Embedded & hardware
PicoADK
An RP2040 audio development board with 32-bit output.
A small, open-hardware audio development board built around the RP2040: PCM5100A 32-bit DAC, 8 analog inputs for CV / pots / sensors, USB-C, dedicated low-noise LDOs, SWD, MIDI-friendly. Sold at Schneidersladen and used for teaching at Harvard's Electronic Instrument Design Lab.
Background
The PicoADK started as a way to make the Raspberry Pi RP2040 actually pleasant to do audio with — a high-quality stereo DAC, separate analog and digital LDOs, and 8 protected ADC channels for eurorack-style CV, all in a footprint roughly the size of a Pi Pico. It became a small commercial success: shipped through schneidersladen.de and shop.datanoise.org, picked up by Harvard's instrument design lab, and now there's a v2 in flight built around the RP2350A with optional 8 MB QSPI PSRAM and a microSD slot for samples.
Specifications
- RP2040 dual-core M0+ overclocked to 400 MHz
- PCM5100A DAC, up to 32-bit stereo audio output
- 8 × 12-bit ADC inputs, 1 MS/s, 3.3 V or external Vref to 5 V
- Separate low-noise LDOs for analog vs. digital — no switchers
- USB-C host + device, JST QWIIC I²C, SWD, RGB LED
- Vult DSP toolchain on top of the firmware template
- v2 in progress: RP2350A · 4 MB flash · 8 MB PSRAM · microSD
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