# Pirate audio 3W amp: gpio pin usage

**URL:** <https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [April 6, 2020, 10:15am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515 "2020-04-06T10:15:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andyjohnson0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@andyjohnson0](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/andyjohnson0)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:15am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515/1 "2020-04-06T10:15:35Z")

</div>

Hi,

I’m new to the forums.

I’m using the Pirate audio 3W amp [1] in a project with a RasPi 3a+ but i’m finding that i need access to a couple of gpio pins. Not specific ones - any will do, and I don’t need any of the special-purpose pins (I2C, serial, etc.). I was thinking of making a simple breakout board out of a bit of perfboard and a stacking header connector so that i can access them.

Can anyone tell me which pins the amplifier hat uses and/or which are unused and free?

Thanks, Andy.

[1] [https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pirate-audio-3w-stereo-amp](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pirate-audio-3w-stereo-amp)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515/2 "2020-04-06T11:23:24Z")

</div>

I do believe this is the one your using.

> **[Pirate Audio 3W Amp at Raspberry Pi GPIO Pinout](https://pinout.xyz/pinout/pirate_audio_3w_amp)**
>
> I2S digital audio to 3w stereo amplifier

  
They all likely have the same GPIO pinout.  
There is also this  

> **[ProtoZero – Pimoroni Store](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/protozero)**
>
> The ProtoZero is a prototyping board for the Raspberry Pi Zero, that also fits the A+, B+ and Pi2.

I used it with my pHat Beat Pirate Radio to add my own Mini Arcade Buttons.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andyjohnson0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@andyjohnson0](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/andyjohnson0)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515/3 "2020-04-06T13:15:44Z")

</div>

Thanks Alpha! Thats just what I needed.

Andy

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/pirate-audio-3w-amp-gpio-pin-usage/13515/4 "2020-04-06T13:29:34Z")

</div>

Just use a stacking header with the Proto Zero. Female end on the bottom male pins on top.