USBStreamer multichannel USB audio interface

[minidsp]

And here is to a new little fun toy! 🙂

Introducing the USBStreamer, a 10x IN, 10 x OUT asynchronous USB interface with native support up to 192kHz. With toslink (stereo) or I2S (8ch) support, this USB audio dongle will fit most custom Audio project thanks to its miniature size, support for Mac/Windows and great potential for customization.

A low cost innovative platform for your fun projects

Check out the product page for more info. User manual to be released mid next week. Boards will start shipping end of next week.

Hope you're liking it!

DevTeam

 

[minidsp]

For those of you wondering what that board is about, the User manual of the USBStreamer is now posted online. Please check the product page for more info.

USBStreamer | miniDSP

We look forward to seeing your 7.1 custom USB dac running at 24/192! 🙂

Have fun

DevTeam

 

[Neil_J]

Awesome, this product looks perfect for my needs.

Is there any chance that the next firmware version will support outputting the sampling frequency to the GPIO pins? (e.g. One output each for 44.1, 96, 192, etc to be hooked to front panel LEDs)

 

[minidsp]

@ Neil,

Sorry for missing your post and the delay in our reply.
I guess that we should indeed have enough GPIO to have it running as such. It's a good idea that we could investigate in the future. Thanks for the suggestion.

DevTeam

 

[syklab]

Hi,
Which channel I should connect if I just want to use the USBstreamer feeding a 2 channels DAC using I2S ?

Thanks

 

[minidsp]

@ syklab,

The USBStreamer will appear as an 8ch Asio device in your PC so you can choose any of them... You just need to select the correct one in your ASIO router. 🙂
As per the user manual, Pin1 is I2S data OUT ch1&2 - Playback. So I guess you could use this one. Makes sense?

DevTeam

 

[BuissonVert]

Hello,

Since the USBStreamer seems to be USB Audio Class 2.0 compliant, am I correct in assuming that it would work out of the box under Linux? Also, the firmware update's process is only described under Windows in the manual. Would it be possible under Linux/OS X?

Thanks

 

[minidsp]

@ Buissonvert,

I'm afraid that we haven't tried the USBStreamer on Linux but from what we're told, some end users are fine using it on Linux. We'd have to wait more to confirm officially though.

As for the firmware upgrade, I'm afraid that it's currently only a Windows process. No immediate plans to build a dedicated application for that process I'm afraid.

Devteam

 

[Neil_J]

I'd really like to hear if anyone's got the USBstreamer working with the Raspberry Pi.

 

[BuissonVert]

Alright. 🙂

Hmmm... any chance of doing I²C over the GPIO pins in the future (to configure a few DAC chips)?

 

[minidsp]

@ BuissonVert, I2C over GPIO could indeed be done but the problem comes that we'd need to figure out a way to let end user enter a subroutine of how that I2C should behave at boot up. There is always going to be a more complex case out there (timing/speed) that would be a limitation. With this said, we could think of it as an upgrade in the future. A good idea.

DevTeam

 

[audiolic]

I was actually looking for something like this..

Is it possible to tell us the lowest latency settings in asio that you can achieve without crackle... I need 5ms max latency in asio on 4 simultaneous out..

 

[JZatopa]

Is anyone using this to output 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound audio yet?

 

[minidsp]

@ DJNUBZ,

You can see some info on the USBStreamer user manual on how to set it up. There are indeed few of us already using the board for that matter.

Hoping this info helps

DevTeam

 

[Neil_J]

Question - The XMOS reference design uses a 13 MHz pierce oscillator built from discrete parts, and an NC7SZU04 unbuffered logic inverter. Does the MiniDSP USBStreamer use a similar clocking circuit?

I'm interested because the type of circuit directly influences the amount of jitter that may (or may not) be heard.

Thanks!

 

[mgenerator]

I'm looking to design a standalone multi-track audio player for backing tracks, etc. I'm also a complete novice when it comes to EE. Is it possible to interface the I2S outputs of the USBStreamer to the serial input on a multi-channel DAC like the AD1934?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[minidsp]

@ Neil_J,
sorry for missing your post. In answer to your question, no we don't. It's using a 13Mhz oscillator but that 13MHz is only for the USB Phy though. Not for the audio signal.

Future firmware rev will have the ability to input a MCLK if those of you want to input their own MCLK>

Devteam

 

[minidsp]

@ mgenerator,

You could indeed do a multitrack player with the USBSTreamer. You'd indeed need some multichannel DAC to connect to the USBStreamer. Choose one that can work as slave with a "hardware mode" i.e. no need for I2C/SPI configuration. If you're not too electronic friendly, maybe easiest to see if you can get some help from someone that has equipment and some knowledge. Though with some reading online, you could figure it out. That's what DIY is about. 🙂

DevTeam

 

[tnargs]

Hi, I want to stream multi channel USB audio through USBStreamer and into multiple DACs, but I want to use DACs that take the usual non-I2S inputs (optical or coax or AES/EBU). What do I do?

• Can the DIGI-FP be used 'backwards' to convert I2S to SPDIF/Toslink/AES-EBU?

• Maybe I could use four DIGI-FP units to convert the USBStreamer's 8 channels of I2S to SPDIF/Toslink/AES-EBU.... then off to several non-I2S DACs.
  

cheers
PS I posted this on miniDSP forum but it is pretty quiet there and I am in a bit of a hurry to know so I can order a Christmas gift for myself! 🙂

 

[Neil_J]

I got my USBStreamer working last night, with a completely custom ES9023P board:

2011 MINI Cooper CarPC Build - Page 6 - DIYMA Car Audio Forum