Wolfson Microelectronics Introduces Direct Stream Digital Audio Support With New High Performance Stereo DACs.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

EDINBURGH, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2001

New Products Round Out Company's Offering

of High Performance Audio Products

Wolfson Microelectronics, Ltd., a technical leader in developing audio ICs for multimedia and communications applications, today unveiled its first stereo DAC with support for the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) audio data format.

The DSD audio mode in the WM8728 extends the reach of the new audio DAC to encompass the existing PCM audio formats used for CD and DVD players as well as the new SACD(TM) (Super Audio CD) bit stream standard. DSD, the core recording technology behind SACD, enables the reproduction of sounds that are infinitesimally close to the original source material. Products based on SACD provide even the most discerning listeners with the highest possible audio quality as a result of breakthroughs in the fields of recording technology, data encoding techniques, data storage and laser optics.

"The quest to offer new, more innovative features is never ending," said David Milne, president and CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics. "The WM8728 retains the low noise, multi-bit sigma-delta converter architectures that has been so successful for us, while adding completely new function sets which provide the user with many benefits."

A New Generation of Digital Audio

Based on the 6-bit architecture found in the Company's popular WM8716, the WM8728, and the other two products (WM8706 and WM8729) mentioned in this release, are 64 times less sensitive to clock jitter than a 1-bit DAC, thus resulting in better sound quality. All three of the 24-bit audio DACs integrate a DSP interface, as well as the common industry audio formats, which allows the user to connect multiple DACs to a single time-multiplexed DSP interface, reducing the control overhead and pin-count for the interface.

The WM8728 provides a hardware or software interface for audio control. Data input word lengths in PCM format range from 16 to 24-bits with sampling rates up to 192kHz. In Super Audio CD mode, the WM8728 provides 2 channels of 1-bit Direct Stream Digital with a sampling rate of 2.8224MHz. Products built around the WM8728 offer full compatibility with CD, thereby safeguarding consumers' investments, and providing them with a smooth migration path from CD to SACD.

With the WM8706 and the WM8729, Wolfson provides audio engineers with a more complete line of stereo DACs. While not compatible with the emerging DSD standard, the WM8706 and WM8729 enable designers to develop audio applications such as DVD, home theater systems, and digital TVs, for a more complete range of markets. Both products support the PCM audio format with 16- to 24-bits and sampling rates up to 192kHz. The WM8706 consists of a serial interface port, digital interpolation filters, multi-bit sigma delta modulators and stereo DAC with volume control. The WM8729 is a hardware-only version of the WM8706. It does not include volume control.

Price and Availability

All three products are sampling now with volume production anticipated at the end of Q2 2001. The WM8728 with support for both PCM and DSD audio formats is available in a 20-pin SSOP for $2.14 per/1k quantities. The WM8706, a lower cost, pin-for-pin compatible version of the WM8716 is available for $2.81/1k quantities. The WM8729, with support for hardware control only is available in a 16-pin SOIC for $1.71 per 1k quantities.

About Wolfson Microelectronics

Wolfson Microelectronics Ltd., develops mixed-signal semiconductors for multimedia and communications applications. Privately-held and based in Edinburgh, UK, Wolfson is a supplier into both audio and imaging markets and to market makers around the world. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.wolfsonmicro.com.