Sound Sensor Module Giving Flat Readings

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a noise-detection project using the a Sound Sensor Module. The goal is to trigger a buzzer when audio levels exceed a certain threshold.

Here’s what’s happening:

I’ve wired VCC → 5V, GND → GND, and OUT → a digital pin on my Arduino. When I test, the output value barely changes, even with loud noise; it’s either stuck HIGH or LOW most of the time. I’ve adjusted the on-board potentiometer, but it still doesn’t respond reliably.

Tried with both digitalRead and analogRead, same result, no variation. From what I’ve seen in other threads (e.g., on Arduino forums), these modules can have a very narrow detection threshold and be sensitive to noise, grounding, or even power level changes.

Questions for you all:

Is flat or stuck output behavior typical if the threshold isn’t set just right? Would powering with 3.3V instead of 5V help with sensitivity or signal stability? Should I add a pull-down resistor or extra filtering on the signal line? I’d really appreciate any advice or tips on how to get this sensor behaving properly.

Thanks a lot!

-Jordan