Bela Gem: Inside the Stackup
A closer look at how Bela Gem Stereo and Multi are physically assembled
Thanks to everyone who’s backed the Bela Gem campaign so far — it’s been a fantastic first weekend and we’re extremely grateful for the support. Today we’re taking a closer look at the physical side of Bela Gem: how it’s built, how it stacks up, and how you can embed it in your projects.
Designed for PocketBeagle 2
Each Bela Gem board is designed to mount on top of the PocketBeagle 2 using dual 2×18 pin headers. The pins are trimmed to be just long enough for a solid connection without adding extra height to the stackup, keeping everything compact and tidy.
Bela Gem mounted to PocketBeagle 2.
Bela Gem’s Mechanical Assembly
We’ve put together two short videos showing how to assemble both versions of the Bela Gem boards:
Bela Gem Stereo Assembly:
Bela Gem Multi Assembly:
A Protective Case
PocketBeagle 2 was designed to mount headers-down, but Bela Gem flips this, so its buttons, LEDs, and other components end up facing down. To protect these during development, we include:
- A protective baseplate with cutouts for the USB-C port and buttons
- 8 mm spacers and screws that serve as feet
- Reflective material on the baseplate to keep the onboard LEDs visible
This all helps the board sit safely on your desk during prototyping, while still keeping the footprint minimal.
Easy to Embed
Bela Gem Stereo is just a little wider than the PB2, giving you space for mounting holes and both TRS jacks and socket headers for audio. Whether you’re using jacks or embedding the board directly, both signal routes are available.
Bela Gem Multi adds height to accommodate 10 mini jacks in a 70×58 mm form factor. The jack “wings” can be detached if you’re embedding it inside a custom enclosure.
For both boards, we provide KiCad landing patterns to make it easy to design expansion PCBs and enclosures.
Exploded View + Dimensions
Bela Gem Stereo
Exploded view of Bela Gem Stereo.
Dimensions of Bela Gem Stereo.
- Size: 58 × 45 × 22 mm
Bela Gem Multi
Exploded view of Bela Gem Multi.
Dimensions of Bela Gem Multi.
- Size: 70 × 58 × 22 mm (32 mm with jack wings installed)
Getting Started
Bela Gem boards ship partially assembled to protect them during shipping. When you receive your board:
- Unscrew and remove the baseplate
- Mount your PocketBeagle 2
- Insert a microSD card (with the Bela Gem image)
- Connect over USB-C to start programming
- Open any browser and go to bela.local to start creating
Thanks again for supporting Bela Gem—we’ll be back soon with more updates!
