Audio Reactivity Guide
Overview
Your GLORB has a built-in microphone that allows it to react to sound in real-time. This feature works with specific animations that are designed to be audio-reactive.
Currently, these GLORB animations support audio reactivity:
- Colorwaves
- Swirl
We’re actively developing more audio-reactive animations that will be available in future updates!
Note: We’re aware of an issue where the Swirl effect occasionally stops responding to audio. As a temporary solution, we’ve added a “regular” non-reactive Swirl mode in the latest firmware version. A full fix is coming soon.
Additional Audio-Reactive Effects
The WLED interface (see WLED Controls Guide) offers many more audio-reactive effects beyond the GLORB-optimized ones. You can find these by:
- Looking for the musical note (♪) icon next to effect names
- Using the audio-reactive filter in the effects list
While these effects work, they haven’t been specifically optimized for GLORB’s spherical shape yet.
Adjusting Audio Settings
If the audio reactivity isn’t working as expected, you can go to Settings → WLED Controls → Config → Usermods → AudioReactive and adjust the following settings as needed.
Note: These settings affect all audio-reactive animations globally, but individual animations may interpret and use these settings differently.
Config
Squelch – Filters out background noise (recommended: 4–6).
- Lower numbers make the mic more sensitive.
- Higher numbers ignore quiet sounds.
Gain – Boosts the incoming audio signal (recommended: 40–60).
- Increase if effects look too weak.
- Decrease if the lights “max out” too easily.
AGC (Automatic Gain Control) – Keeps volume levels balanced.
- Leave on Normal for most situations.
Dynamics
Limiter – Prevents loud sounds from overwhelming the effects.
- Keep this switched ON.
Rise – How fast the lights respond to new sounds (recommended: 50–100 ms).
- Lower = snappier
- Higher = smoother.
Fall – How long the lights take to fade after a sound (recommended: 800–1500 ms).
- Lower = quick fade
- Higher = lingering trails.
Frequency
Scale – Controls how frequencies are balanced.
- Square Root (Energy) is best for natural, balanced visuals.
Quick Fix Tips
- If nothing reacts, lower Squelch or raise Gain.
- If the lights stay maxed out, lower Gain or raise Squelch.
- If effects look too jittery, increase Rise and Fall.
- If they lag too much, decrease Fall.
Audio Sync Feature
You can synchronize multiple GLORBs to react to the same audio source! Only one GLORB needs to have its microphone active - it will send the audio data to other GLORBs on your network.
Setting Up Audio Sync
- On the GLORB that will capture audio (the sender):
- Go to WLED Controls → Config → Usermods
- Find the AudioReactive section and set Sync mode to “Send”
- Save settings and reboot the GLORB
- On other GLORBs (the receivers):
- Go to WLED Controls → Config → Usermods
- Find the AudioReactive section and set Sync mode to “Receive”
- Save settings and reboot the GLORB(s)
Note: Audio sync requires your network to support multicast. If sync isn’t working, check your router settings or try placing GLORBs closer to your WiFi router.