miniDSP UMA-16 v2 User manual
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Revision history
Revision
Description
Date
V1.0
First version
18 Jan 2018
V1.1
Updated for MCHStreamer Lite interface (preliminary)
17 May 2022
V1.2
Public release, renamed UMA-16 v2
6 June 2022
miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of contents ..............................................................................................................................3
IMPORTANT INFORMATION..............................................................................................................4
1Product Overview........................................................................................................................6
2Board Layout and Connectivity ....................................................................................................7
2.1 Board layout................................................................................................................................. 7
2.2 USB Connectivity.......................................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Knowles SPH1668LM4H-1 microphones...................................................................................... 9
3USB Audio.................................................................................................................................11
3.1 macOS......................................................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Windows..................................................................................................................................... 12
3.2.1 Download............................................................................................................................ 12
3.2.2 USB Driver installation ........................................................................................................ 12
3.2.3 Control panel ...................................................................................................................... 13
3.3 Compliant USB audio software .................................................................................................. 17
4Room EQ Wizard Multichannel Measurement ...........................................................................18
4.1 Enabling the license.................................................................................................................... 18
4.2 REW settings –Windows............................................................................................................ 19
4.3 REW settings –macOS ............................................................................................................... 20
4.4 Measurement............................................................................................................................. 20
5Additional Information..............................................................................................................21
5.1 Specifications.............................................................................................................................. 21
5.2 Obtaining support ...................................................................................................................... 22
5.3 Schematics.................................................................................................................................. 22
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please read the following information before use. In case of any questions, please contact miniDSP via the
support portal at support.minidsp.com.
System Requirements
To configure the UMA-16 v2, you will require a Windows PC or Apple Mac computer with the following
minimum specification:
Windows
•Microsoft• ® Windows® 7/8.1/10/11
•At least a dual core i3, i5, or i7 processor
•At least 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more preferred)
•One free USB 2.0 port
•Internet connection
macOS
•OS X 10.8 or higher, macOS 10.12 or higher
•At least a dual core i3, i5, or i7 processor, or an ARM processor (M1/Pro/Max)
•At least 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more preferred)
•One free USB 2.0 port
•Internet connection
Disclaimer/Warning
miniDSP cannot be held responsible for any damage that may result from the improper use of this product or
incorrect configuration of its settings. As with any other product, we recommend that you carefully read this
manual and other technical notes to ensure that you fully understand how to operate this product. The miniDSP
audio processor is a powerful tool, and misuse or misconfiguration, such as incorrectly set gains or excessive
boost, can produce signals that may damage your audio system.
As a general guideline, you should perform the initial configuration of the miniDSP audio processor before
enabling audio through any connected output device or amplification. Doing so will help ensure that the
software is correctly configured.
Finally, note that the miniDSP audio processor is a very flexible device, and many of the questions we receive at
the tech support department are already answered in this user manual and in the online application notes on
the miniDSP.com website. So please take the time to carefully read this user manual and the online technical
support. Thanks for your understanding!
Warranty Terms
miniDSP Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one
year from the invoice date. Our warranty does not cover failure of the product due to incorrect connection or
installation, improper or undocumented use, unauthorized servicing, modification or alteration of the unit in any
way, or any usage outside of that recommended in this manual. If in doubt, contact miniDSP prior to use.
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FCC Class B Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
•This device may not cause harmful interference.
•This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Warning: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio
or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Notice: Shielded interface cable must be used in order to comply with emission limits.
Notice: Changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
CE Mark Statement
The miniDSP UMA-16 v2 has passed the test performed according to European Standard EN 55022 Class B.
A note on this manual
This User Manual is designed for reading in
both print and on the computer. If printing
the manual, please print double-sided. The
embedded page size is 8 ½” x 11”. Printing on
A4 paper will result in a slightly reduced size.
For reading on the computer, we have
included hyperlinked cross-references
throughout the manual. In addition, a table of
contents is embedded in the PDF file. Use the
View menu (Preview on Mac) or the
bookmarks sidebar (Adobe reader on Mac and
Windows) to view this table of contents.
Acknowledgments
ASIO® is a registered trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
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1PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Thank you for choosing the UMA-16 v2. The UMA-16 v2 is a cost-effective sixteen-channel microphone array
with plug-and-play USB audio connectivity. With its embedded XMOS interface, the UMA-16 v2 is the perfect fit
for researchers looking to develop their own beam-forming algorithms.
The UMA-16 v2 system architecture is powered by two core elements:
-A microphone PCB with 16 x Knowles SPH1668LM4H MEMS microphones. A center hole fits an optional
USB camera for applications such as acoustic cameras. The microphone PCB is a simple 2-layer design that
can easily be customized to your needs by following our schematics included in this user manual.
-Stacked on top of the mic array is the MCHStreamer Lite USB interface. This XMOS XCORE interface allows
for a high quality PDM to PCM conversion and presents all 16 channels of raw audio to the USB interface.
Please note that the following sections will highlight basic operation of the UMA-16 v2. Beamforming algorithm
development or any 3rd party support for software (e.g. Matlab) is considered outside the scope of this manual
and our support structure.
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2BOARD LAYOUT AND CONNECTIVITY
2.1 BOARD LAYOUT
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the layout of the UMA-16 v2. Sixteen MEMS microphones are laid out in a Uniform
Rectangular Array (URA) distribution on a 42 mm grid. CAD drawings are available on request.
Figure 1. UMA-16 board layout and dimensions - sound source side
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2.2 USB CONNECTIVITY
Connect the USB port (type B) to a computer. The USB port provides asynchronous USB Audio (Class 2)
streaming at the sample rates 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz. See section 3 for more details on USB audio
connectivity
The array is powered over the USB connection, so there is no need to separately connect power.
2.3 KNOWLES SPH1668LM4H-1 MICROPHONES
The UMA-16 v2 is fitted with 16 Knowles MEMS microphones. Please refer to the complete datasheet for more
details.
Features
•Low Distortion of 1.6% at 120dBSPL
•High SNR of 65.5dB
•Flat Frequency Response
•RF Shielded
•Zero-Height Mic™
•Supports Dual Multiplexed Channels
•Standard SMD Reflow
•Omnidirectional
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3USB AUDIO
The miniDSP UMA-16 v2 streams PCM audio at sample rates of 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz over its
USB Audio Class 2 (UAC2) compliant interface. Here are more details on setup and configuration.
3.1 MACOS
Open the program Audio MIDI Setup (in Applications->Utilities). The UMA-16 v2 will appear in the list on the
left-hand side. Clicking on it and selecting “Input” will display the input channels. The operating sample rate can
be selected from the dropdown menu:
Note that there are two output channels visible for the UMA-16 v2. However, these are not physically accessible
on the MCHStreamer Lite board, so can be ignored.
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3.2 WINDOWS
3.2.1 Download USB driver
If you purchased your product directly from miniDSP, your software will be available from the User Downloads
section of the miniDSP website when your order ships. You will need to be logged into the website with the
account you created when purchasing to access the download.
If you purchased your product from a miniDSP dealer, you will receive a coupon together with the product.
Redeem this coupon and select the Plugin Group “UMA-16 Microphone Array” at the link below:
•https://www.minidsp.com/support/redeem-coupon
The User Downloads link is visible from the dropdown menu at the top right of the website page:
Navigate to the USB Microphone Array Series and download the zip file under the heading UMA16 Drivers.
Unzip the downloaded file by right-clicking on it and selecting “Extract All...”.
3.2.2 USB Driver installation
The USB Driver must be installed before connecting the UMA-16 v2 to your Windows PC.
Follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the WinDrivers folder of the software download and double-click on the installer. It will be
named miniDSP_UAC2_v4.82.0_2020-06-09_setup.exe (the version number embedded in the filename
may be different).
We recommend accepting the default installation location. Once the driver installation completes, click
the Finish button.
2. Connect the UMA-16 v2 to the computer using the supplied USB cable.
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3.2.3 Control panel
In Windows 10 or 11, open the Control Panel, then go to Hardware and Sound, then Manage Audio Devices. The
UMA-16 appears as “MCHStreamer Multi-channels.” Here you can set the UMA-16 v2 as the default audio input
device if needed, and set its sample rate and bit depth by clicking on the Properties button:
Notes:
1. Recording and measurement programs may set the sample rate themselves, overriding the setting
made manually in the Control Panel.
2. There are two output channels visible for the UMA-16 v2. However, these are not physically accessible
on the MCHStreamer Lite board, so can be ignored.
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3.2.3.1 Status
This tab shows the current sample rate of the UMA-16 v2. This setting cannot be changed here, but simply
displays the current sample rate. The sample rate is chosen in the Windows Control Panel (above) or the
software being used for recording or measurement.
3.2.3.2 Format
This tab shows the input and output channel word lengths:
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3.2.3.3 Buffer settings
The buffer settings are for those looking to optimize buffering and latency settings. Changing these settings may
result in unstable operation. We recommend that you leave them at the defaults.
3.2.3.4 Volume
This panel contains the volume controls for input channels.
o
To reset the master volume control or a pair of channels to 0 dB (no attenuation), click the 0dB button.
o
To mute all channels, click either of the speaker icons.
o
To control volume separately for each channel, click on the “Link” icon to turn it off
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3.3 COMPLIANT USB AUDIO SOFTWARE
Please note that the UMA-16 requires multichannel recording or measurement software with ASIO support. Not
all software supports such needs. For example, the Audacity freeware only supports WDM and therefore won’t
work.
We recommend a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) such as Reaper/Cubase/Protools for a reliable experience.
For acoustic measurement, we recommend Room EQ Wizard with the Pro upgrade for multichannel support.
Also note that Matlab running the latest audio toolbox will support ASIO. Please consult Matlab tech support for
more details. For an introduction to using the UMA-16 with Matlab, see this app note on our website:
•Using the miniDSP UMA-16 / UMA-8 microphone array with Matlab
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4ROOM EQ WIZARD MULTICHANNEL MEASUREMENT
The UMA-16 can be used for audio measurement with Room EQ Wizard (REW). To enable multi-channel
measurement with REW, the Pro upgrade is required. This can be purchased here:
•https://www.roomeqwizard.com/upgrades.html
(Note: the REW Pro upgrade is included with a purchase of the miniDSP UMIK-X, but is not included with the
UMA-16.)
For an example application using REW for multi-channel measurement, see this application note on our website:
•Microphone Techniques for Measurements in Car Cabins
4.1 ENABLING THE LICENSE
To enable your license, drop down the Upgrades menu and select Multichannel measurement. Paste in your
license code.
You will need to quit and restart REW for the license to take effect.
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4.2 REW SETTINGS –WINDOWS
For real-time measurement with REW, you will need an ASIO wrapper such as FlexASIO:
•https://github.com/dechamps/FlexASIO
Download and install FlexASIO, then start REW and open its Preferences. Under Drivers, select “ASIO then click
on the ASIO Control Panel button.
The FlexASIO control panel will pop up. Select the UMA-16 as the input device. Also select the desired output
device (our example shows the miniDSP SHD):
Click on “Close panel and update config file.” In the REW Preferences, ensure that the “Multiple inputs”
checkbox is checked. Select IN 0 as the first input and IN 15 as the last:
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4.3 REW SETTINGS –MACOS
Start REW and open the Preferences. Select your output device (our example shows the miniDSP Flex). Select
the UMA16v2 as the input device and check the “Multiple inputs” checkbox.
Select channel 1 as the first input and channel 16 as the last:
4.4 MEASUREMENT
To run a measurement, use the Measure button as usual. On the measurement settings windows, ensure that
“Multiple inputs” is checked. If “Generate individual measurements” is not checked, REW will generate a single
plot that displays the average of all 16 microphones and the spread between them indicated as a grey shadow:
If “Generate individual measurements” is checked, REW will also generate plots for each microphone (so a total
of 17 plots for each sweep).
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