The WVR audio development is a small embedded device featuring a ESP32 module and a 32-bit stereo DAC from Texas Instruments. This open-source device supports MIDI and it can be configured from a Web GUI for convenience.

This is another audio development board featuring a ESP32 microcontroller. The Loud ESP launched in March 2023 on Crowdsupply which is also based on the same MCU, but it includes a 2.8″ TFT display and battery management. 

• ESP32-WROVER-B — Dual Core 32-bit LX6 MCU (up to 240MHz); Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n , Bluetooth v4.2 BR/EDR and Bluetooth LE

Unlike the Loud ESP, the WVR board includes up to 8GB eMMC for storage. According to the product page, the WVR can boot up from Flash or eMMC and includes a recovery mode that bypasses custom code.

The audio development board can store up to 12 hours (8GB) of stereo audio at 44.1KHz resolution (16-bit). The product page describes that the WVR can accept any audio file format at any resolution, for example: mp3, ogg, flacc, pcm, aiff, etc.

WVR pinout
(click image to enlarge)

The Web UI allows users to receive MIDI from a DAW (Digital-Audio-Workspace) over Wi-Fi to the WVR. Refer to the WVR GitHub repository for more information related to the Web MIDI. Some of the audio effects supported by the Web GUI are Reverb, Pitch, Shift, Panning, Distortion and Volume.

     
Web MIDI UI
(click image to enlarge)

The GitHub repository mentions that users require an USB-FTDI module to upload custom code to the WVR board. Refer to the “setting up for Arduino IDE programming” section on the same GitHub repository provided above for instructions.

Other protocols supported by the WVR include SPI, I2C, UART, SD, SDIO, CAN bus, etc.

WVR w/ MIDI Host backpack (left) and top view (right)
(click images to enlarge)

Some of the specifications listed for the WVR Audio Dev board:

• Memory/Storage:
  • 8GB eMMC
  • 16MB Flash
• Audio:
  • PCM5100 DAC 
• I/O Interfaces:
  • 14x GPIOs
  • 8x Analog Inputs, 4x Touch pins
• Other Features:
  •  Optoisolator Transistor (EL3H7)
• USB:
  • 1x micro USB port
• Power:
  • 3.3V or 5V DC input (via 3.3V pin, USB port, 5V pin)

Further information

The WVR Audio Development Board is available for $39.95 and $49.95 for the USB Host version on SparkFun’s online store. Tindie has the boards available for a similar price.