Class-D Audio Amplifiers Enable 50% Reduction on Car Audio Systems Cost

(Product News, 3 Dec 2008)

Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) has extended its TAS54xx family of highly-efficient Class-D audio amplifiers with two new devices, which offer greater integration and channel flexibility, saving OEMs up to 50 percent system cost when designing automotive head unit and external amplifier applications.

The latest devices—the TAS5412 with single-ended inputs and TAS5422 with differential inputs—provide OEMs with improved system design flexibility when combined with TI's existing four-channel amplifier devices, the TAS5414A and TAS5424A. Both devices also offer the same electromagnetic compliance (EMC) and audio performance of the TAS54xx family while providing more system-level flexibility. Now car audio system architects can optimize designs that require two or six channels by more efficiently matching the number of speakers while maintaining high levels of integration. In addition, the new TAS5412 and TAS5422 are designed to operate in car audio systems without a microcontroller.

The TAS5412 and TAS5422 use the same patent-pending technology from the field-proven TAS54x4A, which surpasses CISPR-25 Level 5 and many OEM-specific requirements, to ensure that high-power audio systems do not compromise vehicle operation.

In addition, the TAS5412 and TAS5422 support higher voltage and current capabilities, enabling a higher maximum output power for applications where feature densities and system configurations require reduction in heat from the audio power amplifier. The amplifiers also incorporate patented PWM designs that provide excellent power supply rejection in the harsh electrical environment common in automotive applications.

Click here for more information on Texas Instruments' TAS5412 Class-D audio amplifier

Click here for more information on Texas Instruments' TAS5422 Class-D audio amplifier

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