Adafruit
Adafruit Wave Shield for Arduino Kit [v1.1]
The Adafruit Wave Shield adds high-quality audio playback to ATmega328-based Arduinos (Uno, Duemilanove, and compatibles). It plays uncompressed 22 KHz, 16-b...
The Adafruit Wave Shield adds high-quality audio playback to ATmega328-based Arduinos (Uno, Duemilanove, and compatibles). It plays uncompressed 22 KHz, 16-bit mono WAV files of any length from an SD/MMC card through an on-board 12-bit DAC, filter, and op-amp — delivering audio that's more than good enough for music, spoken word, and sound effects.
Audio plays asynchronously as an interrupt, so your Arduino can continue running other code while sound is playing. The included Arduino library makes it easy to trigger audio from button presses, sensor readings, serial commands, or any other event.
Key Features
- 12-Bit DAC Audio – On-board DAC, filter, and op-amp for high-quality mono output
- 22 KHz / 16-Bit Playback – Plays uncompressed .wav files of any length
- SD/MMC Card Reader – Reads FAT16/FAT32 formatted cards
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack – Stereo jack (mono signal on L+R) with auto-switching speaker output
- Speaker Output – Activates when headphones are unplugged
- Volume Control – On-board thumbwheel potentiometer
- Asynchronous Playback – Audio plays via interrupt while Arduino runs other tasks
- Arduino Library Included – Simple API for triggering and controlling audio
Ideal For
- Sound effects for props, costumes, and interactive installations
- Talking projects and audio announcements
- Sensor-triggered audio playback
- Background music for exhibits and displays
Compatibility
- ATmega328-based Arduinos only (Uno, Duemilanove, Diecimila, and compatibles)
- Not compatible with Arduino Zero, Due, Mega, or Leonardo
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit Wave Shield v1.1 (unassembled kit — all parts included)
Resources
- Adafruit Wave Shield Guide – Assembly instructions, schematics, library, and examples
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- API
- An API is a software interface that lets a program control hardware or features provided by the operating system. In this product, API support matters if you want your software to adjust display settings such as brightness or contrast automatically.
- DAC
- A digital-to-analogue converter turns numbers from the microcontroller into a real analogue voltage. It matters if you want to generate simple waveforms, audio-style signals, or variable control voltages rather than just on/off outputs.
- Op-amp
- An op-amp, or operational amplifier, is a chip used to amplify, buffer, or compare analogue signals. Resistor values around an op-amp help set gain and input behaviour, so choosing the right resistance matters for stable circuit performance.
- potentiometer
- A variable resistor usually turned with a knob or shaft to create an adjustable electrical signal. It is often used for inputs such as volume, brightness or position, so it helps beginners learn how a microcontroller reads changing values.
- RAM
- RAM is temporary memory used while a device is running, and its contents are lost when power is removed. A “Run in RAM” mode is useful for testing settings without permanently programming the module, but it may not support every feature.
- Shield
- An add-on board that plugs into a main controller board to give it extra features such as sensing, motor control or communication. Knowing a product supports shields helps you judge whether it can connect neatly into an existing maker-board setup.
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Audio & Video
Brands
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
