots and patch sends
8 sw for group assign
Pan and a stereo (program bus) sw
6 aux sw with 3 pre/post sw (1 per pair of aux)
HPF 6/12db sw
Phase
Mute
Solo
...and lastly the button in question

add to this three dual concentrics for aux levels, hpf freq selection and panpot.
Faceplate is roughly 11" x 1.5".

One more animal on board and this ark is going to sink.

some older gear does not tolerate global phantom power well...  I dealt with this cost effectively by using a global switch for most inputs that don't matter, and per channel switches for just a couple that give you the flexibility to exclude or only power a couple inputs.

BTW they are actually called polarity switches not phase, but most people will know what you mean.

Amusing over decades of designing mixers/consoles I would always have users approach me at trade shows telling me the one switch/feature I need to add to sell a ton of consoles. As you can imagine it was never the same "one" feature.  : This is probably why digital interfaces are so popular.

JR

JohnRoberts said:

BTW they are actually called polarity switches not phase.
JR

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You mean all those phase switches out there are stuck at 180 degrees exactly?  ;D

BTW they are actually called polarity switches not phase.

You mean all those phase switches out there are stuck at 180 degrees exactly?  ;D

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Hehe fair nuff.  May I use the " Ø " symbol for the faceplate?

per channel switches for just a couple that give you the flexibility to exclude or only power a couple inputs.

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Good suggestion. Why keep opamps warm if you're not going to use them...

If you do not already have a 20dB pad switch I think you will find it very valuable.

Cheers

Ian

If you do not already have a 20dB pad switch I think you will find it very valuable.

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Thanks Ian, pads presently exist but only on the mic pre's. During mix, signal will bypass the pre's and go straight to a 2520 differential input that drives fader aux and direct out, and at present there's no pad for this. 

I'm getting the sense that no one thinks the VU thing is that valuable.

For example, If peakmeter lights up on a mix, having the insert point to check if slot 2 (eq, comp, etc) is the issue and not fader setting was another reason to possibly include it.

boji said:

I'm getting the sense that no one thinks the VU thing is that valuable.

For example, If peakmeter lights up on a mix, having the insert point to check if slot 2 (eq, comp, etc) is the issue and not fader setting was another reason to possibly include it.

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I sample peak overload LEDs at multiple points in an input strip...  VU meters are nice to look at... Some people who looked at them for decades swear by them, me not so much.

JR