Reddit reviews HitLights LED Light Strip Music Controller 12V-24V, Sound Activated - Includes 24 key remote, for SMD5050 RGB Multicolor LEDs

Here's a strip of color changing leds:
http://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Changing-LED-Strip-Ledwholesalers/dp/B00476B908/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1347821566&sr=1-3&keywords=ledwholesalers

And here's a sound controller:

http://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Activated-Controller-Changing-Plug-And-Play/dp/B007RGRJ36/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1347821263&sr=8-8&keywords=sound+activated+light

Comes out at just under $50 on Amazon with prime shipping!

http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Changing-Flexible-Yourself-Controller/dp/B0040FJ27S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345992022&sr=8-2&keywords=color+changing+LED

^^That is one 16 foot reel of the lights, it comes with a 12V Power Adapter

http://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Activated-Controller-Changing-Plug-And-Play/dp/B007RGRJ36/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1345992088&sr=1-4&keywords=Music+IR+controller

^^The Music IR controller... This will say in the reviews that it doesn't come with a power supply, well, you can use the power supply that comes with the reel in the link above and it works, and you can hook up to three strands into the controller. I only have one hooked up, and it's really self explanatory. Plug the 12V into the wall, plug in the strand of lights into the four pin connector on the IR controller with the arrows lined up (you'll see this on the connector) and then plug the 12V into the plug on the IR controller. There are two music modes, and there are also other fade modes, and you can choose solid colors. The remote for the IR controller has less options, but it's audio sync..so it's worth it I'd say.

Is this it?

Because I'm a fuckin' genius and no one can stop me! That's how!

But for real, I have some LED light strips and a box with a mic that syncs with the beat mounted sneakily in my ceiling.

These feel sort of low-budget, but are very flexible in terms of application. Installation is part of the fun here. Start with a Hitlights 300 RGB - $30 (this recently dropped in price from $40) or a 150 kit Get as many of these are you think he'll want, depending on the space available. A 16-foot run of 300 will light up a small room. The 150s are more for accent lighting.

For each additional run, he'll want an amplifier if he needs them all controlled by one controller. You also need a power adapter for each amplifier, but this is included in each of the $25-30 kits. You can cut and splice them, but it's much easier and neater if you have the pre-made connectors - short strip-to-strip short strip-to-terminator or long terminator-to-terminator. I did my first round of installations without the connectors and it was pretty messy, so I strongly recommend getting them to ease things along.

Last, does he listen to pounding electronic music? If yes, a music controller.

Imgur will not allow me to put links in the description so here they are.

My POV video - https://streamable.com/4ifrl / https://youtu.be/I38L0Bf0B40

My inspiration for this project - https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/5lnmja/i_made_a_raspberry_pi_spotify_jukebox_with/

Here is a list of everything that I bought online:

Dayton Audio RS722 Speaker w/o Cabinet https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-rs722-speaker-kit-w-o-cabinet--302-857

Lepai LP-2020TI Amp - https://www.parts-express.com/lepai-lp-2020ti-digital-hi-fi-audio-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla

Amazon Basics Bluetooth Receiver - https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Bluetooth-4-0-Audio-Receiver/dp/B00I59VBH4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Multicolor Strip Light Controller from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36

LED Strip + 12 V Adapter from Supernight - http://www.supernight.cc/supernight-5m-waterproof-flexible-strip-300leds-color-changing-rgb-smd5050-led-light-strip-kit.html

3 Plug Power Strip from Parts Express - https://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-3-outlet-strip-with-3-ft-cord-ul--125-406?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla

http://www.oznium.com/make-leds-flash-to-music

Has 3.5mm audio in

The rest of theses are all ones that "listen"

Oracle known for their high end led halo kits

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/orc-1705-504?seid=srese1&gclid=CMO488qrxcoCFQ-RaQodzjoNyA

Same controller just not branded as "oracle"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007RGRJ36/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453738040&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=sound+reactive+led&dpPl=1&dpID=41JPfb9MnBL&ref=plSrch


Cheap

http://www.parts-express.com/lavolta-adjustable-sound-activated-music-controller-with-effects-for-led-lighting-strips--073-090?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla

Ardunio based home build

http://m.instructables.com/id/Sound-Reactive-LED-strip/

Opp amp based home build

http://m.instructables.com/id/Sound-Reactive-LEDs-1/



The options are limitless you can buy el cheapo kits for around $20-40 on Amazon or eBay or you can spend as much or as little as you want parting your own kit together.

Yep. If the computer is on, those LEDs are on, and they're bright as shit. I could wire in a switch I suppose, or just cut power to the LEDs.

You nailed it, my next build will have LED strips with a discrete controller so I can turn them off without powering off the PC. I still like the flashy stuff, and I'd love to have lighting that reacts to my music (both in the case and behind the monitor), I just don't want it on all the time. Something like this would be perfect:

http://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Activated-Multicolor-Controller-Changing/dp/B007RGRJ36

This build is my idea of lighting done right:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTt1dBpbC_g&list=PLbEDQ03r3af8LCi6ikcC6qZ3nduByjasU&index=3

This is the type I have. Its easy to set up and works great, you can change how sensitive it is to the music. https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36

Good question! You can solder them if you want but each strip contains 4 tiny wires which are a pain to solder. And if you accidentally let solder touch 2 wires then the color doesn't get processed correctly. So they make female to female straight connectors and angled connectors. They also make extension cords if you want to get behind a wall. If you want to save money just buy bulk wire. But if you connect more than 16ft of lights in a single circuit, then you needed an amplifier which needs to be plugged into an extra power supply otherwise the lights near the ends of the circuit will be dimmer and also off color. Color correctness comes from adequate power. Finally you can optionally buy a music sensor so all of your lights blink to the music!

You could rig up one of these with some LEDs.

I have the following and it works pretty well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007RGRJ36/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ok, so I bought one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007RGRJ36/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and the problem I ran into was there wasn't enough flow between beats.

I was trying to make a fountain with some crystals I found down in Mt. Ida, and this is what happened...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIipIHGiCxU

I guess I was just expecting a bit more smooth transitions.

Edit: to be fair, the biggest cost was in the acrylic cube. You can buy the mats cheap, but keeping those things glue together without the right equipment can be tricky, and getting someone to custom make you an acrylic cube gets expensive fast. I had to pay $75 for a 4" x 4" cube, and that was online. (to be fair, it had to be more sturdy than this structure, although this structure would need to stand up to people touching it and leaning on it... Mine just needed to withstand being inside a CNC machine with coolant blasting away at it.)

Get one of these

I guess this plus this is what I may be looking for.

That's just how the cheap ones work. They all do that.

Going a step up, the controller will have a mic and sensitivity adjustment. It'll still suck, it still won't work right, and you'll have to constantly fiddle with the sensitivity/location to get it to work at all. Just the controller costs more than your entire kit.

Finally, there's the quality ones with a hard input. DMX style controls like a DJ would use. Not practical for a car, and way more expensive.

I'd forget lights but if you need them, add it on with something like this https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36

I'd go with Micca PB42X, Audio engine or Kanto Yumi Powered speakers.

Maybe this? https://www.amazon.com/Toplus-Waterproof-Dimmable-Changing-Flexible/dp/B01LZ7SL8T/ and this controller https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36 ?

There are these:
http://www.amazon.com/Color-Changing-Light-Bulb-Remote/dp/B003MB6UEO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382421289&sr=8-3&keywords=remote+controlled+led

http://www.amazon.com/Remote-Control-Waterproof-Flood-Different/dp/B005KYOE2Q/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1382421289&sr=8-13&keywords=remote+controlled+led

http://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Activated-Controller-Changing-Plug-And-Play/dp/B007RGRJ36/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1382421289&sr=8-5&keywords=remote+controlled+led

I have the first one, use it in my bedroom so we can have an easy access low intensity light while the baby is sleeping. Works great.

This is super basic, but this looks it has everything you need. Although you may want someone with some electrical knowledge to help with the connections so its safe. https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Light-Controller-12V-24V-Activated/dp/B007RGRJ36

https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36

https://www.amazon.com/LED-Strip-Light-Dorm-Kit/dp/B00N2ZZ58C

If you don't need fancy or good quality, don't get Hue. Hue is slow to react to music, and you should look at something that has the sensor for sound built right into the controller PCB.

Something like this maybe: https://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Multicolor-Strip-Light-Controller/dp/B007RGRJ36

Just make sure to get the right voltage strips (RGB should be good enough, unless you really want white), and an adequate power supply.