The term "LEGO Light and Sound sets" primarily refers to a popular, discontinued electronic system from 1985 to the late 1990s that integrated lights and sounds directly into standard LEGO builds using special conductive bricks. The LEGO Group also uses basic light and sound bricks in current sets, and a large third-party market provides intricate lighting solutions for existing models.
Discontinued "Light & Sound" Theme (1985-1999)
This was a revolutionary, integrated system where special bricks with metal contacts conducted power, replacing the need for complex wiring. The system ran on a 9V battery box.
Components: Key elements included a 1x4 light brick, a 2x2 switch brick, and sound bricks (one for a town siren, one for a space siren).
Play Features: Light bricks could be set to a continuous glow or a flashing mode by reversing their polarity, while sound bricks had two distinct sounds and a silent mode.
Themes: The system was mainly featured in LEGO Town (emergency vehicles) and LEGO Space (ships and bases) sets.
Notable Sets: Hook and Ladder Truck (6480): A fire truck that used the siren sound brick and flashing lights.
XT Starship (6780): A Space set that utilized the sound brick and light effects.
Monorail Transport System (6990): A flagship set for the Futuron theme that used the 9V system and included light elements.
Current Official Lighting
Today, the original "Light & Sound" system is discontinued. The LEGO Group has moved toward simpler, self-contained "light bricks" in current sets that light up with a simple button press, or apps for sound effects in licensed sets like The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr (set 10333).
Third-Party Light and Sound Solutions
A massive aftermarket industry has emerged to provide detailed light and sound kits for almost any official LEGO set. These are not official LEGO products, but they are very popular with adult fans.
Light Kits: Companies like Light My Bricks, Game of Bricks, and Brickstuff offer intricate LED lighting systems with ultra-thin wires and custom control boards to illuminate specific models like the Eiffel Tower or Avengers Tower.
Sound Kits: Sound kits are also available from these third parties, offering a variety of sound effects to accompany the lights.