Class D amplifier takes company into new market
1 min read
Silicon Laboratories has added a Class D amplifier product line to its portfolio. According to Rick Beale, director of audio amplifiers, the project started three years ago with the aim to increase the company's presence in the audio market and to complement its am/fm tuner products.
The result of the effort is the Si270x, aimed at price and noise sensitive consumer audio products. Beale said: "Customers want to use Class D amps, but are having trouble making them work. We set out to develop a Class D product to solve emi mitigation problems from a system perspective."
The device is completely digital and Beale said this contrasts with what has typically been an analogue technology. "This market is worth more than 1billion units a year and is growing at more than 7% a year. However, we won't be successful without bringing in a new technology. We've solved a difficult problem which other companies don't seem to be tackling."
The Si270x amplifier uses multilayer emi mitigation technology to suppress traditional Class D interference at its source, enabling easier emi compliance, am/fm radio coexistence and smart phone compatibility in consumer audio products.
There are four elements in the emi mitigation scheme: pwm spreading, which brings 25dB of peak suppression; a tunable noise free notch, a movable narrow band filter; edge softening; and on chip feedback.
The 5W stereo amplifier is also said to consume less power than competitive devices, providing more than 8hours of play time from four AA alkaline batteries.
