JOYNED on XMOS: A complete audio network solution
Enabling audio network technology will increase the value of your audio devices. But it can be a challenging task.
JOYNED is a software startup that helps manufacturers of professional audio equipment to integrate open standard network technology into their products.
At JOYNED, we found the architecture and feature set of XMOS processors provide an excellent platform to implement networked audio JOYNED’s software. Now the two companies now work collaboratively to deliver a complete audio network solution.
Discover our straightforward, turn-key solution to implement network capabilities with XMOS microcontrollers and JOYNED software.
The challenge of implementing networked audio standards
Founder and CEO of JOYNED, Fabian Braun, worked actively in defining the open standards for audio networking, together with other industry representatives under the Avnu Alliance's and IEEE’s umbrella. The standards provide the rules, criteria, and conventions to interoperate with each other over the network. Open standards are the sustainable and reliable domain for networked audio.
During this time, Fabian recognised that the manufacturers of audio equipment are still challenged to integrate these new standards into their products. With manufacturers facing a lack of resources or specialist knowledge and the risk of deciding on one standard, Fabian discovered the common need to have a proven, reliable, and market-ready solution to leverage the implementation of network technology into their products.
Combining this deep technical understanding of this complex field with a product-oriented approach, Fabian and the JOYNED team went about developing a software stack to address the standards while removing the barriers for manufacturers.
An efficient open standard solution
The goal was to seek out a hardware solution to complement our software stack, delivering the crucial real-time capabilities and deterministic programming that are essential for pro audio applications.
We were aware of XMOS’ strong reputation in the industry, and its breakthrough reference design for AVB. And, being a critical feature for TSN, XMOS delivered the necessary precise calculations and programmability required. The low power consumption and scalability of the XMOS solution were also highly desirable, enabling the management of simple configurations, complex scenarios, and everything in between.
So we began tailoring our software to XMOS processors, ensuring compliance with updated standards and specifications, with AVB/Milan the first standard supported by the software stack.
A market-oriented approach
On top of these technical aspects, XMOS multi-core architecture enabled a very attractive cost-performance ratio for the pro audio industry, allowing for the combination of audio over ethernet, signal processing and remote control in a single chip. The implications that this brought for both cost and efficiency very early in the supply chain were significant and translated into attractive business models.
Pairing the JOYNED’s enhanced Milan stack with the technical and commercial benefits of XMOS solutions, manufacturers of pro audio equipment can benefit from an appealing feature set with great performance at a competitive price. We also support them with specifications and best practices to fulfil the specific audio network requirements and get the best out of the JOYNED software.
With a fluid and collaborative relationship between the two companies, JOYNED looks forward to offering more and more features based on XMOS xcore® microcontrollers, delivering their audio network know-how to a broader customer base.
