Adafruit Sparkle Motion – ESP32-S3-Based LED Controller with I2S Mic, 4 Outputs, USB-C PD, and WLED/xLights Support

The Adafruit Sparkle Motion with wFL Antenna is an ESP32-based board designed for WLED and xLights smart LED projects. It uses the classic dual-core 240MHz Tensilica ESP32 module with 4MB flash, supporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and Bluetooth Classic. The board is optimized for compatibility with WLED and supports various LED configurations from small wearable setups to large installations.

It offers dual power input options: USB Type-C Power Delivery with a selector switch (5V, 12V, 20V) and a 2.1mm center-positive DC jack. It includes low forward-voltage diodes and a 5A fuse for current protection. There are three 5V level-shifted signal outputs with matching power and ground terminals, along with six GPIO breakout pads and three additional GPIOs with power and ground access.

Key onboard features include an I2S digital microphone for audio-reactive effects, an IR receiver, a Stemma QT I2C port for peripherals, and a separate analog/digital JST input. The board also includes a user button (GPIO 0), reset button, red LED (GPIO 4), and a NeoPixel (GPIO 2). Its compact 33mm x 45mm size with mounting holes makes it suitable for embedded or wearable use.

Adafruit Sparkle Motion Board specifications:

• SoC: ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 @ 240MHz
  • Integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 (LE)
• LED Control:
  • 3x level-shifted 5V logic outputs with terminal blocks (supports 26–20AWG wires)
  • 1x additional level-shifted output via GPIO pad
• Audio Input: Built-in I2S MEMS digital microphone for audio-reactive lighting
• Infrared:
  • Integrated IR receiver
  • Optional external IR support via JST analog input port
• USB:
  • USB Type-C port for power and programming
  • USB-to-serial converter with auto-reset
• Expansion:
  • STEMMA QT / Qwiic-compatible I2C port
  • 6x GPIO breakout pads
  • 3x GPIOs with power and ground
• Misc:
  • User button on GPIO0
  • Reset button
  • Red status LED on GPIO4
  • Built-in NeoPixel on GPIO2
• Power Input:
  • USB Type-C PD with slide switch (5V / 12V / 20V output)
  • 2.1mm DC barrel jack (center-positive)
  • 5A fuse and low forward-voltage diodes for overcurrent protection
• Dimensions: 45 x 33mm with mounting holes
• Weight: ~10 grams

This board is built for quick integration with ESP32-based or other I2C-compatible microcontrollers in LED or sensor-based projects. It features pre-installed terminal blocks that support 20–26 AWG wires for semi-permanent connections using a flat-head screwdriver, reducing the need for additional soldering during setup.

It includes chainable STEMMA QT connectors compatible with SparkFun Qwiic and Seeed Grove I2C devices (with adapter), allowing plug-and-play connectivity. This setup supports fast prototyping and modular sensor integration through standard I2C communication. Detailed pinout and usage information are available on GitHub.

While the board is optimized for use with WLED, it functions as a general-purpose ESP32 development board. It supports other platforms such as Arduino, ESP-IDF, MicroPython, and CircuitPython, making it suitable for a wide range of ESP32-supported applications beyond LED control.

The Adafruit Sparkle Motion board is priced at $24.95 and offered in two versions: one with a built-in PCB antenna and another with a u.FL connector for an external antenna. Due to high demand, both versions frequently go out of stock. At the time of writing, only the external antenna version is available, with 9 units in stock.

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