One of the more interesting applications for multicore[] processors is audio, and XMOS has been breaking new ground using the XS1-L2 event-driven processor for this application. The company has recognized the shift away from IEEE 1394 toward USB Audio Class 2.0 and continues to launch reference designs to help the transition.

Implemented entirely in software in the XS1-L2, this latest reference design supports high-speed USB Audio 2.0 (480 Mbps) and up to 18 input and 18 output audio channels at 24-bit resolution and 192 kHz sample rate. The reference design also includes attention to things like a highly accurate local low-jitter clock and less than 3 milliseconds roundtrip latency, providing sound quality needed for professional, prosumer, and consumer live music recording applications.