News

Cirrus Logic Inc. has introduced two new high-performance analog-to-digital converters. The CS5361 and CS5351 are said to deliver professional sound quality for audio/video receivers (AVRs) and DVD recorders (DVD-Rs) at mainstream consumer prices. The new chips are OEM-priced at $4.95 and $3.95 respectively, in quantities of 10,000 or more.

The CS5361 and CS5351A/D converters are based on a proprietary multi-bit delta sigma architecture with advanced dynamic element matching, according to the announcement. The CS5361 offers the best analog performance (114dB dynamic range and -105dB THD+N) and sound quality in its price range. The chip offers 24-bit resolution and support for sample rates up to 192kHz, compatible with next-generation audio formats, such as DVD-Audio. Cirrus Logic believes that the CS5361 is "the ideal solution for high volume professional and consumer applications that require the best price/performance ratio. Such applications include DVD-Audio-ready A/V receivers, DVD recorders, CD recorders, digital mixing consoles, digital multi-track recorders, digital effects processors, and automotive audio systems."

The CS5351 is Cirrus' "cost sensitive" A/D solution. It, too, offers 24-bit resolution and support for 192kHz sample rates, with specifications listed as 108dB dynamic range and -100dB THD+N. The CS5351 shares the same footprint as the CS5361 and differs only in utilizing a single-ended input architecture versus the fully differential inputs featured on the CS5361. "Pin-compatibility reduces time-to-market and provides an easy upgrade path for manufacturers, allowing them to easily expand their product offerings by differentiating end product price and sound quality," Cirrus executives explained.

The new chips should begin appearing in a new generation of affordable high-performance products later this year. "The enhanced quality and value of digital audio content can only be delivered by faithfully capturing the emotion of the performance," said Lew Paceley, vice president of marketing for Cirrus Logic's Crystal Products Division. "The CS5361 and CS5351 analog-to-digital converters make studio-quality digital content more broadly available than ever before." The converters were unveiled at the Audio Engineering Society show in Munich, Germany, May 10–13.