Cirrus Logic's New TrueDigital Class D Amplifiers Spark New Generation of Sleek, Energy-Saving Consumer Electronics.

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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 2001

(Audio Engineering Society Show) -- As part of its Total Entertainment (Total-E(tm)) strategy providing end-to-end digital solutions, Cirrus Logic (Nasdaq:CRUS) is helping manufacturers rapidly develop a new generation of energy-saving consumer electronics that perform multiple functions with very high sound quality and enable sleeker form factors.

Today the company introduced two new TrueDigital(tm) Class D amplifier solutions including an amplifier controller that operates up to 50 watts at better than 90 percent efficiency, the CS44210, and a low power headphone amplifier, the CS44L10, that delivers higher volume with longer battery life.

"Semiconductor chips keep getting smaller, but the size of our stereo systems hasn't changed in 30 years," says Jason Carlson, vice president and general manager of Cirrus Logic's Consumer Products Division. "For stereos, DVD players, receivers and virtually every other type of home consumer electronic device, the size of the power electronics and heat from the amplifiers dominate the box."

Cirrus Logic's new TrueDigital Class D technology offers significant power savings, drastically improved efficiency, better sound quality and the ability to converge multiple functions into a single entertainment unit. The improved efficiency also enables manufacturers to dramatically shrink the size of their product offerings. For example, a large shelf-top stereo mini-system can now be reduced to the size of a portable CD player and still deliver the same sound volume and quality.

TrueDigital Class D amplifiers are more power efficient and dissipate less heat (i.e., wasted energy) than earlier-generation amplifier technologies. Taken together, these advances mean that designers can reduce the size of a typical power amplifier by a factor of four, allowing the amplifier to be built into much sleeker, more attractive products, and into speakers or other small enclosures. Increased efficiency also facilitates battery-powered devices that can run up to three times longer compared to conventional amplifier based devices.

"Our TrueDigital Class D solutions provide a smaller, sleeker, better sounding option for consumer electronics manufacturers," said Dr. Skip Taylor, vice president of PWM technologies for Cirrus Logic. "From Cirrus Logic, a company that understands and appreciates the requirements of audio systems, you will see robust, leading-edge audio that results in higher performance, higher quality, sleeker entertainment offerings."

As part of the company's Total-E Solutions strategy, Cirrus Logic has entered into a strategic partnership with International Rectifier (NYSE:IRF), the power conversion experts, to incorporate Cirrus Logic's new amplifiers and software with International Rectifier's power driver ICs and MOSFETs into a complete system level solution.

Stephen Oliver, International Rectifier Marketing Manager, AC-DC Products, said, "IR's engineering expertise with power switching devices, including dead-time compensation driver ICs and high frequency MOSFETs, contributes to higher overall efficiency. More efficiency means less heat and reduces size and weight."

New Class D Solutions

The new fully digital Crystal(R) CS44210 is a Class D power amplifier controller that increases the efficiency of amplifiers in consumer and professional applications from the industry norm of approximately 50 percent to 90 percent or better. This means that existing systems that require 100 watts input to the amplifier to deliver 50 watts to the speakers; will now require just 55 watts to deliver the same 50-watt output.

The CS44210 operates at power levels between 5 watts and 50 watts, with an output dynamic range up to 100dB. The controller provides 24-bit conversion sampling and supports sample rates up to 96kHz. The CS44210 controller's target markets include 50 watt power amplifier applications such as: shelf-top audio systems, audio mini systems, audio video receivers (AVR), boom boxes, small professional amplifiers and powered speakers.

The audio controller solution also provides 50-watt power levels into 8-ohm speakers without having to "bridge" the outputs. The integrated audio signal processing includes volume control, tone controls and a compressor/limiter.

Cirrus Logic selected International Rectifier to provide the application-specific power chipset needed for the output section of the Class D amplifier solution. International Rectifier IRCS8101 or IRCS8102 HEXFET(R) power devices (MOSFETs) and the IRCS8001 high and low-side driver integrated circuit (IC) are specifically optimized to work with the CS44210 to provide the power boost for consumer and professional audio amplifiers.

In addition to the CS44210 amplifier controller, the new Crystal CS44L10 Class D headphone amplifier offers increased efficiency and sound quality along with lower power consumption for portable consumer audio devices and mobile phone handsets. The CS44L10 enables manufacturers to create exciting new energy-efficient portable audio devices. Utilizing the features of the CS44L10, these devices will be able to reduce yearly battery usage by up to 20%. The CS44L10 provides 24-bit conversion and supports sample rates up to 96kHz. The headphone amplifier operates at 100 mW per channel into 16 ohms at 3.6V supply. The new amplifier provides an output with up to 100dB dynamic range making it ideal for power saving portable applications.

Pricing and Availability

The CS44210 Class D controller is offered in a 24-pin TSSOP package, including 3 serial audio ports (such as I2S) with multiplexer (mux) and host interface for $3.95 in 10K quantities. The CS44L10 PWM headphone amplifier is offered in a 16-pin TSSOP package with a host interface for $2.81 in 10K quantities. Samples are available now with demonstration platforms available in June.

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog and DSP chip solutions for consumer entertainment electronics. Building on its global market share leadership in audio integrated circuits and its rich mixed-signal patent portfolio, the company targets high-volume audio, storage and communications applications. Cirrus Logic sells its products under the Crystal(R), Maverick(tm) and 3Ci(tm) brands, as well as its own name. Founded in 1984 in Silicon Valley, Cirrus Logic operates from headquarters in Austin, Texas and major sites located in Fremont, Calif. and Broomfield, Colo., as well as offices in Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.

About International Rectifier

International Rectifier is recognized as the leading supplier of power semiconductors and systems solutions. IR's patented HEXFET(R) power MOSFETs, IGBTs and high-voltage ICs make electricity work smarter in industrial automation and controls, automotive electrical systems, consumer electronics, computers and peripherals, telecommunications, lighting and satellite/launch vehicle applications.

Trademark Notice

IR(R) and HEXFET(R) are registered trademarks of International Rectifier Corporation. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Safe Harbor Provision

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements that are dependent on certain risks and uncertainties including such factors, among others, as overall conditions in the semiconductor market; the rate of consumer electronics market adoption of new products; customer cancellations of orders, or the failure to place orders consistent with forecasts; unforeseen manufacturing difficulties; hardware or software deficiencies; delays in customer qualification of key new products; achieving high utilization of the company's manufacturing resources; final determination of appropriate inventory write-downs based on the outlook at the end of each quarter; actual operational spending; and the risk factors listed in the company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 25, 2000, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing information concerning Cirrus Logic's business outlook represents our outlook as of the date of this news release, and Cirrus Logic undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new developments or otherwise.

Note to editors: Cirrus Logic(R), Crystal(R), Maverick(tm), Total-E(tm) and TrueDigital(tm) are trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Note to editors: The "2" in "(such as I2S)" in the "Pricing and Availability" paragraph above is a superscript. It was changed for transmission purposes only.

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