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WaveIO

Asynchronous USB-to-I2S interface overview

WaveIO card is a high performance USB-to-I2S bridge especially designed for asynchronous audio streaming between any computer equipped with an USB port and virtually any digital audio device or equipment compatible with I2S or S/PDIF interfaces. Combined with a suitable music player program, this board will offer 32 bit-perfect playback at any rates from 44.1 kHz up to 384 kHz thanks to proprietary drivers which allow for ASIO, Kernel Streaming and WASAPI operation, bypassing the Windows mixer for sublime audio quality.

Two high-precision oscillators source very accurate clock signals for driving bit-transparent operations whether it’s powered from USB port or using 5Vdc external PSU. The 4-layer PCB with dedicated power and ground planes along with seven ultra-low noise linear voltage regulators and high quality capacitor networks maintain the whole system noise at minimum preserving the digital audio signals’ integrity for lowest jitter performance. I2S outputs are galvanically isolated using Giant Magneto-Resistive digital isolators (GMR) avoiding noise propagation to the receiver.

WaveIO USB audio drivers uses ASIO Driver Interface Technology.

ASIO is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.

Product Highlights

Asynchronous USB interface:

Bit perfect audio streaming from the USB host (optimized for playback)
USB Audio Class 2.0 support with fall-back to USB Audio Class 1.0
Low latency (round trip as low as 3miliseconds)
16 to 32 Bit-transparent reproduction
44.1 to 384 kHz standard sample rates supported
Option for self- or USB bus-powered applications

Driver Support:

No drivers needed for MAC OS version 10.6.4 and above
No driver installation required for Linux with UAC2 compliant kernel
ASIO/KS/WASAPI/Direct Sound drivers for Windows 7 to 11 (32 and 64 bit)
Fully featured genuine Thesycon driver package with NO periodic beeps
Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 OSes are supported up to driver version 5.12.0
We do NOT offer XMOS driver packages with limited functionality – as per this document
Native DSD driver support and other features available only to genuine Thesycon packages!
Latest Windows 10 & 11 driver for WaveIO board is: v5.68.0.

USB and digital audio outputs:

Mechanically enhanced gold plated USB-B connector
Second multiplexed USB data input port available for off-board connection
Isolated I2S output using Giant Magneto Resistive (GMR) isolators from NVE
Non-isolated I2S port by means of 6GHz U.FL. mini BNC sockets
Two 75Ω isolated and non-isolated SPDIF outputs
All I2S and S/PDIF outputs can work in parallel

User interface and signaling:

LEDs for sample rate display (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8 and 384 kHz),
“Host Active” signal available when card is plugged in and recognized by the host
“Audio Stream” output is enabled when there’s streaming over USB Bus (music playing)
Green power-on LED

Hardware and layout:

4-layer gold-plated PCB with 1/2/2/1 oz copper thickness
Two 70µm copper layers are used for uninterrupted GND / GND & PWR rails
Careful layout to preserve signal’s integrity and keep the noise to minimum levels
Seven linear low-noise regulators bypassed by extensive decoupling networks
There are NO SMPS regulators present on this board
Three LP5900 LDOs (6.5 µVrms) power the oscillators & surrounding sensitive logic
High quality parts including OsCON SVP electrolytics & NP0/C0G caps
Two ultra-low phase noise japanese made clock oscillators (NDK – NZ2520SDA type)
WaveIO is the first Asynchronous USB interface for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) market adopting the NDKs famous NZ2520SD oscillators, starting back in 2012
All WaveIO cards are now shipped with the NZ2520SDA clock oscillators!

100% Manually assembled, tested and cleaned product! Proofs:

NO Top and Bottom fiducials are present on PCB (required by automatic assembly machine)
There are NO “mouse bytes” on any sides of PCB, involving a panel break-away tab geometry
There are NO leftovers of a panel V-scoring process on any of the sides of this PCB
All solder joints are double checked to meet our aesthetic and mechanical quality demands
There’s NO chance for any automatic pick and place machine to provide such a high quantity of solder on any of the WaveIO’s joints, even if “Overprinting” option is used
Each board is manually cleaned six times in a row until there are no flux residues left on it
Even if “NoClean” fluxes could leave traces after soldering process has tacking place but, after cleaning process, you’ll see NO residues on any of the WaveIOs joints!
All WaveIOs are individually packed in zipped ESD protective bags and sealed with EDS stickers

Downloads & Infos

USB driver for Windows operating system:

Latest customized driver version for WaveIO is v5.68.0

- Changes to v5.68.0 Windows driver (click to enlarge)
- Fix:
- Fix:
Installer secure problem,
Deadlock during wake up.

Windows operating systems compatibility list:

Supported platforms

x86 (32bit)

x64 (64bit)

Windows 11*

Windows 10

Windows 8.1*

Windows 8*

Windows 7*

Notes:

Windows 11 is running only on x64 (64-bits) compatible systems.

Windows OSes older than W10 are supported up to driver version v5.12.0

Support forum on Diyaudio (login/registration required)

WaveIO Infos and Mechanical Drawings

Firmware image files used with DFU feature:

32Bit/384 KHz support – default firmware for all WaveIO cards with DFU option enabled.
32Bit/384 KHz + 64/128 DoP + 64/128/256 Native DSD support – for WaveIOs with firmware RevisionID = 0x0331 or higher (released on 31–Jan–2016).
WaveIO_v6.F2 (beta version)

PCM/DSD pin mapping:

I2S_BCLK = DSD_CLK

I2S_LRCK = DSD_DAC0

I2S_DATA = DSD_DAC1

Purchasing Details

WaveIO board have the base price of 99€ without shipping and Paypal fees.
We accept PayPal and bank transfer payments (for latest option please contact us for bank account details)
Dispatch time is up to 14 working days from the moment you placed the order, sometimes higher if some parts used in WaveIO’s assembly process are missing from our stocks.
Please contact us for multiple order quotations (> 10 boards) and you will get an answer as soon as possible.

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I borrowed some simple DAC, nothing special, plays an ordinary sound but when I plugged your module it become much more cultural, better balanced and immediately it's more breath and space around. I was surprised! After connecting my made USB cable and battery sound become even more organic, midrange was terrific and its even more space and depth [...]

- Jakub Z. (Poland)

The package arrived safe. Working with no faults for 4 days now with: Buffalo III, TPA Placid HD supply with 5V, 600mA. I2S non isolated to TPA Sidecar, Foobar 2000, EeePC, Windows 7. All predicted audio resolutions working, no stops heard. Great sound! I thank you very much as my real purpose was to hear music. Best regards, and thanks again for this wonderful product!

- Luis B. (Portugal)

Hi Lucian,

I just received the board today

and what a fantastic quality it is! Nevermind the sound quality since I’m still a long way from figuring out how to work this thing, but just looking at the board makes me feel something. Beauty? It is indeed a work of art. The most beautifully built board I have ever seen.

Thank you!

- Presapian (diyAudio)

Hi Lucian,

I have been using your card first without external PS and already liked it a lot, but powering it externally reveals the quality of your card even more. I don’t think I have ever heard any digital source sounding that – non-digital. Great products and support.

Thank you very much!

- Dubai2000 (diyAudio)

Hello Lucian,

the parcel arrived and your WaveIO is already running nicely with my equipment. I am really surprised how much better the sound is now!

Good work!

Greetings and thanks a lot!

- Jürgen P. (Germany)

Hi all,

I just got the WaveIO up and running… I had been using the QA550 SD card reader. Feeding Monica isolated I2S from WaveIO. Sound is terrific! Listening mostly to 44.1/16 bits and it is very good. Better than SD card reader, easier

to use and plays Hi-Res files!

Cheers, Kevin!

- Kevin K. (USA)

Hi Lucian,

I still don’t have parts to make my power supply for the board, so I decided to run in only with USB power and S/PDIF. And to be honest my first listening experience was like: Wow… Is such a great sound possible? Really sound is amazing! Nice to hear such a low frequency finally, everything sounds spatially.

Best regards, Damian!

- Damian N. (Poland)

Hi Lucian,

the WaveIO board arrives on 9th April. It is a nice piece of art, congratulation for your clean work! Today I got the time to connect it and to listen to it. What I can say is: wow, as clean as your work is the sound coming from the board. [...] All in all I'm very impressed and very happy!

Thanks Lucian!

- Rainer W. (Germany)

Dear Lucian,

the package successfully delivered today morning. Temporarily I assembled it with the power supply on a piece of a chipboard and it is working well (I will use it as a USB/SPDIF converter and now my old Audiolab CDQ8200 can play the 192KHz/24bit music from my music server USB source).

Many thanks for your all special

efforts!

- Pál C. (Hungary)

Good morning Lucian,

just want to let you know that my WaveIO arrived yesterday. It looks very good! A lot of other companies should learn from you! I love the sound too! It was easy to install, worked right away with no problem at all. I can use my computer as intended now. Playing music, watching movies and using my room correction with my awesome DDDAC.

So I’m a happy man, thank you!

- Arne S. (Norway)

Latest customized Windows driver version for WaveIO boards is updated to v5.68.0
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