audio News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

October 3, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Lyra V2 open-source audio codec gets faster, higher quality and compatible with more platforms

Lyra V2 is an update to the open-source Lyra audio codec introduced last year by Google, with a new architecture that offers scalable bitrate capabilities, better performance, higher quality audio, and works on more platforms. Under the hood, Lyra V2 is based on an end-to-end neural audio codec called SoundStream with a “residual vector quantizer” (RVQ) sitting before and after the transmission channel, and that can change the audio bitrate at any time by selecting the number of quantizers to use. Three bitrates are supported: 3.2 kps, 6 kbps, and 9.2 kbps. Lyra V2 leverages artificial intelligence, and a TensorFlow Lite model enables it to run on Android phones, Linux, as well as Mac and Windows although support for the latter two is experimental. iOS and other embedded platforms are not supported at this time, but this may change in the future. It gets more interesting once we start to […]

September 26, 2022September 27, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Arylic A50+ review – An entry-level wireless stereo amplifier

The Arylic A50+ is a stereo audio streamer with a built-in power amplifier and support for wireless networks such as WiFi and Bluetooth as well as wired connections such as Ethernet, Analog RCA Line In, optical S/PDIF input, Subwoofer Out, and USB host port. All you need to do is connect the Arylic A50+ amplifier to passive speakers, and you can then easily stream music from streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, or Qobuz in high-definition audio with the company’s 4STREAM app or another compatible app. Multiple A50+ wireless amplifiers can also be connected through your house to enable multiple rooms and/or zones support. Arylic A50+ unboxing Arylic A50+ wireless amplifier teardown We can open the device after loosening four screws and have a look at the various electronic components used in the design. The main board, named Up2Stream A50Pro, consists of 5 important integrated ICs: Those include: […]

September 23, 2022September 23, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Review of Arylic S50 Pro+ wireless stereo pre-amplifier

Arylic S50 Pro+ Wireless Stereo Preamplifier Review

The Arylic S50 Pro+ is an audio streamer with a built-in preamp. It can be connected to various wireless networks such as WiFi and Bluetooth (with aptX HD audio support), and wired connections namely analog RCA Line In/Out, Digital Optical In/Out, Coaxial Out, Subwoofer Out, RJ45 LAN port, and a USB host port. To use the S50 Pro+, simply connect the output cable to the power amplifier and a stereo speaker system. It allows you to stream music from streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, or Qobuz in high definition through the 4STREAM app or other compatible apps. It’s also possible to add multiple S50 Pro+ to your home audio system for support for multiple rooms and/or zones. Arylic S50 Pro+ unboxing Arylic S50 Pro+ teardown We can open the device after loosening 4 screws and find out the various electronic components inside the pre-amplifier with a PCBA named “Up2Stream […]

August 9, 2022August 12, 2022 by Sponsored Post - 4 Comments

Arylic A50+ wireless stereo amplifier supports 50W speakers (Sponsored)

Acrylic A50+ is a multi-functional wireless stereo amplifier that can stream a variety of sources to your passive speakers and active subwoofers. The amplifier features two 50W outputs, one subwoofer RCA output, two analog stereo RCA inputs, as well as only optical S/PDIF input. The A50+ offers Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port to play music from a USB driver, and several A50+ amplifiers can be set up in several rooms in your house to create a multi-room system. Arylic A50+ specifications: Audio Input – USB 2.0, analog stereo RCA, digital optical S/PDIF Audio Output Speaker 2x 24V 4 Ohms 50W speakers 2x 24V 8 Ohms 30W speakers Subwoofer – RCA output Frequency Response – 20Hz to 20KHz Audio Formats – MP3, AAC/AAC+, ALAC, APE, WAV, FLAC Audio Decoding – Up to 24bit/192KHz Connectivity Fast Ethernet RJ45 port 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4 with external antenna Bluetooth […]

July 26, 2022July 29, 2022 by Sponsored Post - 2 Comments

Up2Stream HD DAC wireless audio streaming board supports Airplay 2, aptX HD (Sponsored)

Arylic has offered Up2Stream audio receiver modules for DIY wireless speakers since 2018, and their latest module, the Up2Stream HD DAC board supports modern audio features such as Qualcomm aptX HD and Apple Airplay 2. Equipped with a high-performance ESS 9038Q2M audio codec, the wireless audio streaming board delivers 1:1 high-fidelity lossless 192khz/24bits audio output, offers dual-band WiFi, a range of audio input & output ports, and supports services such as Spotify Connect & Tidal Connect making Arylic’s 4Stream app optional. Up2Stream HD DAC board specifications: Analog Audio DAC – ESS 9038Q2M Stereo RCA output AUX input header Digital Audio Optical S/PDIF output, coaxial S/PDIF output, 1:1 up to 24bit / 192kHz Digital input header AUX input header Audio formats – FLAC, MP3, AAC/AAC+, ALAC, APE, WAV Connectivity Ethernet port Dual-band 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4 Bluetooth 5.0 with support for aptX HD Streaming Protocols – AirPlay 2, DLNA, UPnP, Spotify […]

July 14, 2022July 14, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

Arduino-based MIDI controller brings Minimoog Model D synthesizer back to life (Crowdfunding)

ΔMIDI 001:model D is an Arduino-based MIDI controller inspired by the Minimoog Model D synthesizer first introduced in the early 1970’s, but not in production anymore. The MIDI controller is compatible with VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugins designed for the Minimoog synthesizer, DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation), and as an open-source, can be directly modified or tweaked by its user. ΔMIDI 001:model D key features and specifications: MCU – Arduino-compatible ATMega microcontroller Controls 21x analog potentiometers 6x 6-stage knobs 15x toggle switches 2x lever switches 3x LED indicators 44x physical controls in total. Sync button for instant settings transfer. Map button for changing MIDI mapping on the fly. Class-compliant MIDI-USB protocol implementation Eurorack-compatible design Dimensions – 425 x 110 x 48 mm Weight – 1100 grams Materials – Three layers of fiberglass reinforced laminate with an additional layer of sheet aluminum. All CNC-machined. The 001:model D MIDI controller has been tested […]

July 13, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

Mekotronics R58 review – Part 2: Android 12 on Rockchip RK3588 CPU

I’ve written the first part of Mekotronics R58 review last month with an unboxing, teardown, and first boot with 3D graphics benchmarks. I’ve now had more time to play with Android 12 on the Rockchp RK3588 mini PC, so I’ll report my experience with the device. User interface and settings As already mentioned, the box ships with Android 12 for TV and the stock launcher. The Google Play store is working, and I had no troubles installing all apps I needed for the review. Most of the settings are pretty much standard. While the first time, I used Ethernet, and also tried WiFi 6 connecting the R58 to Xiaomi Mi AX6000 router. It worked but not without some effort, as initially, all I got were messages like “Couldn’t find SSID” both with 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs. It turned out I had to disconnect the Ethernet to make WiFi work, and […]