Hey guys, I'm looking for another amp/dsp setup for my next build. I want to do a pair of 2 way active bookshelves with a Subwoofer.
What is better ??? Is there anything else out there that is 4 channel WITH dsp?
What is better ??? Is there anything else out there that is 4 channel WITH dsp?
Hi illnastyimpreza, there's the Beocreate 4 channel DSP + AMP. Not sure if it's better though.
It uses 3 TPA3128d2 chips : 2x BTL mono output and 1x 2 channel = 4 channels total.
Beocreate 4 channel amplifier | HiFiBerry
It uses 3 TPA3128d2 chips : 2x BTL mono output and 1x 2 channel = 4 channels total.
Beocreate 4 channel amplifier | HiFiBerry
Thanks for responding. I checked it out. Not much power out of that guy, and twice the price lol. I think I'm gonna try out the Wondom. I believe you can hook up more than 1 to get multiple channels and drivers out of them 🙂
Unsure if it matters to you - or anyone else for that matter... It "should".
The Wondom uses the adau1701 for DSP. It's an analog in / analog out chip. So what? Well, by architecture it chops up your analog music signal to digital, processes it in DSP, then converts the digital back to the analog realm via D/A.
So? Well, you'll have to like the sound of its particular A/D and D/A converters. Then of course there's a third process, converting the analog audio to PWM, however that's done in the power amp chip itself.
The Zoudio amp doesnt do all this back 'n forth with the conversions. It keeps the digital signal digital, all the way through the DSP, to the PWM at its speaker output. It's certainly the least expensive amp (that I know of) that does this. I believe you can hear the difference, but that of course is up to the listener to decide for themselves...
There's many architectures. My HiFiBerry Amp 2 TAS5756 chip converts to analog after the DSP section. The analog comes out a pin, goes through a lovely, cheap 2.2uF 0603 multi-level ceramic cap - and back into the chip for connection to the amplifier input. While ripe for a DIY "preamp-out" connection, you have to be adept at working with pepper grain size components to do that - or upgrade the cap quality; something done all the time in DIY upgrade of analog amplifiers. I knew an audiophile who remarked "A ceramic cap has no business being in an analog audio signal path". Gee, I wonder how many such caps there are in the audio signal path of that Wondom? I'd guess two per each stereo channel, minimum.
The Zoudio amp's TAS chip doesnt do that - digital, all_the_way_baby - including digital-to-PWM in the amplifier architecture.
Too bad it's not a zillion watts per channel. I can live with that, to get the other advantages it offers.
The Wondom uses the adau1701 for DSP. It's an analog in / analog out chip. So what? Well, by architecture it chops up your analog music signal to digital, processes it in DSP, then converts the digital back to the analog realm via D/A.
So? Well, you'll have to like the sound of its particular A/D and D/A converters. Then of course there's a third process, converting the analog audio to PWM, however that's done in the power amp chip itself.
The Zoudio amp doesnt do all this back 'n forth with the conversions. It keeps the digital signal digital, all the way through the DSP, to the PWM at its speaker output. It's certainly the least expensive amp (that I know of) that does this. I believe you can hear the difference, but that of course is up to the listener to decide for themselves...
There's many architectures. My HiFiBerry Amp 2 TAS5756 chip converts to analog after the DSP section. The analog comes out a pin, goes through a lovely, cheap 2.2uF 0603 multi-level ceramic cap - and back into the chip for connection to the amplifier input. While ripe for a DIY "preamp-out" connection, you have to be adept at working with pepper grain size components to do that - or upgrade the cap quality; something done all the time in DIY upgrade of analog amplifiers. I knew an audiophile who remarked "A ceramic cap has no business being in an analog audio signal path". Gee, I wonder how many such caps there are in the audio signal path of that Wondom? I'd guess two per each stereo channel, minimum.
The Zoudio amp's TAS chip doesnt do that - digital, all_the_way_baby - including digital-to-PWM in the amplifier architecture.
Too bad it's not a zillion watts per channel. I can live with that, to get the other advantages it offers.
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awesome info thanks JJ. I guess I can just piggyback my zoudio and try to get a super efficient DVC subwoofer to use 🙂
Don't agree, Wondom uses SigmaStudio which is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more flexible and actually not so hard to use.
It's also half the price for the 2x30W + 1x60W version.
It also wouldn't be so hard to convert a digital in on an ADAU1701 in general.
Used that IC many times in all kinds of OEM designs.
>It also wouldn't be so hard to convert a digital in on an ADAU1701 in general.
According to their spec sheet, I2S is available as input - upstream of all the DSP functionality too.
They wont say what kind of amplifier chip they're using, nor whether it's I2S input as well, or is converted to analog by the ADAU1701 before amplification. Those details of the architecture would mean something, to me at least.
I had a miniDSP with the AUAU1701 and I just didnt like the way it sounded - so much so that I bypassed the HP filtering and used it only for LP. I blame the DAC-> ADC -> DSP -> DAC architecture of the system I made for the sound.
Didnt have the gumption to try a USB to I2S to ADAU1701 input of that miniDSP, though I read it can be done. Maybe would have changed my perception to satisfactory, for the system. There was just too much back and forth signal manipulation between domains and I felt I could hear it.
When I got the Zoudio, that perception went away. FAIK, using the I2S input on the JAB5 would sound good to me as well. The knobs as real-time user control inputs to the filters and levels sure look like they'd be handy - given that their assignment and use isnt too restricted by the design.
I can see where this amp could be a gem as well. Tough call -
According to their spec sheet, I2S is available as input - upstream of all the DSP functionality too.
They wont say what kind of amplifier chip they're using, nor whether it's I2S input as well, or is converted to analog by the ADAU1701 before amplification. Those details of the architecture would mean something, to me at least.
I had a miniDSP with the AUAU1701 and I just didnt like the way it sounded - so much so that I bypassed the HP filtering and used it only for LP. I blame the DAC-> ADC -> DSP -> DAC architecture of the system I made for the sound.
Didnt have the gumption to try a USB to I2S to ADAU1701 input of that miniDSP, though I read it can be done. Maybe would have changed my perception to satisfactory, for the system. There was just too much back and forth signal manipulation between domains and I felt I could hear it.
When I got the Zoudio, that perception went away. FAIK, using the I2S input on the JAB5 would sound good to me as well. The knobs as real-time user control inputs to the filters and levels sure look like they'd be handy - given that their assignment and use isnt too restricted by the design.
I can see where this amp could be a gem as well. Tough call -
Attachments
As far as I know one could just simply program the EEPROM.
The ADAU1701 has by default a couple of i2s output pins (pairs).
I forgot exactly which ones, but that is just all documented.
So it's a matter of connecting the right pins, or soldering some wires to them and you're good to go. From SigmaStudio that is a very easy thing, just a matter of changing a few settings, which is also all documented.
The ADAU1701 has by default a couple of i2s output pins (pairs).
I forgot exactly which ones, but that is just all documented.
So it's a matter of connecting the right pins, or soldering some wires to them and you're good to go. From SigmaStudio that is a very easy thing, just a matter of changing a few settings, which is also all documented.
Is there a good tutorial video for the sigma studio and with Adau1701 use case maybe just a two way or just a subwoofer
Well, not in the same way. I use a USB to I2S converter, the use the I2S inputs on the Zoudio. Since these are just "clock and data" digital signals, I imagine you can drive as many Zoudios as you want, until the "fan-out" of the I2S drivers is exceeded. I'd bet you could do two Zoudios...