A bargraph can also be made from op amps arranged as a window comparator. The more led's in your display, the more impact it has.
For the fun of experimentation this simulation has 12 led's, driven by 12 buffer gates.
View attachment 155379
Outputs change state as input crosses supply/2. The resistor stack needs proper volt levels at each end, carefully adjusted so the bargraph responds to an incoming audio signal. Inputs respond to a narrow voltage range. This is apparent along the entire resistor stack, as seen by waveforms Out1 and Out2 at the extremes of the stack.
Outputs can also drive mosfets or transistors, which turn on high current lamps.
Stacks can be cascaded. Logic gates are cheap compared to 3914 IC's.