Audio Codec Targets Multi-Channel Sound Systems

By packing eight 24-bit analog channels-- including two input ADCs and six output DACs-- and sampling at rates of up to 96 kHz, the AK4527 high-performance audio codec is said to be especially well-suited for use in DVD players, DVD-RAM drives, home audio receivers, and many other multi-channel sound systems.
The A/D channels use an enhanced dual-bit sigma-delta architecture with 64X over-sampling. The dynamic range is 102 dB, with the circuitry also featuring a linear phase anti-aliasing filter and a digital high pass filter for offset cancellation.
The six D/A channels use a new, multi-bit sigma-delta architecture with 128X over-sampling. The dynamic range in this direction is 106 dB. And each channel has an individually controllable attenuation of 2560.5-dB steps.
The AK4527 codec also offers a soft mute feature and has the same pin-out as the firm's previous two-input, six-output codecs, such as the AK4526A. In addition, the chip has an operating temperature range of -45°C to 85°C, comes housed in a 44-pin, 10 x 10-mm LQFP package, and costs $6.12 each/5000.