diff --git a/inc/MicroBitAudio.h b/inc/MicroBitAudio.h
index 60ca6087..baed2d1b 100644
--- a/inc/MicroBitAudio.h
+++ b/inc/MicroBitAudio.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace codal
         public:
         static MicroBitAudio    *instance;      // Primary instance of MicroBitAudio, on demand activated.
         Mixer2                  mixer;          // Multi channel audio mixer
-        NRF52ADCChannel *mic;                   // Microphone ADC Channel from uBit.IO
+        NRF52ADCChannel         *mic;           // Microphone ADC Channel from uBit.IO
         StreamNormalizer        *processor;     // Stream Normaliser instance
         StreamSplitter          *splitter;      // Stream Splitter instance (8bit normalized output)
         StreamSplitter          *rawSplitter;   // Stream Splitter instance (raw input)
@@ -97,12 +97,6 @@ namespace codal
          */
         static void requestActivation();
 
-        /**
-          * Catch events from the splitter
-          * @param MicroBitEvent
-          */
-        void onSplitterEvent(MicroBitEvent);
-
         /**
           * Activate Mic
           */
@@ -190,6 +184,8 @@ namespace codal
           * Puts the component in (or out of) sleep (low power) mode.
           */
         virtual int setSleep(bool doSleep) override;
+
+        virtual void periodicCallback();
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/model/MicroBit.cpp b/model/MicroBit.cpp
index 7ebc8738..ff4d45ad 100644
--- a/model/MicroBit.cpp
+++ b/model/MicroBit.cpp
@@ -301,7 +301,6 @@ int MicroBit::init()
     // before any user code begins running.
     
     sleep(10);
-
     return DEVICE_OK;
 }
 
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ void MicroBit::onListenerRegisteredEvent(Event evt)
             // The level detector uses lazy instantiation, we just need to read the data once to start it running.
             //audio.level->getValue();
             // The level detector requires that we enable constant listening, otherwise no events will be emitted.
-            audio.levelSPL->activateForEvents( true );
+            audio.levelSPL->listenerAdded();
             break;
 
         case DEVICE_ID_MICROPHONE:
diff --git a/source/MicroBitAudio.cpp b/source/MicroBitAudio.cpp
index fd8b0ff1..75898801 100644
--- a/source/MicroBitAudio.cpp
+++ b/source/MicroBitAudio.cpp
@@ -55,12 +55,17 @@ MicroBitAudio::MicroBitAudio(NRF52Pin &pin, NRF52Pin &speaker, NRF52ADC &adc, NR
     if (MicroBitAudio::instance == NULL)
         MicroBitAudio::instance = this;
 
+    // Request a periodic callback
+    status |= DEVICE_COMPONENT_STATUS_SYSTEM_TICK;
+
     synth.allowEmptyBuffers(true);
 
     mic = adc.getChannel(microphone, false);
     adc.setSamplePeriod( 1e6 / CONFIG_MIXER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL_SAMPLERATE );
     mic->setGain(7, 0);
 
+    activateMic();
+
     // Implementers note: The order that the pipeline comes up here is quite sensitive. If we connect up to splitters after starting to
     // listen for events from them, we'll see channel startup events (which are valid!) that we don't want. So roughly always follow
     // the following schema:
@@ -79,28 +84,25 @@ MicroBitAudio::MicroBitAudio(NRF52Pin &pin, NRF52Pin &speaker, NRF52ADC &adc, NR
 
     //Initilise level detector SPL and attach to splitter
     //levelSPL = new LevelDetectorSPL(*rawSplitter->createChannel(), 85.0, 65.0, 16.0, 0, DEVICE_ID_MICROPHONE, false);
-    levelSPL = new LevelDetectorSPL(*rawSplitter->createChannel(), 85.0, 65.0, 16.0, 52.0, DEVICE_ID_SYSTEM_LEVEL_DETECTOR, false);
-
-    // Connect to the rawSplitter. This must come AFTER the processor, to prevent the processor's channel activation starting the microphone
-    if(EventModel::defaultEventBus)
-        EventModel::defaultEventBus->listen(rawSplitter->id, DEVICE_EVT_ANY, this, &MicroBitAudio::onSplitterEvent, MESSAGE_BUS_LISTENER_IMMEDIATE);
+    levelSPL = new LevelDetectorSPL(*rawSplitter->createChannel(), 85.0, 65.0, 16.0, 52.0, DEVICE_ID_SYSTEM_LEVEL_DETECTOR);
 
     //Initilise stream splitter
     splitter = new StreamSplitter(processor->output, DEVICE_ID_SPLITTER);
-
-    // Connect to the splitter - this COULD come after we create it, before we add any stages, as these are dynamic and will only connect on-demand, but just in case
-    // we're going to follow the schema set out above, to be 100% sure.
-    if(EventModel::defaultEventBus) {
-        EventModel::defaultEventBus->listen(DEVICE_ID_SPLITTER, DEVICE_EVT_ANY, this, &MicroBitAudio::onSplitterEvent, MESSAGE_BUS_LISTENER_IMMEDIATE);
-        EventModel::defaultEventBus->listen(DEVICE_ID_NOTIFY, mic->output.emitFlowEvents(), this, &MicroBitAudio::onSplitterEvent, MESSAGE_BUS_LISTENER_IMMEDIATE);
-    }
 }
 
-void MicroBitAudio::onSplitterEvent(MicroBitEvent e){
-    if( mic->output.isFlowing() || (e.value == SPLITTER_ACTIVATE || e.value == SPLITTER_CHANNEL_CONNECT) )
+void MicroBitAudio::periodicCallback()
+{
+    if (mic->isEnabled() && !micEnabled)
+    {
+        DMESG("MicroBitAudio::periodicCallback: activateMic()...");
         activateMic();
-    else
+    }
+
+    if (!mic->isEnabled() && micEnabled)
+    {
+        DMESG("MicroBitAudio::periodicCallback: deactivateMic()...");
         deactivateMic();
+    }
 }
 
 void MicroBitAudio::activateMic(){
@@ -112,7 +114,6 @@ void MicroBitAudio::activateMic(){
 
 void MicroBitAudio::deactivateMic(){
     this->micEnabled = false;
-    //mic->disable();
     runmic.setDigitalValue(0);
     runmic.setHighDrive(false);
 }