Unconventional Switch: Speaker Switch (aka the Bass Meter)

So, we all listen to music. I think. And...

Things get loud sometimes, you know? As such, I wanted to see whether I could visually illustrate how loud an audio source was (such as my speakers) using a basic LED circuit. The power source is five volts from the Circuit Playground; I set up two 100 ohm resistors totaling 200 ohms; and used two more alligator clip wires (green for positive, yellow for negative in this case) to make a very loose connection with the aluminum foil. The default state of the LED is on, and if you were to sever that connection the LED would turn off. However, the fun part is that when I play a very loud, very bassy song on my speakers, the loosely affixed aluminum foil will shake and vibrate along with the speaker, creating visual fluctuations in the brightness of the LED. Should your LED be flickering heavily or flickering consistently, it serves as a visual cue to let you know how audible the audio is, and that should probably turn the source of it down.

Or just turn it up louder I guess. You're a kid in college, what do you care?

 

Photo of the switch.