What hardware is absolutely required for audio output on a RetroPie player?

[joe7dust]

I ordered a 0.5W speaker and a 3W amp board, but I just read that I might also need an audio buffer board, low-pass filter and a potentiometer. (ugh.)

I saw there is more than one way to setup the audio, so could someone please tell me the solution which requires the absolute minimum in additional hardware? Ideally I would just connect the amp directly to the RPi0 somewhere and then connect the amp to the speaker, not use a pot at all and just have a fixed volume this way.

So is the audio buffer board, low-pass filter and pot really required?

[Fleder]

So is the audio buffer board, low-pass filter and pot really required?

Not if you use a USB DAC. Then you can even ditch the amplifier.

[Kilren]

So is the audio buffer board, low-pass filter and pot really required?

Not if you use a USB DAC. Then you can even ditch the amplifier.

Have you had success skipping the amp? I heard that rumor, tried it, and it didn't work for me. Ended up buying a 3W digital amp. Small piece though, same size as the usb audio chip.

[Fleder]

Have you had success skipping the amp? I heard that rumor, tried it, and it didn't work for me. Ended up buying a 3W digital amp. Small piece though, same size as the usb audio chip.

I am going to test this today. But if you use it on your workstation, you do not need an amplifier, you just plug it in. So i don't see why you would need an amplifier, since the DACs already have that built in. But again, i could be wrong. Or it is only a matter of correct wiring.

[Kilren]

Have you had success skipping the amp? I heard that rumor, tried it, and it didn't work for me. Ended up buying a 3W digital amp. Small piece though, same size as the usb audio chip.

I am going to test this today. But if you use it on your workstation, you do not need an amplifier, you just plug it in. So i don't see why you would need an amplifier, since the DACs already have that built in. But again, i could be wrong. Or it is only a matter of correct wiring.

My wiring was fine. I had amazing crystal clear audio to headphones, but the 1W speaker was barely audible. I'll be interested in seeing how yours end up.

[joe7dust]

This whole RPi0 audio thing is really starting to grind my gears. I already had to order a 3W amp board and a speaker for what is billed as a fully functioning computer. It seems ridiculous that I would now also have to buy a full USB DAC.

Surely there is a way to wire the RPi0 to the amp such that audio works. There is a guide on doing it on adafruit here, but it honestly looks above the complexity of what I'm willing to put into this project just to get some gameboy beeps and bloops out of a pulled laptop internal speaker.

I wonder if anyone has ever tried using the HDMI port to extract just the audio signal from there? The RPi0 seems designed from the ground up to have its audio routed through there, yet on these little emulators an HDMI display with speakers built into it doesn't seem to exist.

[Fleder]

You could just turn up the Volume in alsamixer?
But i will let you know how my setup will work. Did you use the original GB Speaker or a new one?
If you used a new one, what resistance did you buy?

[Kilren]

You could just turn up the Volume in alsamixer?
But i will let you know how my setup will work. Did you use the original GB Speaker or a new one?
If you used a new one, what resistance did you buy?

Bought a new laptop 1W speaker that was the same size as the speaker well. I did not buy or use a resistor. I was following chiz's use of it, and he mentioned he didn't use an amp either. However, with further questions, he said that he needed an amp for the speaker as well.

[joe7dust]

I ordered this speaker, but there is also a similar one available.