element14 releases new Raspberry Pi Audio Production eBook

Book showcases new applications for low-cost high-definition audio development using the Raspberry Pi

Shanghai, China, November 23, 2021 – Farnell element14, a global distributor of electronic components products and solutions under Avnet, has released a new e-book through its online interactive community, exploring the application potential of Raspberry Pi in high-definition audio development and music creation. Audio enthusiasts usually need to use expensive sound systems to present the best sound quality, and with the emergence of new expansion boards and fidelity software, Raspberry Pi has gradually become an excellent choice for high-definition audio enthusiasts.

Raspberry Pi has always been seen as an ideal tool for learning programming and electronic hardware design. With a series of new HATs (hardware boards) for Raspberry Pi 4, users can add more advanced digital/analog converters (DACs) and amplifiers to the development board. Coupled with the high-end audio hardware capabilities of Raspberry Pi itself, this makes Raspberry Pi an ideal choice for low-budget audio editing and development projects.

This eBook highlights several new HAT expansion boards available from element14 to enhance the audio capabilities of the Raspberry Pi , including:

• The Infineon MERUS Audio Amplifier HAT is an audio amplifier expansion board designed for the Raspberry Pi Zero. The expansion board is equipped with the Infineon MA12070P multi-stage amplifier with a peak power of up to 40 W. It is powered by the Raspberry Pi power supply and supports 24-bit/48 kHz audio playback. The board also enables full hardware control, customization and error monitoring through Linux Alsamixer. Its compact form factor makes it easy for users to integrate into portable Pi design projects, including players and speakers.

• AmpliPi Multi-Room/Zone Audio Controller from Micro Nova: This system is based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ and is equipped with a PCM5102A and CM6206 audio DAC. The Pi can also communicate via I2C with the STM32F030 microcontroller integrated on the preamplifier board to control the mixing and amplification system. AmpliPi is able to stream 4 independent audio sources to 6 stereo output zones, and can be further expanded to 36 stereo output zones via expanders in a daisy chain.

The e-book also highlights several software tools that help build high-definition audio applications for Raspberry Pi. Sonic Pi is one of the better choices. Sonic Pi is a powerful real-time programming environment based on the Ruby language that allows users to create new sound effects, showcase various musical styles, loop audio, switch synthesizers, and more. The book also outlines other free software tools, including MilkyTracker and Tracktion Software Waveform digital audio workstation (DAW), which can be seamlessly integrated with the Raspberry Pi platform.

element14 is a global distributor of electronic components products and solutions under Avnet, committed to helping design engineers, maintenance and test engineers, makers, parents and educators develop the next generation of encoders and products in order to use technology to create a better future.