December 20, 2023 –
In a recent development in the realm of portable music players, a new device named Tangara is making waves, slated for crowdfunding on Crowd Supply. This player, priced at $249, draws inspiration from the classic design of Apple’s iPod, blending it with the versatility of open-source software and hardware. Tangara’s uniqueness lies in its compact size, fitting snugly into a palm or pocket, and features a 1.8-inch color TFT display with a resolution of 160 x 128 pixels.
Tangara stands out with its ability to accommodate both wired and wireless audio experiences. It comes equipped with a 3.5 mm audio jack and supports Bluetooth audio through SBC codec, offering flexibility in headphone choices. The device also includes a USB-C port for charging, firmware updates, and data transfer, along with a substantial 2200 mAh battery.
At its core, Tangara is powered by an ESP32-based microcontroller, a Cirrus Logic WM8523 digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a Texas Instruments INA1620 amplifier. It boasts an SDXC card reader for media storage, supporting up to 2TB storage cards.
While the current firmware of Tangara supports 16-bit audio at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, the potential for higher-quality audio is embedded in its DAC, which can handle up to 24-bit/192 kHz audio. This opens up possibilities for future updates by Tangara developers or independent programmers to enhance audio quality further, leveraging the device’s open-source nature.
