Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI Audio DAC Brings High Resolution Audio to Mobile and Pro Audio Devices

February 15 2017, 04:00
With demand growing worldwide for high-fidelity music content and playback through mobile devices, Cirrus Logic has introduced the low power CS43130 MasterHIFI digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with headphone amplifier. The new CS43130 DAC operates at 4x lower power consumption, supports DSD formats, includes a NOS Filter and 512 single-bit elements to eliminate unwanted noise from the signal and for best filter response. The new IC minimizes board space requirements while enabling performance and features to drive design differentiation.
 

Most smartphones and mobile devices today have greatly increased their storage capacity, allowing consumers to move beyond standard compressed audio sources, such as MP3, and adopt higher resolution audio “lossless” formats. These formats, such as FLAC, ALAC, LDAC and others, require more storage space on the device, but can deliver a higher quality audio experience. Premium audio content is also increasingly being offered to consumers via streaming services, such as Tidal.

The CS43130 supports Direct Stream Digital (DSD), DSD DoP (DSD over PCM), up to DSD128 and all PCM high resolution audio formats up to 32-bit 384kHz. A proprietary DSD processor handles switching between DSD and PCM audio streams, while matching the analog audio output level. The new solution also offers advanced hi-fi filters, allowing OEMs to tune their own signature sound. An analog bypass switch provides easy switching between hi-fi and voice call modes and includes a low power state for voice only. This allows easy integration due to the switch’s ability to accept headphone output from a separate codec.

The new CS43130 DAC features a unique Non-Oversampling (NOS) emulation mode – believed to contribute to the emotion of audio by providing a similar feeling as tube amplifiers or vinyl records – offering a more natural, euphonic sound missing from modern consumer products. The CS43130 features a high impedance of 600 Ω, and inter channel isolation of >110 dB. To minimize pre-echos and ringing artifacts, the CS43130 is designed with proprietary digital-interpolation filters that support five selectable digital filter responses. Filtering options include low group delay with pseudo-linear phase and a fast or slow roll-off. A minimum phase apodizing low pass DAC filter reduces pre-ringing, while volume matching of the analog output levels and channel mixing enable a seamless transition between the DSD and PCM playback paths.

The onboard low noise, ground-centered headphone amplifier provides proprietary AC impedance detection to support headphone fingerprinting to provide a consistent and transparent audio experience for the end user regardless of transducer impedances or frequency responses. The amplifier also supports adaptive post processing for customer bundled and third party headphones/headsets.

The Cirrus Logic CS43130, as well as the DAC-only CS4399 for professional audio, uses 512 individual DACs per channel in an analog/digital filter array to deliver the highest grade reproduction of high bandwidth, high resolution digital audio sources. This preserves the pure audio and helps to filter out the unwanted noise while providing high jitter immunity for ultra high quality music playback. The result is music and audio as close to the original recorded source as possible.
 

“Smartphone OEMs worldwide are accelerating product development efforts to give consumers a better listening experience that takes advantage of the growing accessibility to high resolution streaming and downloadable music content,” says Carl Alberty, vice president of Audio Products Marketing, Cirrus Logic. “Our customers and market leaders recognize the value and legacy of the combined Cirrus Logic and Wolfson Microelectronics audio engineering expertise, and our new high-fidelity products, such as the CS43130 DAC, deliver audio quality so true that it’s almost like being in the recording studio with the artist.”

With a THD+N of -108 dB and dynamic range of 130 dB, the CS43130 has been designed from the ground up to focus on both superior hi-fi audio playback and ultra-low power consumption. The Cirrus Logic CS43130 consumes 23 milliwatts of power—four times less than other industry mobile hi-fi DACs—which helps to maximize battery life. The CS43130 supports up to 32-bit, 384 kHz sample rate audio playback, ensuring the best possible listening experience.

The Cirrus Logic CS43130 and CS4399 are available in a 42-ball WLCS or 40-pin QFN package and are currently sampling. A development kit is also available.
www.cirrus.com
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