Use this forum to chat about hardware specific topics for the ESP8266 (peripherals, memory, clocks, JTAG, programming)

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By lotus49
#80676 I want to make a device to check that a long case clock is in beat (i.e. the tick-tock is the same as the tock-tick). This involves some very simple calculations and the ability to detect sound. I already had two sound modules that I bought a couple of years ago in the 37 modules kit. The part numbers are apparently KY-038 and although the two look slightly different, the documentation says that the only difference is that one is high sensitivity and one is low.

However, both appear to be extraordinarily insensitive and I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I have adjusted the potentiometer on them more than ten turns which changes the output value (from 15 to 700) but doesn't appear to increase the sensitivity. I have to shout or whistle loudly for anything to register. This clearly isn't going to work for a long case clock which ticks quite loudly but nothing like as loudly as I can whistle. I also cannot work out whether the value is supposed to increase or fall as it tends to jump up and down on the rare occasions anything registers.

Has anyone else had any success using the KY-038? Is there a more sensitive alternative?
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By Shuuei
#85899 I think those so-called high sensitivity is specificly correspond to some input signal. Such as impluse, it will sometimes give a strong output/response. But however, it has a bad response for other type of signal.

And those venders take the impluse response as a HIGH SENSITIVITY.

I have a serial comparison between ky038 and another analog output mic sound module hw-181, but i dont know how to insert a img by url... which website i should choose...
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By Shuuei
#85925 Oh, new finding. Vdc+Potentiometer

Please check your power supply and make sure it is 5v.

At first I connect the sensor to esp32, which is 3.3v power supply. Then I replace my esp32 by arduino uno, whch has 5v supply. Well, I found that the ky038 standrard working voltage should be 5v. (know nothing about esp8266... for me)

Finally, with adjusting the potentiometer, the ky038's appearence becomes better.