Digital-to-Speaker (Headphone) Amplifiers Announced

[DonH50]

These are interesting albeit low-power (900 mW output):

http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Ar...s-class-d-amps-will-simplify-audio-design.htm

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Can you interpret, Don? I'm not at all sure what this means. A digital output to the headphone cable would sound like hash. There has to be digital to analog conversion.

Tim

PS: 900 milliwatts is a pretty powerful headphone amp.

 

[DonH50]

It appears to be a single chip that takes a digital input stream and delivers 900 mW into a speaker or other load., eliminating the usual preamp and DAC chips. That is, most power amps now take an analog input whether Class A, AB, D, or whatever. This is a power amp that takes a digital input directly. The DAC may not be a traditional DAC since it is class D; it could convert the incoming digital data directly to a bitstream driving the class-D outputs (via a control circuit) without ever seeing a traditional DAC. Not a lot of power, but they are probably targeting portable players.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

It appears to be a single chip that takes a digital input stream and delivers 900 mW into a speaker or other load., eliminating the usual preamp and DAC chips. That is, most power amps now take an analog input whether Class A, AB, D, or whatever. This is a power amp that takes a digital input directly. The DAC may not be a traditional DAC since it is class D; it could convert the incoming digital data directly to a bitstream driving the class-D outputs (via a control circuit) without ever seeing a traditional DAC. Not a lot of power, but they are probably targeting portable players.

Don't the equibit amps original developed by Tact, now owned by Texas Instruments do something similar -- class D digital that amplifies in digital then converts to analog at the speaker terminals?

Tim

 

[DonH50]

Don't know, have not looked. If they take a digital input then yes.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Don't know, have not looked. If they take a digital input then yes.

I believe they do.

Tim