Color Organs

[WeeboTech]

There are many here who collect lava, glitter, and fiber optic lamps.
I've always had a fascination with Light synchronized with Sound.
I was wondering if anyone is interested in Color Organs.

I've had a few in my day and even built one of my own that went wild to the music of Pink Floyd.

So any color organ enthusiasts here?

[WeeboTech]

I did see them there which is why I brought it up. It sort of re-ignited my interest.
I was wondering about others. Do you have any more information on those from the catalog?
Looks like I may turn my search back on. Thin out the lava and get a few color organs for fun!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

If you want one, Weebs, this one would make a great start. It's an unusual shape (there were diamonds, circles, hexagons, spheres, cylinders but the common ones were rectangular, shaped similar to stereo speakers) AND it's sound-sensitive (possibly one channel only, two-channel ones are less common, but most don't respond to sound like this - they simply contain blinker bulbs).

If you grab this, and like it, drop me an email and I'll mail you some bulbs, any colors you want. I have these transparent colors: clear, yellow, orange, red, pink, emerald green, teal, dark blue, pink-purple, and dark purple. I'm a bit low on some, but will have many more of each color just after Christmas. This lamp holds eight bulbs, so you could do opposing pairs (four colors, say, red-green top right and bottom left, blue-yellow top left and bottom right), one color per quadrant, or even eight different colors.

[WeeboTech]

Thank you for the generous offer!!!!
At the current time I'm just going to window(browser) shop. he he.
I've had a realistic one before. Plus something from edmund too.
I was curious of others were interested in these devices since there are allot of "lamp" heads around.

[Kris]

Never had one of these but I have been thinking of picking a couple up. I like the design and the colors, plus they can go with most decors - mid century, modern and the like.

[Keith]

These are one of my favorites. I own one that is not sound responsive. I've had is for about 5 years, but don't display it much. As a teenager in the 70's I had one. Just about any time I was in my room, that "dancing light" was on. Actually, I would like to make something like it. I've got the plastic lens material (from florescent light), and a few strands of larger Christmas lights. It would be great to make it sound responsive, but I have no idea what kind of circuit that would take.

[WeeboTech]

Thought I would post this because someone mentioned it.

I built a color organ once from an amplifier.
It had 4 of the larger Christmas lights in sockets spread across the two channels.
2 on top
2 on bottom.

on top I wired to left right
on bottom I wired right left.

Tbe base was made by a router and creating a grove in a piece of wood as a rectangle.

I took the 2ft by 4ft plastic diffusers that are used for florescent lights that are in drop ceilings.
This piece had lil pyramids in the plastic.
It is sometimes used on color organs. It's the diamond/pyramid effect you see on the older ones.

I cut 4 rectangle pieces and put them in the groove.
Then made a wooden rectangle top with groove and placed it over the plastic.

This provided a wooden base, 4 plastic sides and a wooden top.
2 lamps on bottom (left / right)
2 lamps on top (right / left)

With the wiring and base, there was light from all angles.
It was cool to watch if flash with the music.

Whenever there was music that had panning across the channels, it would create the coolest effect of motion between them. Sort of a flowing circular pattern around all of it.

It was funny, even my mom would come up to my room and watch the music with me.

I've been meaning to build a new one ever since then.

[WeeboTech]

The circuit is not that hard and there are kits for it.
I've been too lazy and/or to fearful of hooking it up to my stereo.
I may just try to grab and old throw me out stereo and hook it up to that.

Also there are units that have sockets for Regular lamps.

[WeeboTech]

Thanks for the pics.
If you look at the images, 3rd image from the top, Middle of the page.
There are two color organs, one large rectangle, one smaller.
The smaller one looks like the one I built.
Even has the pyramid looking design mine had. Go figure.
I would love to score one of those or the pyramid.
Looks like it's color organ season time. heh!

[WeeboTech]

PICS Please!c 8-)

[Bryin]

I also have a ridiculously rare swag color organ called Ice Lite II. Weebo - I woulda traded ya.It has smoked lucite (as you can see) and it's very cool.

[WeeboTech]

OMG!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Insanely cool unit there... How many channels, and how are the lights set up?