Raspberry Pi Ltd has relaunched four IQaudio HATs as official Pi audio add-ons with lower prices ranging from $20 to $30: the IQaudio DAC+, DAC Pro, DigiAMP+ and Codec Zero.

In December, Raspberry Pi Trading announced it had acquired IQAudio and would be relaunching their Raspberry Pi audio HATs at lower prices. As reported by MagPi, IQAudio’s four most popular HATs have now been relaunched as official Pi accessories and are available via the usual Pi resellers.

IQaudio HATs (left) and feature comparison chart
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The IQaudio HATs compete with other Pi audio add-ons including Pi 2 Design’s 503HTA Hybrid Tube Amp HAT, Newark’s Wolfson Audio Card for the Raspberry Pi, and Orchard Audio’s PecanPi, to name a few. There are also more advanced audio streaming systems based on the Raspberry Pi including MakeProAudio’s modular MPA Platform.


IQaudio DAC+
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The four IQaudio HATs available via Pi resellers are:

• IQaudio DAC+ — $20 — Like many audio add-on cards for the Pi, the IQaudio DAC+ is built on TI’s “Burr Brown” PCM5122 DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) chip. The chip provides 12/106-dB stereo DAC conversion with a 32-bit, 384kHz PCM interface plus Linux drivers. Previously sold as the Pi-DAC+, the HAT integrates a headphone socket with a 24-bit/192kHz “full HD” headphone amplifier. The HAT also provides a 40-pin header and a Phono/RCA output.
  
  
  IQaudio DAC Pro
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• IQaudio DAC Pro — $25 – This variant of the DAC+ offers a superior PCM5242 DAC chip for better Signal to Noise Ratio. It also adds XLR Balanced/Differential output in parallel to Phono/RCA line level output.
  
  
  IQaudio DigiAMP+
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• IQaudio DigiAMP+ — $30 – The DigiAMP+ incorporates a TI TAS5756M PowerDAC for connecting to passive stereo speakers via speaker terminal plugs at up to 2x35wpc with variable output. The DigiAMP+ requires an external 12-24VDC power supply and can power both the HAT and the Pi in parallel, delivering 5.1V @ 2.5Amp to the Pi.
  
  
  Codec Zero
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• Codec Zero — $20 — This smaller, RPi Zero sized board delivers bi-directional digital I2S signals between the Pi and the built-in Dialog Semiconductor DA7212. The board supports input and output devices from an onboard MEMS mic, mono Electret mic, and mono speaker (1.2W/8Ω).

 
Further information

The IQaudio HATs are available at the prices listed above at the bottom of the Raspberry Pi products page, with further links to shopping pages. More information may be found in this IQaudio product brief (PDF).