Beta Test a Raspberry Pi Low-Latency Audio and MIDI Interface

27 Aug 2016 by Simon Allen | Approximate reading time: 1 Minute

Blokas Pisound Interface · Source: blokas.io

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Here’s a fun little educational tool that also has potential as a mobile recorder. Pisound is designed for use with the Raspberry Pi pocket computer, and offers high-quality audio converters and a MIDI interface. If this interests you, then Blokas are currently looking for beta testers.

Blokas Pisound Audio and MIDI Interface

This isn’t an audio interface for everyone, but if you’re interested in Raspberry Pi computers or even building your own custom audio interface, then this might be the place to start. This audio interface may appear rudimental, but the specifications are impressive.

The Pisound features Burr-Brown Op-Amps for its audio converters and is capable of running up to sample rates of 192kHz at a 24 bit depth. High-quality audio is promised on the basis of these renowned converter chips, which are combined with a low-noise external power supply.

Utilising the Raspbian OS and PureData patches, the Pisound is capable of recording directly to a USB memory stick without a keyboard, mouse or monitor. I’m sure Raspberry Pi developers could quickly identify some further adaptations and uses.

The interface also supports MIDI connections and boasts a latency of only 1.3 ms. The latency for the audio converters is also impressive at only 5ms. This is all really interesting to see, but for me it’s all about how users can further develop the concept, say by adding XLR connections or even built-in mics, perhaps. I quite fancy having a go – when I’ve got a spare minute!

More Information

Check out Blokas website for Pisound where you can also register to become a beta tester. Used effectively, it could prove to be a very cheap hand-held recorder for the field. There’s no mention of price, but I imagine it’s very cost effective as with most Raspberry Pi accessories.