Press Release

1.8V Stereo Audio DAC with Built-In DirectDrive™ Headphone Amplifier Is Designed for High-Performance, Space-Constrained Portable Applications

SUNNYVALE, CA-November 24, 2004-Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ: MXIM), today announced the addition of the MAX9850, a stereo audio DAC, to its line of high-performance, audio integrated circuits. The MAX9850 features builtin DirectDrive^™ headphone amplifiers and operates from any 1.8V to 3.6V single supply. Optimized for low-voltage operation, it delivers 30mW of output power from a 1.8V supply. The device is designed to meet the board-space and performance requirements of portable devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, and portable DVD players.

This new audio DAC uses the company's patented DirectDrive architecture that produces a ground-referenced output from a single supply, thus eliminating the two bulky DC-blocking capacitors commonly used between the amplifier and the headphone. The removal of the two large caps makes more efficient use of board space—up to eight times less than alternative solutions. Additionally, driving the audio signal directly to the headphone enhances the low-frequency response of the system, leading to full-range audio reproduction, especially important for music and video playback. The DirectDrive architecture does not require the headphone jack to be biased to a DC voltage and it allows a conventional, grounded chassis design, thereby greatly simplifying system design and improving long-term reliability.

Another unique MAX9850 feature is innovative output-clocking circuitry that derives all common audio rates from an arbitrary master clock up to 40MHz. The flexible architecture uses any available system clock and eliminates the need for an external PLL and multiple crystal oscillators. The device supports a wide range of sample rates from 8kHz to 48kHz in both master and slave modes, making the MAX9850 the easiest to use and most versatile audio DAC available.

The device supports common I²C^™-compatible audio interfaces. Stereo-audio line inputs are provided either to mix analog audio with the digital input stream, or to drive the headphone or line outputs directly. A high PSRR rate of 100dB allows the part to operate directly from noisy supplies, eliminating the need for a dedicated LDO. To simplify the design and reduce system cost further, the MAX9850 features -73dB to +6dB volume control that uses I²C to adjust the gain of the output amplifier and eliminate the need for an external potentiometer.

The MAX9850 is available in the thermally efficient, 5mm x 5mm, 28-pin TQFN packages ideal for general portable-audio applications. This device operates over the industrial temperature range (-40°C to +85°C). Prices start at $1.75 (1000-up, FOB USA).

Purchase of I²C components from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., or one of its sublicensed Associated Companies, conveys a license under the Philips I²C Patent Rights to use these components in an I²C system, provided that the system conforms to the I²C Standard Specification as defined by Philips.