MiniDSP releases $55 ADC 'Pocket ADC'

[Mort]

MiniDSP just released an RCA to SPDIF coax and Toslink analog to digital converter.

Assuming it tests close to specs, it's an affordable way to add another analog input to a Flex or other DAC/Pre-amp.

They included a useful feature for Flex users. It daisy-chains the power cable from the Flex so you don't need a second adapter.

Description
ADC Chipset	ESS ES9821Q
ADC resolution/Sample rate	24 bit - 48/96/192kHz selectable via front panel dip switches
Digital Audio Output Connectivity	1 x SPDIF on RCA connector, 1 x OPTICAL on Toslink connector
Input/Output configuration	2 x channel analog in (Unbalanced), 2 x channel digital out
Frequency response	20 Hz – 20 kHz ± 0.1 dB
Maximum analog input	2Vrms
Input impedance	100kΩ
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	118dB(A)
THD+N @1kHz	-114dB(0.0002%)
Crosstalk	-130dB
Power Supply	Included external switching PSU 12V/1.6A (US/UK/EU/AU plugs) Link cable to power PocketADC and your Flex with a single power supply
Power Consumption	2 W (idle)
Dimensions	13 x 40 x 62 mm

 

[mhardy6647]

I like the MSRP!

 

[morillon]

MiniDSP just released an RCA to SPDIF coax and Toslink analog to digital converter.

Assuming it tests close to specs, it's an affordable way to add another analog input to a Flex or other DAC/Pre-amp.

They included a useful feature for Flex users. It daisy-chains the power cable from the Flex so you don't need a second adapter.


View attachment 430244

Description
ADC Chipset	ESS ES9821Q
ADC resolution/Sample rate	24 bit - 48/96/192kHz selectable via front panel dip switches
Digital Audio Output Connectivity	1 x SPDIF on RCA connector, 1 x OPTICAL on Toslink connector
Input/Output configuration	2 x channel analog in (Unbalanced), 2 x channel digital out
Frequency response	20 Hz – 20 kHz ± 0.1 dB
Maximum analog input	2Vrms
Input impedance	100kΩ
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	118dB(A)
THD+N @1kHz	-114dB(0.0002%)
Crosstalk	-130dB
Power Supply	Included external switching PSU 12V/1.6A (US/UK/EU/AU plugs) Link cable to power PocketADC and your Flex with a single power supply
Power Consumption	2 W (idle)
Dimensions	13 x 40 x 62 mm

was announced ( and waited )..but now seems available ...

curious at the moment, of returns if it is measured ... could provide many services if of quality...
;-)

 

[DWPress]

It's been mentioned here before, I'm more interested in its big brother the ADept for $300. Supposedly one has already been sent to Amir.

 

[mhardy6647]

^^^ oh, that is very cool.

 

[charlielaub]

Meh, I am not really seeing the practical uses for the pocket ADC, since the output is only SDPIF. What do you do with that? You still need something useful (AVR, computer, etc.) with an SPDIF input.

On the other hand, wow I am very excited about the ADept. This has both single ended and balanced inputs, and USB-C connectivity so that it can be used as a recording interface for bringing audio into a computer. Now THAT is something that I could use!

Since we are talking about miniDSP products (but this could come from any quality MFG) what I would really like to see is a product that has one or more DIGITAL INPUTS and one DIGITAL OUTPUT with an ASRC in between. They used to sell a board called the miniDIGI that did exactly that:

One moment, please...

Unfortunately it has been discontinued. The mini-DIGI has two coax and two toslink SPDIF inputs and internally resamples everything to 48kHz. In this way you know what sample rate to expect from it at the output no matter what digital rate is applied to the input. This makes it more flexible for digital inputs than taking the SPDIF signal directly because you either need to know what rate to expect in advance, or you have to have some way to interrogate the SPDIF signal to get that info. IMHO I would really prefer 96kHz over 48kHz at the output, so on my wish list would be to make the output rate user selectable. Such a product (even if just a bare board) could then be integrated into a DIY audio appliance as the digital input end. Another wish would be for the board to include USB so that you could use it as a digital input for a computer much like the ADept does for analog signals. Fun to think about.

 

[MCH]

Meh, I am not really seeing the practical uses for the pocket ADC, since the output is only SDPIF. What do you do with that? You still need something useful (AVR, computer, etc.) with an SPDIF input.

On the other hand, wow I am very excited about the ADept. This has both single ended and balanced inputs, and USB-C connectivity so that it can be used as a recording interface for bringing audio into a computer. Now THAT is something that I could use!

Since we are talking about miniDSP products (but this could come from any quality MFG) what I would really like to see is a product that has one or more DIGITAL INPUTS and one DIGITAL OUTPUT with an ASRC in between. They used to sell a board called the miniDIGI that did exactly that:

One moment, please...

Unfortunately it has been discontinued. The mini-DIGI has two coax and two toslink SPDIF inputs and internally resamples everything to 48kHz. In this way you know what sample rate to expect from it at the output no matter what digital rate is applied to the input. This makes it more flexible for digital inputs than taking the SPDIF signal directly because you either need to know what rate to expect in advance, or you have to have some way to interrogate the SPDIF signal to get that info. IMHO I would really prefer 96kHz over 48kHz at the output, so on my wish list would be to make the output rate user selectable. Such a product (even if just a bare board) could then be integrated into a DIY audio appliance as the digital input end. Another wish would be for the board to include USB so that you could use it as a digital input for a computer much like the ADept does for analog signals. Fun to think about.

For many people using a regular DAC with the USB input already in use, an ADC with a spdif output is just perfect to add an analog source in a very simple way.

 

[charlielaub]

For many people using a regular DAC with the USB input already in use, an ADC with a spdif output is just perfect to add an analog source in a very simple way.

Sorry but I don't quite follow you. You have a USB DAC connected to a computer. What are you doing with the pocket ADC? You are adding an "analog source" to what... the DAC???

 

[MCH]

Sorry but I don't quite follow you. You have a USB DAC connected to a computer. What are you doing with the pocket ADC? You are adding an "analog source" to what... the DAC???

Of course, many people, including me in the past, use a dac with volume control and remote as preamplifier.

 

[charlielaub]

Of course, many people, including me in the past, use a dac with volume control and remote as preamplifier.

So your system is some digital source or sources (streamer/computer, CD player, etc), the DAC, amp, and speakers and you would like to add an analog input upstream of the DAC's volume control? This connects to an SPDIF input on the DAC I guess?

 

[Sokel]

It's been mentioned here before, I'm more interested in its big brother the ADept for $300. Supposedly one has already been sent to Amir.

Given the decent input impedance this thing could even measure stuff if it's properly made.
Let's wait and see...

 

[Roland68]

Sorry but I don't quite follow you. You have a USB DAC connected to a computer. What are you doing with the pocket ADC? You are adding an "analog source" to what... the DAC???

Nowadays there are many devices that only have digital inputs, but also digital devices that don't have such good analog inputs.
In both cases, an inexpensive and well-measuring ADC is very welcome.
MiniDSP doesn't just bring devices onto the market, but analyzes the market very carefully beforehand. There are also a few threads on ASR about such ADCs.
Most ADCs that measure well are also in a price range above €200, this is a good and inexpensive alternative.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Meh, I am not really seeing the practical uses for the pocket ADC, since the output is only SDPIF. What do you do with that? You still need something useful (AVR, computer, etc.) with an SPDIF input.

On the other hand, wow I am very excited about the ADept. This has both single ended and balanced inputs, and USB-C connectivity so that it can be used as a recording interface for bringing audio into a computer. Now THAT is something that I could use!

Since we are talking about miniDSP products (but this could come from any quality MFG) what I would really like to see is a product that has one or more DIGITAL INPUTS and one DIGITAL OUTPUT with an ASRC in between. They used to sell a board called the miniDIGI that did exactly that:

One moment, please...

Unfortunately it has been discontinued. The mini-DIGI has two coax and two toslink SPDIF inputs and internally resamples everything to 48kHz. In this way you know what sample rate to expect from it at the output no matter what digital rate is applied to the input. This makes it more flexible for digital inputs than taking the SPDIF signal directly because you either need to know what rate to expect in advance, or you have to have some way to interrogate the SPDIF signal to get that info. IMHO I would really prefer 96kHz over 48kHz at the output, so on my wish list would be to make the output rate user selectable. Such a product (even if just a bare board) could then be integrated into a DIY audio appliance as the digital input end. Another wish would be for the board to include USB so that you could use it as a digital input for a computer much like the ADept does for analog signals. Fun to think about.

So just as an example. The WiiM Ultra has analogue in, phono in and digital in. In general it measures well, but the ADC stage - not so good.

If I had an analogue only device I wanted to use with the Ultra, I’d get one if these (presuming it’s as good as I hope).

 

[morillon]

seems to be available for a little while now...
any feedback?
;-)

 

[morillon]

if the capture measurements are easy and here would be fast, a very very simple case... I do not have a """generator-source"" with enough margin to carry out these measurements seriously...
(and quite simply, it seems not yet available in my country)
too bad

not to mention the phono part..these two products minidsp on just their ADC parts would be interesting to test...

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

@amirm , your audience awaits.

 

[Roland68]

@amirm , your audience awaits.

When did you send Amir the MiniDSP Pocket ADC?

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

When did you send Amir the MiniDSP Pocket ADC?

Alas, I live in the UK, and the postage would cost more than the item.

Amir has reviewed quie a lot of miniDSP - I think 10 items, and some have been sent to him by the company.

The specs on the company's website, if accurate, reveal an absolutely astonishing, almost certainly game-changing product. If they're accurate, and the company believes in them, I'm sure they'll have sent a unit to Amir.

For clarity, if this unit is really 20 Hz- 20kHz, and that full range is flat, and the SNR is 118 dB, and the THD+N is 114 dB, then that's transparent, isn't it, or extremely close? Have I missed something?

If that's right, that in turn means that anyone with an analogue source (tape deck, turntable with phono pre-amp, whatever), and a DAC, or digital pre amp, etc., which is transparent, can now convert any of their analogue kit to digital, and the only limitation to the sound quality is the source kit.

Plug & play. For $50.

If miniDSP believe they have that, surely they'd be hand delivering it to for review Amir in a cadillac.

 

[Mort]

I think the MiniDsp Adept model is ahead of this in the Amirm test queue. Both have apparently been sent.

 

[Sokel]

Alas, I live in the UK, and the postage would cost more than the item.

Amir has reviewed quie a lot of miniDSP - I think 10 items, and some have been sent to him by the company.

The specs on the company's website, if accurate, reveal an absolutely astonishing, almost certainly game-changing product. If they're accurate, and the company believes in them, I'm sure they'll have sent a unit to Amir.

For clarity, if this unit is really 20 Hz- 20kHz, and that full range is flat, and the SNR is 118 dB, and the THD+N is 114 dB, then that's transparent, isn't it, or extremely close? Have I missed something?

If that's right, that in turn means that anyone with an analogue source (tape deck, turntable with phono pre-amp, whatever), and a DAC, or digital pre amp, etc., which is transparent, can now convert any of their analogue kit to digital, and the only limitation to the sound quality is the source kit.

Plug & play. For $50.

If miniDSP believe they have that, surely they'd be hand delivering it to for review Amir in a cadillac.

Can't judge without seeing levels.
At 0dB or near everything is peachy usually but that's never the level we will use, ever, neither us nor the recorded music.
Juice is at -20 to -30dB for loud-ish, lower for normal listening.

I'm interest for the Adept as well, if it's decent at the said levels AND after applying DSP I might give it a go and I hope it will not be the second miniDSP I'll return (or better the second device, ever, I hate returning stuff )