Heads-up on a new crowdfunding campaign by @anabolyc for a ESP32-based Hi-Fi class amplifier product that will be compatible with ESPHome firmware for Music Assistent and Home Assistant:
Quote from cnx-soft blog article on this new open-source hardware:
Sonocotta (from Andriy Malyshenko), the developer of Esparagus “Media Center”, HiFi-Amped, Louder Raspberry Pi, and Louder Raspberry Hat Plus, has returned to Crowd Supply with the Esparagus Audio Brick, a compact ESP32 or ESP32-S3-powered Hi-Fi Class-D amplifier with Home Assistant support. With support for Music Assistant, Snapcast, and Logitech Media Server (LMS), the module can be used to build whole-home audio setups, retrofit vintage speakers with modern streaming features, or power custom speaker configurations such as subwoofers or bi-amp systems.
Esparagus Audio Brick is available in two variants, one based on the ESP32 and the other based on the ESP32-S3. Hardware-wise, both versions use the same hardware design and audio components, and the only differences are in software support. The ESP32-S3 version is designed mainly for Home Assistant integration via ESPHome, whereas the ESP32 version is designed for standalone audio streaming software such as Squeezelite-ESP32 and Snapclient. Both versions use the same hardware design and audio components.
The Squeezelite-ESP32 is designed to stream audio from the Lyrion Music Server (LMS), supporting Spotify Connect, AirPlay, and Bluetooth. The Home Assistant integration enables features such as media playback, text-to-speech announcements, and automation control. For synchronized multi-room audio setups, it can operate as a Snapclient (Snapcast client). Additionally, you also have the option to build custom firmware using Arduino or ESP-IDF, thanks to the board’s standard I²S audio interface and accessible GPIOs. The project is fully open-source with more information available on GitHub.
Both the ESP32 and ESP32-S3-based Esparagus Audio Brick are available on Crowd Supply for $59. The package includes an aluminum heat sink and a plastic DIN-rail enclosure. Shipping is free within the US, while worldwide shipping costs $12. The campaign runs until April 23, 2026, and deliveries handled by Mouser Electronics are expected to start around July 24, 2026.