A light emitting diode - hereafter abbreviated LED - system comprising: a bridge rectifier for generating a direct current voltage from an alternating current voltage; a plurality of LED strings (110, 120, 130, 140, 150) coupled to the bridge rectifier, each of the plurality of LED strings comprising a plurality of LEDs; a resistor comprising a first node and a second node, the first node coupled to ground; and a headroom control circuit, wherein the bridge rectifier, the plurality of LED strings (110, 120, 130, 140, 150), the resistor and the headroom control circuit are connected in series; a first plurality of switches, controlled in response to the direct current voltage such that only one of the first plurality of switches is closed at any one time, each of the first plurality of switches coupled to an end of at least one of the plurality of LED strings; a plurality of current regulators (115, 125, 135, 145, 155), wherein each of the plurality of current regulators is coupled to the second node of the resistor, and wherein each of the plurality of current regulators is coupled to a different node through a different one of the first plurality of switches, wherein each node is formed at an end of at least one of the plurality of LED strings, to control current through that LED string; wherein the headroom control circuit is coupled to the plurality of current regulators, the headroom control circuit comprising: a plurality of sets of LEDs (211, 212, 213), wherein at least one of the LED strings in the plurality of LED strings comprises a greater number of LEDs than the number of LEDs in any one of the sets of LEDs in the plurality of sets of LEDs; a second plurality of switches (221, 222, 223), wherein each switch in the second plurality of switches is coupled in parallel with one of the plurality of sets of LEDs; and a controller for controlling the second plurality of switches in response to the direct current voltage; wherein the controller is configured to open one or more of the second plurality of switches, thereby enabling one or more of the plurality of sets of LEDs to emit light before the direct current voltage is sufficiently high to cause one or more of the plurality of LED strings to emit light; and wherein each of the first plurality of switches, when closed, provides a current path through one or more of the plurality of LED strings to one of the plurality of current regulators. a bridge rectifier for generating a direct current voltage from an alternating current voltage; a plurality of LED strings (110, 120, 130, 140, 150) coupled to the bridge rectifier, each of the plurality of LED strings comprising a plurality of LEDs; a resistor comprising a first node and a second node, the first node coupled to ground; and a headroom control circuit, wherein the bridge rectifier, the plurality of LED strings (110, 120, 130, 140, 150), the resistor and the headroom control circuit are connected in series; a first plurality of switches, controlled in response to the direct current voltage such that only one of the first plurality of switches is closed at any one time, each of the first plurality of switches coupled to an end of at least one of the plurality of LED strings; a plurality of current regulators (115, 125, 135, 145, 155), wherein each of the plurality of current regulators is coupled to the second node of the resistor, and wherein each of the plurality of current regulators is coupled to a different node through a different one of the first plurality of switches, wherein each node is formed at an end of at least one of the plurality of LED strings, to control current through that LED string; wherein the headroom control circuit is coupled to the plurality of current regulators, the headroom control circuit comprising: a plurality of sets of LEDs (211, 212, 213), wherein at least one of the LED strings in the plurality of LED strings comprises a greater number of LEDs than the number of LEDs in any one of the sets of LEDs in the plurality of sets of LEDs; a second plurality of switches (221, 222, 223), wherein each switch in the second plurality of switches is coupled in parallel with one of the plurality of sets of LEDs; and a controller for controlling the second plurality of switches in response to the direct current voltage; a plurality of sets of LEDs (211, 212, 213), wherein at least one of the LED strings in the plurality of LED strings comprises a greater number of LEDs than the number of LEDs in any one of the sets of LEDs in the plurality of sets of LEDs; a second plurality of switches (221, 222, 223), wherein each switch in the second plurality of switches is coupled in parallel with one of the plurality of sets of LEDs; and a controller for controlling the second plurality of switches in response to the direct current voltage; wherein the controller is configured to open one or more of the second plurality of switches, thereby enabling one or more of the plurality of sets of LEDs to emit light before the direct current voltage is sufficiently high to cause one or more of the plurality of LED strings to emit light; and wherein each of the first plurality of switches, when closed, provides a current path through one or more of the plurality of LED strings to one of the plurality of current regulators.