STMicroelectronics has introduced an analogue class-D audio amplifier, claiming it provides best-in-class power density. The TDA7498E has 320W of total output power - 160W on each channel - on an area of 100mm2, giving a 20% power-density advantage over existing amplifiers, according to the company. The high-current capability also enables designs where the speaker impedance can be changed from 8 to 2Ω without power or current limitation. The amplifier design also integrates the suppression of pop and click noises, standby and mute functionality, and a balanced input for best TDMA noise rejection. The device embeds smart current protection, which recognises when the speaker requires a peak of current for a specific frequency range and automatically prevents any interruptions in the sound flow. Stereo and mono modes can be configured. The amplifier includes the mono parallel feature for driving the sub-woofer/woofer channel in 2.1 sound set-ups. The device exhibits a SNR of 100dB and provides four selectable, fixed-gain settings at 23.8, 29.8, 33.3 and 35.8dB. The dual-BTL (bridge tied load) class-D audio amplifier with a single power supply is sampling now.
