diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 1f3ce03..53677af 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ include = [
     "src/packages/harp-device/src",
     "src/packages/harp-serial/src",
     "src/packages/harp-data/src",
+    "src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src",
     "docs/examples",
     "tests/conformance.py",
 ]
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/benchmark.py b/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/benchmark.py
index 196e9e3..d324ab0 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/benchmark.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/benchmark.py
@@ -110,13 +110,13 @@ def benchmark_register(reg: BenchmarkedRegister, path: Path, *, runs: int) -> Re
         file_bytes=file_bytes,
     )
     df_pre = _time(
-        lambda: parse_to_dataframe(register, raw, timestamp=reg.timestamped),
+        lambda: parse_to_dataframe(register, raw, time_index=reg.timestamped),
         runs=runs,
         frames=frames,
         file_bytes=file_bytes,
     )
     df_re = _time(
-        lambda: parse_to_dataframe(register, path.read_bytes(), timestamp=reg.timestamped),
+        lambda: parse_to_dataframe(register, path.read_bytes(), time_index=reg.timestamped),
         runs=runs,
         frames=frames,
         file_bytes=file_bytes,
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def main() -> None:
             f"df={_fmt_ms(res.df_preread.mean):>9s}ms"
         )
         if args.head:
-            df = parse_to_dataframe(reg.register, path.read_bytes(), timestamp=True)
+            df = parse_to_dataframe(reg.register, path.read_bytes(), time_index=True)
             print(df.head(5))
             print()
 
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/register_models.py b/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/register_models.py
index f8c1c2e..0df07c0 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/register_models.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-benchmarks/src/harp/benchmarks/register_models.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 from harp.protocol import (
     AnonymousPayload,
+    ArrayConverter,
     BitMask,
     BoolConverter,
     Converter,
@@ -109,9 +110,7 @@ class AnalogDataPayload(StructPayload[np.float32], length=6):
     analog0: np.float32 = Field(IdentityConverter(np.float32), offset=0)
     analog1: np.float32 = Field(IdentityConverter(np.float32), offset=1)
     analog2: np.float32 = Field(IdentityConverter(np.float32), offset=2)
-    accelerometer: NDArray[np.float32] = Field(
-        IdentityConverter(np.dtype((np.float32, (3,)))), offset=3
-    )
+    accelerometer: NDArray[np.float32] = Field(ArrayConverter(np.float32, 3), offset=3)
 
 
 class AnalogData(RegisterBase[AnalogDataPayload]):
@@ -149,9 +148,7 @@ class VersionPayload(StructPayload[np.uint8], length=32):
     firmware_version: HarpVersion = Field(HarpVersionConverter(np.uint8), offset=3)
     hardware_version: HarpVersion = Field(HarpVersionConverter(np.uint8), offset=6)
     core_id: str = Field(StringConverter(3), offset=9)
-    interface_hash: NDArray[np.uint8] = Field(
-        IdentityConverter(np.dtype((np.uint8, (20,)))), offset=12
-    )
+    interface_hash: NDArray[np.uint8] = Field(ArrayConverter(np.uint8, 20), offset=12)
 
 
 class Version(RegisterBase[VersionPayload]):
@@ -375,7 +372,7 @@ def main() -> None:  # pragma: no cover - manual exploration entry point
     assert int(p.header) == 7 and int(p.data) == -1234
     print("CustomMemberConverter    OK")
 
-    p = _roundtrip(BitmaskSplitter, BitmaskSplitterPayload(low=0xA, high=0x5))
+    p = _roundtrip(BitmaskSplitter, BitmaskSplitterPayload(low=np.int32(0xA), high=np.int32(0x5)))
     assert int(p.low) == 0xA and int(p.high) == 0x5
     assert p.payload_array.tobytes() == bytes([0x5A])
     print("BitmaskSplitter          OK")
@@ -411,7 +408,10 @@ def main() -> None:  # pragma: no cover - manual exploration entry point
     assert p.digital_output == PwmPort.PWM1 and int(p.pulse_width) == 300
     assert int(p.frequency) == 200 and int(p.pulse_count) == 50
     assert StartPulseTrainPayload.payload_dtype.itemsize == 4
-    assert int(StartPulseTrainPayload(pulse_count=np.uint8(3)).frequency) == 1  # defaultValue
+    partial = StartPulseTrainPayload(
+        digital_output=PwmPort.PWM0, pulse_width=np.uint16(0), pulse_count=np.uint8(3)
+    )
+    assert int(partial.frequency) == 1  # defaultValue
     print("StartPulseTrain          OK  (4 masked members, 2 words, default frequency=1)")
 
     p = _roundtrip(EncoderMode, EncoderModeMask.DISPLACEMENT)
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-device/src/harp/device/schema/_emit.py b/src/packages/harp-device/src/harp/device/schema/_emit.py
index 1dfb3eb..4923e5c 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-device/src/harp/device/schema/_emit.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-device/src/harp/device/schema/_emit.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     Field,
     GroupMask,
     HarpVersionConverter,
+    ArrayConverter,
     IdentityConverter,
     RegisterBase,
     RegisterFloat,
@@ -318,7 +319,9 @@ def _resolve_converter(self, ctx: ConverterContext) -> Converter[Any]:
         if ctx.mask is not None:
             return IdentityConverter(ctx.member_dtype)  # bit-field: native slice of the element
         if it is None:
-            return IdentityConverter(ctx.raw_dtype)  # raw passthrough / sub-array
+            if ctx.length > 1:
+                return ArrayConverter(ctx.element, ctx.length)  # raw passthrough, sub-array
+            return IdentityConverter(ctx.element)  # raw passthrough, single element
         # A known primitive that didn't fit is re-interpreted per field (``{Name}Converter``);
         # an unknown interfaceType is a domain type (``{InterfaceType}Converter``).
         symbol = f"{ctx.name}Converter" if entry is not None else f"{it}Converter"
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
index 989af34..6927a46 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from ._message import HarpMessage, HarpParseError
 from ._message_type import MessageType
 from ._payload_converters import (
+    ArrayConverter,
     BoolConverter,
     Converter,
     EnumConverter,
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@
     # Converters
     "Converter",
     "IdentityConverter",
+    "ArrayConverter",
     "StringConverter",
     "BoolConverter",
     "EnumConverter",
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/_payload_converters.py b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/_payload_converters.py
index 65a7a5c..cabccf7 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/_payload_converters.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/_payload_converters.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import enum as _enum
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from typing import Any, Generic, TypeVar, cast
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Generic, TypeVar, cast
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.typing import NDArray
@@ -121,6 +121,33 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         super().__init__(np.float32)
 
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+
+    class ArrayConverter(Converter["NDArray[NpScalarT]"]):
+        """Pass-through converter for a member spanning several elements of one type.
+
+        The array counterpart of :class:`IdentityConverter`, decoding to an ``NDArray``
+        of the element type rather than to a single scalar. It exists to carry that type
+        and builds an :class:`IdentityConverter` over the equivalent sub-array dtype, so
+        every code path and every ``isinstance`` sees the passthrough converter it
+        already knows. Passing that dtype directly instead types the member as a scalar,
+        since a sub-array dtype carries ``np.void`` as its scalar type.
+        """
+
+        def __init__(self, dtype: "np.dtype[NpScalarT] | type[NpScalarT]", length: int) -> None: ...
+
+        def decode_scalar(self, view: np.generic) -> "NDArray[NpScalarT]": ...
+
+        def decode_batch(self, view: "NDArray[np.generic]") -> Any: ...
+
+        def encode_into(self, view: "NDArray[np.generic]", value: "NDArray[NpScalarT]") -> None: ...
+
+else:
+
+    def ArrayConverter(dtype, length):
+        return IdentityConverter(np.dtype((dtype, (length,))))
+
+
 class BoolConverter(Converter[bool]):
     """Whole-element ``interfaceType: bool`` (or a single masked bit via ``Field(BoolConverter(), mask=...)``).
 
diff --git a/tests/conformance.py b/tests/conformance.py
index a6aa72a..7d4195f 100644
--- a/tests/conformance.py
+++ b/tests/conformance.py
@@ -12,8 +12,16 @@
 from harp.device.client import Device, ITransport
 from harp.device.core import OperationControl, OperationControlPayload, WhoAmI
 from harp.device.schema import DeviceModule, DeviceModuleLike, create_device_module
-from harp.protocol import HarpMessage, RegisterBase
+from harp.protocol import (
+    ArrayConverter,
+    Field,
+    HarpMessage,
+    IdentityConverter,
+    RegisterBase,
+    StructPayload,
+)
 from harp.serial import open_device
+from numpy.typing import NDArray
 
 
 def schema_built_registers(yml: str) -> None:
@@ -131,3 +139,20 @@ class Hybrid(Device[None]):
 
     device = open_device(Hybrid, port="COM3")
     assert_type(device, Hybrid)
+
+
+def array_payload_members() -> None:
+    """A member spanning several elements resolves as an array of the element type.
+
+    The equivalent sub-array dtype passed to IdentityConverter produces the same bytes
+    but resolves as a scalar, since a sub-array dtype carries np.void as its scalar
+    type, so ArrayConverter is what carries the element type through the descriptor.
+    """
+
+    class Payload(StructPayload[np.float32], length=6):
+        analog0: np.float32 = Field(IdentityConverter(np.float32), offset=0)
+        accelerometer: NDArray[np.float32] = Field(ArrayConverter(np.float32, 3), offset=3)
+
+    payload = Payload(analog0=np.float32(0), accelerometer=np.zeros(3, dtype=np.float32))
+    assert_type(payload.analog0, np.float32)
+    assert_type(payload.accelerometer, NDArray[np.float32])