Ambi'Son

Additional information

All kinds of projects are possible. Need advice (feasibility, choice of version, build, suggestions, questions...)? Contact me.

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

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Protection, optional

The Ambi'Son is sold bare, without protection. It is therefore strongly recommended to make a case for it, to avoid any contact with conductive objects (risk of short circuit). This applies to all similar boards, such as Bare Conductive's "Touch Board", the "Teensy Audio Shield" or Adafruit's "Audio FX Sound Board", for example.

I now offer a protection kit made of 2 laser-cut wooden plates, 1 wooden extension for the play button, 8 spacers, 8 screws and 4 feet, to give the board basic protection. It is a kit to assemble yourself.

Volume

The volume is set with the potentiometer, from 0 to 100 %. Turned fully to the left, until it clicks, it also switches the module off (only when powered through the DC jack or the screw terminal, not through the Nano's USB-C).

Handy, but a double-edged sword in a public place: a visitor may turn the sound down to the minimum, or even switch the unit off by accident. On request, I can modify the program to remove the on/off function, or raise the minimum volume to 10 or 20 %. That way, the unit always stays audible.

Detailed use

• Get your step-by-step guide: the options to order, the equipment, the files and the wiring, depending on what your installation needs to do.

You will find even more information further down this page.

Designed and handmade by me, it is intended for projects such as: audio kiosks and museum displays, set design and sound installations, interactive objects, model making, etc.

Technical specifications

• Choose your options and set it up, in a few questions
• Power supply:
  • Standard DC plug (5.5 mm x 2.1 mm, known as "DC5521"), 7 to 12 V DC
  • Screw terminal, 7 to 12 V DC
  • USB-C (through the Nano's interface)
  It is recommended to power the module through the DC plug or the screw terminal. If you power it via the Nano's USB-C, the switch built into the potentiometer cannot cut the power, and the Vout output cannot be used.
• Inputs/Outputs: some of the Nano's pins are accessible (some are already used by the module)
• Nano programming via USB-C with the Arduino IDE. My program is preloaded for simple use: I update it too often to publish a version here, so ask me for it and I'll send you the latest one.
• Audio player: genuine DFPlayer Mini by DFRobot.
• Storage: microSD card and/or USB stick (depending on version, sold separately), up to 32 GB
• Formats: preferably .mp3, or .wav (16-bit / 48 kHz max)
• Channels:
  • Stereo on the Line output
  • Mono on the Speaker output (left and right mixed)
• Playback, selected with the push button:
  • Loop, random
  • Loop, in order
  • Once, a single file
• Impedances: LINE (to connect 1 to 4 headphones such as this one or this one + a splitter, or an external amplifier) or SPK 3W (amplified, 3 W into 4 ohms), selected with a switch.
• Volume: potentiometer from 0 to 100 % (digital control), with an on/off switch at the left end stop. See the "Volume" section
• Available audio outputs:
  • 3.5 mm jack
  • Screw terminal
  • Bluetooth (depending on version, a single receiver only)
• Power consumption: between 100 mA and 200 mA depending on your setup
• Dimensions: 78 mm x 55 mm (potentiometer and jack excluded), 20 mm thick. Drilling details: see the last image.
• Sensitive to humidity and rain: for indoor use, or protected.
• Handmade by me.

Included

• Ambi'Son module (chosen version)
• A wooden protection kit (if the option is chosen)
• Preloaded program (simple use)

Not included

• microSD card / USB stick, to store your files
• Speaker / exciter of 3 W, to hear your sounds
• DC power supply, to power your module
• DC extension cable, to increase the distance between power supply and module
• DC power splitter, to connect several modules to a single power supply
• Battery box, to power it with batteries or rechargeable cells
• A jack splitter, to connect up to 5 headphones.
• Transmi'Son, to connect an external amplifier without hum when it shares the module's power supply, and/or to control its volume
• Exten'Son, to easily add buttons, on the ADKey inputs
• Expan'Son, to add 16 inputs/outputs (buttons, LEDs, relays…) per board via the I2C bus, up to 128 when chained
• Protective case

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