Motherboard Gets An Earful From Stereo Audio DAC/Interface Combo

High-performance audio for the PC motherboard is what the WM9709 stereo audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is all about. Targeted applications include PCI sound cards, net-connected Hi-Fi systems, and hard-disk-drive-based media servers. The chip combines a 20-bit stereo DAC with an AC'97 control and data interface. It operates from a supply voltage of 3.3 V or mixed 3-V digital, 5-V analog. Audio performance reaches a 102-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and −95 dB total harmonic distortion (THD). Also, the WM9709 supports surround, center, and low-frequency encoding channels. It costs $1.37 each in 10,000-unit lots.