Using an I2S microphone AND a WS2812 LED strip

Hi,
A couple of years ago I made a basic 'sound meter' using an arduino uno, an analogue microphone, and an LED strip to display the amplitude of the output. It worked ok for a while, but the analogue mic was always a bit sketchy.
I've just tried playing with an I2S mic on a a MKRZERO and see that I get a way cleaner sound signal and want to use this instead...but now I'm having issues and the forums seem to suggest it is because the WS2812 leds need higher than the 3.3V for the data transmission than the SAMD21 provides.
So I want the I2S mic, but also the leds for my sound meter MK2 project.
Is there a way around this? I have a few boards in my collection (Uno, mega2560, nano R3).
I have played with arduinos a tiny bit (literally just this sound meter and an automated chicken coup door) but I'm still a massive noob.
I don't know the details but I wondered if I used the zero to read the mic, and then a second arduino to control the leds? But my brief search said that will need some of the same pins as the mic on the zero if I want to communicate between the arduions- so I wasn't sure.
Any work arounds or suggestions are very very welcome.
Many thanks

It's surprising what you can find with google

I tried

  using neopixels at 3.3 volts

and right away see this

and I seem to recall there are some lower rent hacks. I'd go with the 74AHCT125, you may like a cheap hack that works better. Not that it works better, but that you like better.

HTH

a7

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Great, thank you. Yep google is definitely my friend but sometimes I just can't find the right words. You found them for me!

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