Modifying an LED controller?

[matt0725]

Alrighty guys, i hopefully selected the right sub-forum to post this in. I currently own the Icemodz LED music based controller, and for the most part I love it. My only complaint is that the microphone is nowhere near as sensitive as I would like. it either must have the whole unit visible sitting in front of the speaker, or the volume has to be insanely loud. What I want to accomplish(if this is possible) is to open up the wire for the mic input and instead wire it into a direct audio out( 3.5mm jack?) from my computer. It would be on a y-splitter so my speakers will still work. I have no clue if this is even feasible, so I have turned to your help. If no one is sure, i may just go ahead and see what i can do, the controller wasn't that expensive... If it makes any difference, this is the link to the exact unit on Icemodz website: http://www.icemodz.com/#!/Music-Led-Controller-Pack/p/25610066/category=5346676

and a pic of the actual cabling close up

 

 

Thanks in advance everyone!

[AddonCustoms]

Unfortunately all the those type of music led controllers are not that good, honestly don't know why he still sells them, as I have seen many people say the same as you.

 

Anyway, no that won't be possible.

 

You have 2 options.

 

Option 1 - You open up the controller box, remove the circuit board and you will see one of these   this detects the sound, you can remove that and replace it with a better one, no guarantees that will work, but they are really cheap so worth a shot.

 

 

Option 2 - buy a LED music controller with a 3.5mm input, these are a lot more expensive. This one is $39.99 - Click Here. I am not saying buy that exact one, as I have never used that one, but these types are a lot better than the cheap ones.

[matt0725]

That is kinda what i figured. I may try your first option before going for a different controller,and maybe your store will carry something by then!  I appreciate the help!

[AddonCustoms]

That is kinda what i figured. I may try your first option before going for a different controller,and maybe your store will carry something by then!  I appreciate the help!

 

I am working on getting music controllers, but all the ones I have tested either never worked or failed after a few weeks/months. Hope to add some RGB gear to my store in the next 6 months, with a few types of RGB LEDs, and multiple styles of controllers and also music controllers. Currently working on expanding my store to offer more custom things to computers, which I cannot say much about at the moment, but RGB strips and controllers are next on the list after this.

[Scheer]

I'd give it a shot, I see absolutely no reason why "hard-wiring" the mic would not work. So long as you have a little bit of soldering experience it should be easy to do.

 

Worst case scenario, it doesn't work and you just solder the mic back on.

 

 

Anyway, no that won't be possible.

 

And why do you say that?

[AddonCustoms]

I'd give it a shot, I see absolutely no reason why "hard-wiring" the mic would not work. So long as you have a little bit of soldering experience it should be easy to do.

 

Worst case scenario, it doesn't work and you just solder the mic back on.

 

 

 

And why do you say that?

 

I was going to do the same a few years ago, but after asking a couple of people they all said no as it isn't designed to interpret that type of signal.

 

Think of it this way, the sound sensor picks up sound above lets say 10DB because it is designed to do that, this way sound above that level will activate the LEDs, and sounds under that level will turn off the LEDs, giving it a flashing look, so the mic would be saying to the controller, sound, no sound, sound, no sound (all depending on the song and volume)

Now if you removed the sound sensor and add wires for a 3.5mm jack, this will send a constant signal to the LED controller therefore activating the lights, it cannot flash to the music as all it is seeing is a constant signal so the lights will just stay on, so the signal the controller will be getting would be 

[Scheer]

I was going to do the same a few years ago, but after asking a couple of people they all said no as it isn't designed to interpret that type of signal.

 

Think of it this way, the sound sensor picks up sound above lets say 10DB because it is designed to do that, this way sound above that level will activate the LEDs, and sounds under that level will turn off the LEDs, giving it a flashing look, so the mic would be saying to the controller, sound, no sound, sound, no sound (all depending on the song and volume)

Now if you removed the sound sensor and add wires for a 3.5mm jack, this will send a constant signal to the LED controller therefore activating the lights, it cannot flash to the music as all it is seeing is a constant signal so the lights will just stay on, so the signal the controller will be getting would be 

 

Simply wiring in a resistor or pot would solve that problem.

[matt0725]

I took apart the unit i have to take a look and see, and with the way the mic is soldered in, im not sure if putting a new one in would be possible without ruining the board, it's surprisingly tightly packaged together

 

just having a thought here, for anyone with a large speaker unit, i wonder if hiding the controller within the speaker housing would be a possibility. I have some cheapo portable speakers right now so i cant test it, but i could see hiding the controller inside the bass chamber within a housing being a possibility. Some small holes in the back for the power in and LED strip connections and bam, hidden LED controller that picks up all the bass sounds to change colors.