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I'm using an STM32F746G for exploring embedded audio DSP. My experiments sound great in headphones but when I connect the audio output to external amplifiers, the signal level is low and there's a lot of whine to don't hear in phones.

I'm using the same output jack (CN10). It's described in the manual both as a "line out" and a "headphone out." Reading about headphone levels it seems like they should be decent for line level although I thought I might need to pad a few dB.

Any tricks or tips to using that as a line out? Unique DAC config? Blocking caps?

Thanks.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Have you consulted the manual of that eval board st.com/content/ccc/resource/technical/document/user_manual/c6/… ? It says which audio codec is used. You should look that codec up and find its datasheet. \$\endgroup\$
    – Marcus Müller
    Jun 5, 2016 at 15:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ In my rich fantasy life I was going to fly above that and just use the BSP functions. In the ref manual I see cryptic mention of: "Each DAC channel output buffer can be enabled and disabled using the corresponding BOFFx bit in the DAC_CR register." Still looking for details... \$\endgroup\$
    – Dennis Cronin
    Jun 5, 2016 at 15:51
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    \$\begingroup\$ STM32F746G Discovery is the full name of the dev kit. Didn't realize there was ambiguity. Sorry. I see one reference in HAL code for setting the BOFFx of the DAC_CR but that routine never gets called. The chip is the Wolfson WM8994 apparently. \$\endgroup\$
    – Dennis Cronin
    Jun 5, 2016 at 16:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ No ambiguity; I was just overreading the fact that there was no F in the middle. \$\endgroup\$
    – Marcus Müller
    Jun 5, 2016 at 16:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ Is there any chance the headphone output is class D and the lack of an apparent signal there as a "line output" is due to lack of inductive/capacitive loading? I'm still wading through the datasheet for the DAC but it's pretty darn complex. Also, although it seems to match what I see in code, it doesn't, at a glance, match the reference manual for the STM32Fn eval boards. \$\endgroup\$
    – Dennis Cronin
    Jun 5, 2016 at 20:10

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I think this just comes down to "no attention given to audio signal path" as there's a lot of apparent crosstalk between the input and output and I have to keep levels artificially low. Btw, no class D. Looked at signal with a scope. I don't think there's a panacea for this; just use another board if you're doing serious audio.

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