Do you think this kind of SMD soldering is OK?

On my PCB (connected to a Raspberry Pi, an Arduino, a C.H.I.P. or anything), I want to provide audio output for:

• a small speaker
  or, when a 3.5 mm minijack is inserted, to stereo headphones (that would disconnect the speaker)

Instead of using

board ==(I2S)==> DAC => amp => speaker or headphones

I was thinking about :

board ==(I2S)==> amplifier such as MAX98357A => speaker or headphones

Problem : this MAX98357A( http://www.kynix.com/Parts/48494/MAX98357AETE%2B.html ) seems to be mono only. The datasheet suggests using two of them to make a stereo output, but I find it not very elegant solution.

Are there "all-in-one" (DAC+amp) solutions to provide stereo output? (I'm not looking for shopping advice, I just want to know if, as a general question, this exists or not).

Would using two such mono chips be considered as a normal practice?

The datasheet carries this example:


Moreover, this MAX chip looks hard to solder manually (SMD). Do you think this kind of SMD soldering is achievable manually?

Why not just use an SBC that has audio out built in, or just use a USB audio device?

ATM I like this board, which has audio out if you buy the shield: www.friendlyarm.com/index.php?route=prod...th=69&product_id=197

You need a DAC or a CODEC. You can use one with an integrted audio amp like this guy.



You probably want the TLV320DAC23 since it's in a leaded pacakage - easier to hand solder than QFN.

www.ti.com/product/tlv320dac23/description

High-Performance Stereo DAC
100-dB SNR multibit sigma-delta ADC (A-weighted at 48 kHz)
1.42 V – 3.6 V digital supply: compatible with TI C54x DSP core voltages
2.7 V – 3.6 V analog supply: compatible TI C54x DSP buffer voltages
8-kHz – 96-kHz sampling-frequency support
Software control via TI McBSP-compatible multiprotocol serial port
2-wire-compatible and SPI-compatible serial port protocols
Glueless interface to TI McBSPs
Audio data input/output via TI McBSP compatible programmable audio interface
I2S-compatible interface
Standard I2S, MSB, or LSB justified data transfers
16/20/24/32-bit word lengths
Audio master/slave timing capability optimized for TI DSPs (250/272 fs)
Industry-standard master/slave support also provided (256/384 fs)
Glueless interface to TI McBSPs
Stereo line inputs
Stereo line outputs
Analog stereo mixer for DAC and analog bypass path
Analog volume control with mute
Highly efficient linear headphone amplifier
30 mW into 32 from a 3.3-V analog supply voltage
Flexible power management under total software control
18-mW power consumption during playback mode
Standby power consumption < 150 µW
Power-down power consumption < 15 µW
Industry’s smallest package: 32-Pin TI proprietary MicroStar Junior
25 mm2 total board area
28-Pin TSSOP available (62 mm2 total board area)
28-Pin QFN available (25mm2 total board area)
Ideally suitable for portable solid-state audio players and recorders