Audio SoC brings higher fidelity to consumer audio

Texas Instruments has announced the TAS3308 digital audio SoC, a new addition to the company's line of high-performance digital audio processors designed to reduce system cost and complexity for digital TV audio subsystems, mini/micro component systems, 5.1 speaker bars and other consumer audio electronics. The device features a fully-integrated digital audio signal chain including an analog multiplexer and stereo ADC along with a high-performance digital audio processor and six PWM output channels that allow for the direct drive of class-D power stages.

The device's 24-bit, 135-MHz digital audio processor core supplies the high level of precision required by advanced audio algorithms. An on-chip 8051 microcontroller handles control and communications in order to optimize system performance.

For analog input and output the TAS3308 has ten multiplexed stereo inputs with one stereo ADC with a 100-dB DNR and three stereo PWM outputs with 105-dB DNR. For digital input and output the TAS3308 has three I²S inputs and two I²S outputs. One I²S output can also be configured to be S/PDIF-encoded PCM data.

The TAS3308's PWM control is designed to work seamlessly at the board level with the company's TAS5xxx PWM power stages, and is claimed to ensure simple system integration and high-quality audio performance with minimal development effort. The TAS5xxx devices are pin-compatible and power-scalable, enabling the creation of a variety of multi-channel system configurations with outputs ranging from 13 to 315 watts per channel using virtually the same TAS3308 board layout.

The TAS3308 is supported by a traditional DSP software development tool kit as well as by the company's PurePath Studio drag-and-drop graphical development environment. Developers have full control of audio processing and can draw on an extensive portfolio of pre-programmed basic audio functions and advanced audio algorithms from TI and leading third parties.

The TAS3308 is sampling now, with volume availability scheduled for the first quarter of 2008. The device is packaged in a 100-pin QFP and priced at $5.60 in quantities of 10,000.

Texas Instruments, 800-477-8924, www.ti.com

Related links:
TAS3308 information page
TAS3308 datasheet