MiniDSP releases $55 ADC 'Pocket ADC'

[morillon]

MINIDSP POCKETADC Convertisseur ADC

Le miniDSP Pocket ADC est un convertisseur analogique-numérique (ADC) compact et performant. Il dispose d'une entrée analogique RCA stéréo et de deux sorties numériques : une sortie optique Toslink et une sortie coaxiale.

www.audiophonics.fr

PocketADC

The miniDSP Pocket ADC is an extremely compact high-resolution A/D (analog-to-digital) convertor that accepts a stereo analog input on single-ended (RCA) connectors and converts it to SPDIF coaxial and TOSLINK optical digital outputs. This pocket size converter supports high sample rate and...

www.minidsp.com

Perhaps even richer measures will come here?
;-)
(on this machine test is very easy and quick..
but on the other machine adc "adept", richer, riaa etc harder to do on the other hand...)

 

[howard416]

This could be useful in certain applications as a bonus galvanic isolator. Not sure how much jitter this would introduce in the signal chain though.

 

[wgh52]

pocketADC customer shipments are rolling now, mine has arrived a few days ago. Today I installed it between the RIAA preamp and the nanoDIGI DSP (formerly only used for dig. sources). The sound quality result is actually quite satisfying (for me). Is this better than ADept? Maybe - I don't know. But to connect phono to a digital system pocketADC with decent power supply (Topping P-50 in my case) provides a good, well working entry point. For me the next level would (and may at some point) be the "Waxwing" at ~9x the cost. But this probably not for better A>D conversion quality as such, but for all the additional DSP and alignment features it provides.

Regards,
Winfried

 

[morillon]

pocketADC customer shipments are rolling now, mine has arrived a few days ago. Today I installed it between the RIAA preamp and the miniDIGI DSP (formerly only used for dig. sources). The sound quality result is actually quite satisfying (for me). Is this better than ADept? Maybe - I don't know. But to connect phono to a digital system pocketADC with decent power supply (Topping P-50 in my case) provides a good, well working entry point. For me the next level would (and may at some point) be the "Waxwing" at ~9x the cost. But this probably not for better A>D conversion quality as such, but for all the additional DSP and alignment features it provides.

Regards,
Winfried

around me many would prefer to live with your leehman than waxwing...see to take measurements, pass via the pocket to a sound card with digital input which can be found for almost nothing... here some are passionate about measurements for adjustment assistance, observation of cartdriges etc it is very particular...but in "normal" use we are supposed to do it only rarely...very rarely ;-)
funny

 

[wgh52]

@morillon

I guess at the moment I agree with you, but (technical) couriosity may "overwhelm" me at some point and I go waxwing
Currently other projects have priority and until these are done pocketADC stays.

Regards,
Winfried

PS: Just for completeness I'd like to share that I'm currently building new, large active 4-Way DSP speakers which will be fed by digital sources and the A>D converted Phono signal.

 

[FrankM]

Would this be the device needed to take the analog L/R preouts from Denon receiver to the Minidsp flex 8

 

[Roland68]

Would this be the device needed to take the analog L/R preouts from Denon receiver to the Minidsp flex 8

What would be the goal? Why not just use the source?

 

[FrankM]

What would be the goal? Why not just use the source?

The reason—unfortunately, I didn’t realize it at the time—is that the Flex 8 doesn’t have any analog inputs.

 

[Roland68]

The reason—unfortunately, I didn’t realize it at the time—is that the Flex 8 doesn’t have any analog inputs.

You misunderstood me, why do you want to go through the Denon receiver first?

 

[wgh52]

You misunderstood me, why do you want to go through the Denon receiver first?

Hi Roland and Frank,

yes, a valid question - if there's not more than one analog source

If e.g. only source like Phono or FM Radio or Tape, then the Denon is clearly redundant.
If there are two or more analogue Sources the Denon acts as the (analog) input switch (with optional) volume control.

Regards,
Winfried

 

[FrankM]

You misunderstood me, why do you want to go through the Denon receiver first?

I’ll be running active DSP and crossovers on a pair of Klipsch LaScalas, used for both music and movies. The system is part of a full Atmos 7.2.4 setup. I’ll have two separate configurations, one for music and one for movies, to get the best performance from each.

 

[Crook]

I've bought one £70 inc. shipping to UK, but it sits on the desk. I'm going to use it to convert phono pre output (spartan 5) into digital coax for the RME ADI-2 DAC, so I can EQ/room correct the turntable as well as the digital side. ADI-2 ordered since 01/05/2025, but nothing available in the UK at this time, unless you want to overpay. Hurry up RME

Anyone see an issue with this use case?

 

[Roland68]

Hi Roland and Frank,

yes, a valid question - if there's not more than one analog source

If e.g. only source like Phono or FM Radio or Tape, then the Denon is clearly redundant.
If there are two or more analogue Sources the Denon acts as the (analog) input switch (with optional) volume control.

Regards,
Winfried

I’ll be running active DSP and crossovers on a pair of Klipsch LaScalas, used for both music and movies. The system is part of a full Atmos 7.2.4 setup. I’ll have two separate configurations, one for music and one for movies, to get the best performance from each.

I would actually recommend connecting the receiver and other analog devices to a high-quality RCA switch and connecting the ADC to the output.
Most receivers are really not great, especially when it comes to small-signal processing. Amir's measurements speak volumes.
This way, the signal travels the shortest possible path from the source to the ADC, without interference from electronics, power supplies, or other sources.

This ADC should be a good choice with a good price/performance ratio.
You can easily test whether an RCA switch is worthwhile by connecting the ADC directly between the source and the miniDSP and between the receiver and the miniDSP.

 

[Kefa]

I have a Teac PD-301-x FM tuner with excellent sound but only an analog RCA output from the FM Radio. So, to have its sound in my HiFi audio system, I added PocketADC into the chain, which looks like this now: Analog FM signal from Teac PD-301-X → PocketADC → SPDIF → Topping E70 Velvet (DAC) → Topping B200 (amplifier) → Dynaudio Emit 20 speakers. PocketADC is completly transparent, and now I can enjoy excellent FM Radio quality from my nice Teac tuner.
I selected 48 kHz as the sampling rate because the source signal is analog FM radio, which has a limited frequency range—typically up to around 15 kHz. A 48 kHz sampling rate comfortably captures the full audio bandwidth of FM broadcasts without unnecessary overhead. I did not see any heat from pocketADC. Also, I use a linear power supply, Keces P6, which also powers my Teac FM Radio component.

 

[Lttlwing16]

For those in the US, since these ship straight from HK, there is now a 35% upcharge (30% tariff, 5% import processing) which is $19, plus $30 shipping to the Louisville KY area. Obviously shipping may vary.

So much for $55!

 

[Kefa]

True, I paid 98€ with delivery in Europe. But the thing is that there are no real alternatyves in this price segment , all other devices I tried to research has some real issues with noise or sound quality… In reality we see, its possible to create a realy good ADC for 50$, but maybe profit margin in this case is so low, that all companies are just cutting corners…

 

[morillon]

a little more reasonable...80 euros delivered to France from france a few weeks ago....( 75euro ttc+port)

It's surprising that it haven't been more highlighted, nor already tested here...
if the adept represents a lot of efforts... here it's very simple and quick to test....


but the adept's measurements are eagerly awaited
(but above all you need a source with sufficient margin given the first known data)

 

[xanalog]

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.

You are so mean!
Dangling such a device in front of me. << Like giving a recovering alcoholic, a gift-card for booze!

Twenty months ago, the good-people -w/probably, the best of intentions- proposed a "preAmp" that had both analog(RCA/XLR) and digital(Toslink/Coax) audio inputs.
Originally, the FOSI SP3 ("What a Balance Preamplifer Should Be Like") was supposed to be a more rudimentary audio device (re:ADept) but was to achieve a hybrid 'preAmp', with both ADC and DAC functionality, at reasonable pricing and decent measurements.
The SP3 now appears to have become an 'ADAC' (Inputs=Analog; Internals=Digital; Outputs=Analog).

At the current time, paint me as a skeptic!

 

[Lttlwing16]

True, I paid 98€ with delivery in Europe. But the thing is that there are no real alternatyves in this price segment , all other devices I tried to research has some real issues with noise or sound quality… In reality we see, its possible to create a realy good ADC for 50$, but maybe profit margin in this case is so low, that all companies are just cutting corners…

For my uses, and simplicity of having everything in one box (no separate DDC/usb output needed), along with added function (headphone amp, DAW, preamps etc), and Amazon availability, the Topping E2x2 is getting my money.

 

[Kefa]

Topping creates great products as always, but sadly it does not have a line in -> SPDIF coax out adapter