Qualcomm Releases Hi-Res Audio Amplifier SoC for Class D-Based Devices

Qualcomm bowed hi-res audio amplifier technology that’s said to bring higher fidelity sound to products using class D amplifiers. In a Tuesday announcement before a voice and music developer conference in Shenzhen, China, Qualcomm said its direct digital feedback amplifier (DDFA) technology, available on the CSRA6620 SoC, has an all-digital pulse width modulator and patented closed-loop architecture to compensate for nonlinearities of power supplies and output stages so it can deliver high fidelity audio and design flexibility along with the power efficiency benefit of class D amplifiers. Denon chose DDFA technology for its “high level of performance,” said Sound Manager Shinichi Yamauchi. The SoC, which supports 384 kHz and DSD 64/128 inputs, has a DDFA controller, eight-channel inputs, two-channel outputs, a microcontroller and configurable audio processor, Qualcomm said. Applications include wireless speakers, sound bars, networked audio and headphone amplifiers.