ADC26: Thawney Surround System

We heard from Robin about Thawny 24, a prototype USB audio interface and multi-channel amplifier system for spatial audio, paired here with omnidirectional passive speakers.

The speaker design uses a cardboard tube enclosure with a 3D-printed diffuser, and a matte black tube option is also possible. The approach spreads sound more evenly around a room, reducing the reliance on a small sweet spot, although localisation is less precise than with directional monitoring.

Thorny 24 appears to a computer as a class-compliant 24-output audio interface. Each output drives a passive speaker at 20 watts via Phoenix connectors, and the unit uses a Class D amplifier section with a 41A internal power supply. It works with Mac, Windows and software such as Ableton Live, and can also reproduce Dolby Atmos layouts such as 5.1.2, though certification is a separate issue.

The system is still at prototype stage, with AVB audio networking planned. A smaller eight-channel Raspberry Pi Pico-based version is also in development. Pricing is not final, but a 24-speaker system with the amplifier is expected to be around £6,000.
More Info: https://www.thawney.com/

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