freeDSP-aurora - DSP with 8 I/Os, USB Audio, S/P-DIF, ADAT, Bluetooth and Wifi contro

For anyone looking to dive in, I'd suggest to be aware that this is not yet as user friendly an experience as MiniDSP etc. Software development is ongoing and there have been a few teething issues along the way. That said the only issue I currently have with the board for my use is the USB audio disconnecting from my linux HTPC, but I have worked around that by using optical SPDIF instead. I am otherwise very happy.

If anyone is interested in following development updates more closely, check the github releases and commits (main and dev branches) here: GitHub - freeDSP/freeDSP-aurora: freeDSP ADAU1452 with 8 analog input, 8 analog outputs, S/P-DIF I/O, ADAT I/O, USB Audio Class2, WiFi, Bluetooth
And the German language thread here:
Verstärkermodul mit DSP, 600W, 1-4Kanäle, low-budget, high-quality

Hi,
This looks an interesting proposition.
Can anyone comment on the sound quality and post pictures of their builds, how they're working etc.
I'm using a Behringer DCX2496 into 4 way horns and would like to explore better options.
Thanks
Barry

I'm very happy with the sound quality. I'm not one to get into audiophile descriptions, but in terms of noise I have the balanced outputs connected directly to the poweramp driving 107db W/m HF driver of the Faital Pro 8HX200 and have to get within ~1m to hear anything. That's with no line or speaker level attenuation in the system, only digital. It's markedly better than my experiences with anything from MiniDSP, though I haven't tried their SHD series.

Setup is:
-MeanWell GST220A36-R7B 36V AC-DC converter
-Traco TSR 1-2490 9V DC-DC converter
-Aurora DSP, optical SPDIF input, balanced analog output
-2x 3e Audio EAUMT-0100-4-A TPA3251 4 channel amplifier

Is such an audio mixer/interface possible with aurora?
- 8 inputs are dry sent to usb for direct recording
- 8 inputs have separate processing for eq/dynamics
- 8 outputs are configured as 4 stereo buses; inputs to outputs controlled via dsp
-At least 2 effect buses are created, outputs of which can be mixed to buses

I believe I can convert this board to a high standard mixer/interface with additional analog front ends

You can create pretty much any configuration you like between inputs and outputs if you are willing to spend the time in Sigma Studio. It's a free download, and worth having a play with before you make a decision. Note though that the official control software auverdionControl can only upload your custom DSP program to the board, it can't control it using the GUI (without additional coding).
 
Jean Claude,

please note that we had some trouble with the WiFi-Stack of the ESP SDK. There is now a patch for it in the develop branch ready for testing. I will provide new binaries, soon.

Raphael


Hello Raphael,


Today, I can't connect to my dsp anymore via wifi local access !
The wifi signal is good and the dsp is connected to my local network (Aurora wifi signal.jpg)
And here is the message I received from AuverdionControl (Aurora error message.jpg)


I'm not a programmer, and not familiar to github either. I'm just a long time user of active digital processors with an acceptable knowledge in electronics...


So stuck again
Jean Claude
 

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For anyone looking to dive in, I'd suggest to be aware that this is not yet as user friendly an experience as MiniDSP etc. Software development is ongoing and there have been a few teething issues along the way. That said the only issue I currently have with the board for my use is the USB audio disconnecting from my linux HTPC, but I have worked around that by using optical SPDIF instead. I am otherwise very happy.

If anyone is interested in following development updates more closely, check the github releases and commits (main and dev branches) here: GitHub - freeDSP/freeDSP-aurora: freeDSP ADAU1452 with 8 analog input, 8 analog outputs, S/P-DIF I/O, ADAT I/O, USB Audio Class2, WiFi, Bluetooth
And the German language thread here:
Verstärkermodul mit DSP, 600W, 1-4Kanäle, low-budget, high-quality



I'm very happy with the sound quality. I'm not one to get into audiophile descriptions, but in terms of noise I have the balanced outputs connected directly to the poweramp driving 107db W/m HF driver of the Faital Pro 8HX200 and have to get within ~1m to hear anything. That's with no line or speaker level attenuation in the system, only digital. It's markedly better than my experiences with anything from MiniDSP, though I haven't tried their SHD series.

Setup is:
-MeanWell GST220A36-R7B 36V AC-DC converter
-Traco TSR 1-2490 9V DC-DC converter
-Aurora DSP, optical SPDIF input, balanced analog output
-2x 3e Audio EAUMT-0100-4-A TPA3251 4 channel amplifier



You can create pretty much any configuration you like between inputs and outputs if you are willing to spend the time in Sigma Studio. It's a free download, and worth having a play with before you make a decision. Note though that the official control software auverdionControl can only upload your custom DSP program to the board, it can't control it using the GUI (without additional coding).

Great feedback - thanks! Would love to hear it with the 3e TPA modules. I Was almost planing on the exact same setup
 
I am with you. Noob but excited to play with the board.

Hello Raphael,


Today, I can't connect to my dsp anymore via wifi local access !
The wifi signal is good and the dsp is connected to my local network (Aurora wifi signal.jpg)
And here is the message I received from AuverdionControl (Aurora error message.jpg)


I'm not a programmer, and not familiar to github either. I'm just a long time user of active digital processors with an acceptable knowledge in electronics...


So stuck again
Jean Claude

Yea, these kinds of teething problems happen. I'm kind of wondering if Its ready to do a car DSP active setup. I have to admit, At least on the English side of the web, its almost a fart in the wind for people making videos about it or using it.

I have to admit the entry curve seems kind of hard to get into. I'm not sure what board to really buy. I see them on Ebay, and I was going to drop the $14 bucks for the board, but I better get a bit more acquainted with the software.

I have to admit, you Germans are just like Jeremy CLarkson made fun of you being. :) Getting all hot and bothered by TExt files LOL.


Does anyone have any links to anyone actually using this real time to make a Crossover, or how to build one from bare board to working doing some simple stuff with some speakers?

That would help out a lot. I would be glad to Make videos and show how this stuff works myself as I love doing that. But I could really use a primer so I don't just put it on a shelf and forget about it.

I can't PROGRAM worth a Snoodle. Sure, I used apple's scripting language, and did basic way back in the day, but that's about it. I'm sorry, but your Command line queens are are a rare breed. I love ya, just can't hang out with ya.


I would like to use it as a Crossover and E.Q. and mess around with DSP later.

Car audio is my Main love, but I would love to use this on a speaker build.

If this unit that I looked at does Active DSP and time alignment, that would be cool. But I have done the measurement with tape and then did the numbers in software ONCE. I don't use a Active DSP in my car as of yet. Have not found the need really. But in my other car? DSP IS NEEDED. BAD.

I would like to do a video series on how to set it up for cheap, as I love Value audio.



I sure hope I am posting in the right place. This is the thread that comes up when doing a Our great Overlord Search with Google.



Some other Questions:


So I think there are 4 or 5 different boards. What is the reason or strength besides CPU power between boards?

Is there any way to tell what boards are best and for what?

So is one board better for using as a simple EQ with Crossover?

Is their any safety that the board will not put out a Full range signal to maybe a tweeter driver on startup?

Is there a turn on thump with these boards?

Has anyone made any simple cases for these boards like they do for Raspberry pie?


Is there a Quick start kit?

Is there a Project Gallery?

So could this board do something like an active EQ that runs LED's? Like Assignable RGBs? Mabe like level meters? Can it be made to drive like a mosfet so that it can vary the voltage on an output? I think you can do that with raspberry pie.

Will this work with Buttons? Say for example on a head unit interface? That way you could make a standalone GUI with a Dot matrix LCD display? Kind of like a serial output?

So I see you can login to the unit. So I am assuming it is a web interface you can mess with the setting over wifi-TCP/IP or Bluetooth?


From what I understand, the Front end is Sigma Studio, so its not like a a GUI interface like other commercial units on the market correct?

Is this the same kind of chipset used in Android Front ends on some car radios?

Does the units or boards do Optical and Coaxial outputs?

Is their any commercial software or front ends that work with this DSP?

Could this unit be used to do Audio lidar night vision? Or Vision applications via microphones or intercepting data from Ultrasonic sensors? Say for back up modules, or I think the Processing power would be the limitation here. But I think it would make a great proximity sensor to cars around you maybe?


Are there any links to Really cool Projects out there that go over how to use this unit for speech synthesis or maybe one of those large sidewalk pianos?

Has anyone used this board for ALarms? Like GLass breakage detectors?


This device does does audio analysis, so could it be used in conjunction with home automation? Instead of using Google or alexa, could it then be used to intelligently turn on lights in a home, or do other things such as monitor for when a door opens, and then turn on lights? THat way you don't need to wire sensors. A microphone would give a sound signature, and thus trigger the software to turn on lights, heaters in the home or room people are about to enter etc?

Also, Far out here, but say if you were in a nursing home. Could the DSP do analysis of sounds for example look for sounds of a person weezing, or a cry for help to trigger a nurse? Or an alarm..Triggering nurse staff? :)

See, people who have trouble breathing or are have for example stop breathing at night, could this dsp analyze the audio, and look for the sings of a person who has trouble breathing from a person who is breathing normal while also being able to filter out background noise and look for that audio signature of a person not breathing normally vs a person breathing normally in a room environment?


How many Audio outputs are possible with the boards?

Are you able to use Multiple Bluetooth outputs?

Is there a soft turn on circuit?

Could it be used as a speaker driver distortion detector during live music? So like when when the signal coming out of it is distorted such as clipping, it can actively turn down the signal from microphones in the cabin that have been calibrated?

Having a Real TIME DSP/EQ would be GREAT for the Car environment. So like when the car goes faster, or the windows open, the DSP re-TUnes on the fly as the cabin in the car has a different "Q" or response?




I know its a Laundry list of questions, I was just thinking about the possibilities of an open source platform. I'm thinking this and Butterchurn could do some really cool stuff. Kind of like a very smart VIsualizer. Like when the audio pans, it would tell the software that it is and then it would run the Video with that program to draw the screen with a person or items going from one side to the other or drive LEDS in that fashion etc.


I was also thinking that this would be a really cool way to make and Auto Crossover by for example, using a microphone, and then the device would find the tweeter, midrange or woofer or subwoofer, and then look for the driver response and tune the levels it needs and then just be a basic plug and play Audio system in a box. You could use an android app to put in your basic speaker set up, and then have the software do the rest.
-----Kind of like how Windows sets up your speakers from small to large and does auto EQ in windows 7. But with multiple drivers so you could then use an active speaker system you build out of the box, and it just does what it can to make it sound the best and takes care of the X/O for you with just Basic input or a driver library of Speaker drivers?

Kind of like a DD-1 or something like that all in one? THat would be really cool!

But do it ALL with Microphones, so you don't have to hook anything up. Even use a calibration curve on a phone model for example of the microphones so you get an accurate system tune. Combine that with a camera, and then you can get a pretty good indication of doing a full auto tune where the installer just gives an app to the end user and then you he can fiddle with the system with simple controls to tweak it. Or do like Room modeling curves etc like theatre back in the day or live sound stage etc.

It could make system installs as easy as software for your phone and just a touchscreen app on your car. ALl you do is plug in the amp of your choice to the factory Amp connector, and it would then connect to the amp via Bluetooth or wifi, and handle all the audio needs. Basically a entire stereo in a box. that used the DSP and the software of the phone to do an entire system set up in a few minutes. The Faster the phone the faster it can crunch other stuff the DSP is not optimized to do. Or use the cloud database to get Eq CUrves for a car or from a library.

It would also be cool to be able to chase down cabin rattle or vibrations as well.

Say if there are 4 people in the car now. THe mic would sense that the cabin volume has changed or sound signature, and it would rettune as a result.

It would also makes Movies pretty cool or video games if it could do the processing for that. So say for example you have a room with a Home theater.
And you had people sitting around the room, well, the Auto DSP would correct for that, then be able to place the sounds or audio in front of the people around the room better then just having to have a static setup.

Moves or video games with active 3d could then be used to steer the sounds to players in the room. Also non standard Home theater setups would no longer be a issue.

I was also thinking of active sound tracking of a person in a room where for example if a person was moving around, you would still be able to be in the sweet spot. Or the audio would beam towards you. I mean if it can handle room acoustics, then this would be cool to do on the fly.

Would be Great for outdoor speakers. Could even make portable Blue tooth speakers sound a WHOLE lot better if a person had their phone in their pocket and it would actively use that along with GPS or wifi to time how far the person is from the speakers so it would also act like an auto volume.


Of course an auto noise canceler would be cool too. For example, say you gave a auditorium. You could use the audio from people phones along with mics from around the space to limit echo and make the sound more clearer in large venues.

It could also make feedback from microphones a thing of the past as well if it could do that?

So am I on the right track with this Hardware?

Let me know!

Thanks!
iMickey503
 
Hi everybody,
Here are updated news on my sample:



- First I have upgraded to both firmware and software 1.21. I must say that I have absolutely no problem at all with webota either via access point or local wifi network. It always connect immediately and firmware upgraded almost instantly.


- But beside this, I have tremendous problems to connect reliably with Aurora even via access point mode (192.168.5.1). On 10 attempts, I have 1 success connection and for a short time before it stops working again. The signal strength is perfect on both mode but it's just unreliable at best to get the board connected enough time to do whatsoever.


In short, not any use for the time being. I don't know what to do next
Any idea anyone ?
Best regards from France
Jean Claude
 
On the auverdion blog, it mentioned a forum thread about creating a panel with cutouts of the addons boards.

I would very much like a panel for addon B or C. with a DC power input via the connectors XT30 or 2.1mm barrel jack. or a generic hole that i can use a xt30 panel mount bracket or a barrel jack panel mount socket.

Translated Addon Panel cutout forum thread


In the poll, i voted for a panel for addon B.
 
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Or for a alternative, a smaller pcb with all the complicated digital connections. With RCA and XLR in/out done via individual panel mount sockets. shorter than addon B but fully featured, this way the user can cut holes for the analogue connections that fit users own box.

As a bonus: some pots and buttons, leds, led vu meters, led vol meter and a panel for it.
 
Hi everybody,
Here are updated news on my sample:



- First I have upgraded to both firmware and software 1.21. I must say that I have absolutely no problem at all with webota either via access point or local wifi network. It always connect immediately and firmware upgraded almost instantly.


- But beside this, I have tremendous problems to connect reliably with Aurora even via access point mode (192.168.5.1). On 10 attempts, I have 1 success connection and for a short time before it stops working again. The signal strength is perfect on both mode but it's just unreliable at best to get the board connected enough time to do whatsoever.


In short, not any use for the time being. I don't know what to do next
Any idea anyone ?
Best regards from France
Jean Claude

Looks like the dev is going to switch to a browser based interface due to ongoing issues with the software - might be worth holding out until that's released? There's a German language thread here just started:

Entwicklung einer WebApp für AURORA

Or for a alternative, a smaller pcb with all the complicated digital connections. With RCA and XLR in/out done via individual panel mount sockets. shorter than addon B but fully featured, this way the user can cut holes for the analogue connections that fit users own box.

As a bonus: some pots and buttons, leds, led vu meters, led vol meter and a panel for it.

I did up a very basic interface PCB for optical SPDIF in/out and USB, would you be interested in the KiCAD files?

So am I on the right track with this Hardware?

Let me know!

Thanks!
iMickey503

Might be worth downloading Sigma Studio and a copy of the Aurora manual so that you can get an idea of whether the product will suit you or not - to implement any of your ideas you will need to do all the DSP programming yourself in Sigma Studio.
 
Looks like the dev is going to switch to a browser based interface due to ongoing issues with the software - might be worth holding out until that's released? There's a German language thread here just started:

Yes that is true. The decision was made last week and I have spent the last days with proof of concept.
The last weeks have been terrible. There are some users having trouble with the connection from auverdionControl to aurora. There is no pattern. Sometimes only uploading parameters works sometimes connecting at all fails, sometimes only when switching presets. The only common thing is, they are all using Windows. And to make it even worse: The same board works with one Windows PC and not with the other standing next to the previous one. I saw issues with firewalls and defender. E.g. Kaspersky tends to block the traffic from the board but does allow the traffic from auverdionControl to the board.
After nights of support and trying to solve these issues I decided that I don't want to waste my time with supporting the ugly Windows OS anymore.
Interestingly Mac and the Linux beta have been working fine so far. I did not get any bug or error report from these systems like I have seen on Windows yet.

Therefore, auverdionControl will be replaced by a web app. That means, there will be a web server running on the aurora board. You connect to that board via your browser and do all the config through a web interface. This removes the dependency on Windows and enables all major platforms at once. You only have to make sure, that you browser can access a web server. Well if it cannot you have a serious problem with your PC that you should solve first before playing with DSPs. ;)

Raphael

P.S. Checkout the feature branch web app on GitHub to follow the current development. I have attached a first picture of the new web app.
 

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do we know when Aurora DSP is expected to be beck in stock on auverdion for ordering?


I was able to order one off their website just fine last week? I did see where it said they were out of stock though, so I expect we'll get an update on that in a few weeks.



On an unrelated note, does anyone here with more experience working with DSPs have opinions on the Aurora vs something like a miniSharc board (ADSP-21369)? Looking at the specs Aurora seems to have more taps (3000 per channel vs 2048) but counter-intuitively has much less memory available than the Sharc chip (640kbits vs 2Mbits) and even a lower clock speed (295 Mhz vs 400Mhz).


It was my understanding that available FIR taps were directly dependent on available memory and processing speed, so this is fairly counter-intuitive to me...
 
I was able to order one off their website just fine last week? I did see where it said they were out of stock though, so I expect we'll get an update on that in a few weeks.



On an unrelated note, does anyone here with more experience working with DSPs have opinions on the Aurora vs something like a miniSharc board (ADSP-21369)? Looking at the specs Aurora seems to have more taps (3000 per channel vs 2048) but counter-intuitively has much less memory available than the Sharc chip (640kbits vs 2Mbits) and even a lower clock speed (295 Mhz vs 400Mhz).


It was my understanding that available FIR taps were directly dependent on available memory and processing speed, so this is fairly counter-intuitive to me...


Would like to see Raphael's response on this. Also, I would like to know if IR wave files can be used in addition to txt files.
 
Disregard my previous question. There does not appear to be a FIR filter in SigmaStudio that can accept IR .wav.


If one was to upgrade the processor to the ADAU1466 with additional memory will this necessarily increase the amount of taps that are available?

I think you can drop it in, their pinouts are equivalent and I found some people that claim to have swapped them out of existing projects and boards. I do know that SigmaStudio only programs one specific processor type at a time, so if the current firmware is set for the ADAU1452 ID that might need to be modified (no experience software side, so someone else would need to comment here).
 
Hello,

I am very busy with the webapp atm, therefore, replies are delayed. Sorry.

End of January/begin of February I will allow pre-ordering Auroras when I have processed all current preorders. The next batch of Auroras will be produced in February.

Regarding FIRs: On ADAU1452 you have a pool of 2x 10000 taps that you can use. Indeed a SHARC DSP like 21369 is much more powerful. On a 21369 you can implement a FIR with more the 480000 taps... (I did that years ago).

Regarding chip replacement: Yes, you have to recompile the DSP software in SigmaStudio.
But you can do that. It is Open Source...

Raphael