Ambi'Son

Additional information

Here are a few examples of what you can do with it:

• A museum audio player.
• The “Quiz'O'Phone”: single-question or multi-question Christmas special.
• A “story box” for the bookstore in my village.
• An audio installation for a hall of mirrors.
• A meditation box, my “Médita'Son”.
• A sound die.
• An old poetic hotel telephone.
• Theatrum Mundi, a work by Camille SAUER, fitted with several Ambi'Son modules.
• A music box for a theater troupe.
• A story box commissioned by a customer with no electronics skills.
• A sound box.
• Etc.

All kinds of projects are possible. To discuss feasibility, contact me.

Details

It’s up to you to outfit it and build a small enclosure if you wish, but make sure no conductive part touches the PCB: there is a risk of a fatal short circuit for the module.

I designed the device from start to finish: from the PCB layout to soldering the components and programming. It is handmade.

The module itself is very power-efficient. Some so-called “smart” power banks may go into sleep mode and cut the power, especially at low volume.

If you have a question, a suggestion, or an issue, contact me.

Photos, videos, components, colors, version, etc.: non-contractual.

Technical specifications

• User manual
• Power:
  • DC5521 jack (5.5 mm x 2.1 mm), DC 7 to 12 V
  • Screw terminal block (DC 7 to 12 V)
  • USB-C (via the Nano interface)
  Note: if you power the module via USB-C through the Nano, the potentiometer’s built-in switch will not cut power. If you want to be able to cut power, use the DC5521 jack or the screw terminal block instead.
• I/O: 9 digital pins and 7 analog pins on the Nano
• Nano programming via USB-C using Arduino IDE. My program is already loaded for simple use.
• Storage: microSD card and/or USB flash drive (depending on version, sold separately), up to 32 GB
• Formats: .mp3 preferred, or .wav
• Channels:
  • Stereo on the Line output
  • Mono on the Speaker output (left and right mixed)
• Playback selection via push button:
  • Loop, random
  • Loop, in order
  • Once, single file
• Output mode: DAC (to connect 1 to 4 headphones like this one + a splitter, or an external amplifier) or Speaker (3 W amplified into 4 ohms), selectable via a switch or two jumpers
• Volume: adjustable manually. The setting is digital. The potentiometer switch cuts power if the module is powered via the DC5521 jack or the screw terminal block, but not if power comes from the Nano’s USB.
• Available audio outputs:
  • 3.5 mm jack
  • Screw terminal block
  • Bluetooth (depending on version)
• Power draw: between 100 mA and 200 mA depending on your setup
• Dimensions: 78 mm x 55 mm (excluding potentiometer and jack), 20 mm thick. Mounting hole details: see the last image.
• Sensitive to humidity and rain: for indoor use, or protected.
• Handmade by me

Sold separately, compatible

• microSD card, to store your files
• Speaker or resonator (3 W), to hear your sounds
• DC power supply, to power your module
• DC power extension cable, to increase the distance between power supply and module
• DC power splitter, to power multiple modules from a single power supply
• battery holder, to power it with batteries or rechargeable cells
• A headphone splitter, to connect up to 5 headphones.