Audio Triggered LEDs

[jesserose85]

Hey guys, before I even start writing this I just want to say that I have read 6 or 7 other threads already on this topic and I appreciate all the info you guys and gals have put up here for us noobs!

I am designing a giant with light up eyes and I am looking to have the eyes flash to music. My current setup is 2 high power three up endor-stars, a 1000mA buck puck LED driver and a 12V battery pack. I have a potentiometer attached to the buck puck which will dim the LEDs but I would like to at least be able to control some kind of flashing pattern or better still have them flash to the beat of music.

I am not really trying to build this myself as my knowledge is only very limited with electronics. I was just wondering if there is a product out there that I can buy that will enable me to do this. If there is such a thing I have not been able to find it. I would also be willing to pay somebody on here if they thought they could design this circuit for me.

One more thing: I am planning on wiring the LEDs in parallel so they each get 500mA from the driver. Is this the best way to do it?

Thanks in advance & congrats on having such an organized, informative wealth of information on this forum.

Jesse Rose

 

[audioguru]

LEDs are connected in parallel only if they are tested and sorted so their forward voltages are exactly the same.
Only cheap Chinese flashlights connect LEDs in parallel then one or two LEDs burn out soon. Then the remaining LEDs get too much current and they burn out.

I don't know if your buck-puck has a modulation input to feed music into. If not then a circuit can turn the power supply on and off with the music.

 

[Mosaic]

Have a look at the LM3914 cascadable IC for the LED drive to music.

 

[audioguru]

Have a look at the LM3914 cascadable IC for the LED drive to music.

No.
An LM3914 is a linear voltmeter.
Use an LM3015 which is a logarithmic sound level meter. it can also be cascaded.

 

[crutschow]

Here's a kit that will modulate an LED to music that you could probably adapt. You can buy it as a kit or built. But you would need to add a transistor amp to the circuit to drive the 1000mA LEDs.

The amp could probably be connected in parallel with the circuit that drives the LEDs on the circuit board. Would need to see the circuit schematic to know exactly how to do that.