audio/videoZONE Products for the week of November 3, 2008

Intersil Says…

ISL54405: Lowest Distortion and Highest Off-Isolation Performance in CD/MP3 Stereo 2:1 Multiplexer
ISL54405 Delivers High Quality, Clickless Audio in Computer Sound Cards and Home Theater Applications Across All Load Types With Ultra Low Power Consumption in Compact, Cost-Effective Package

Intersil Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance analog semiconductors, has developed the industry’s optimal CD/MP3 stereo 2:1 multiplexer designed to deliver ultra low distortion audio source or load selector solutions with very high signal muting.

The Intersil ISL54405 is a single supply, bidirectional, dual single-pole/double-throw (SPDT) analog switch featuring ultra low distortion and the industry’s most impressive off-isolation capabilities into all load types. It is designed to pass analog signals that are positive and negative with respect to ground, with inputs that accommodate ground referenced signals up to 2VRMS, while operating from a single 3.3V or 5V DC supply.

Targeted to consumer and professional audio switching applications, the ISL54405 saves cost by eliminating the negative supply and the associated components typically used for amplifier output signal muting. The device also consumes minimal power, reducing the size and heat typical of traditional designs. The ISL54405 is ideal for computer sound cards and audio products such as CD/SACD/DVD-Audio Players, DVD players and Blu-ray devices. It can also be used in high-end audio equipment and audio docking accessories. By exceeding CD/MP3 quality audio specifications, the new ISL55405 lets users raise their end-product specifications.

EN-Genius Says…

It’s easy enough to switch audio signals; it’s not nearly so easy to do it with quality and professionalism. Here Intersil offers a bidirectional audio switch/multiplexer that has click and pop control on the switching of the dual single-pole double-throw (SPDT) action.

The switches can also handle both positive and negative signals without a negative rail. The state of four input pins controls the switch positions, directions and muting status.

The dynamic characteristics are impressive: THD+N with a 2 Vrms signal at 1 kHz with an A-weighted filter and 20 kΩ load is a typical -106 dB and SNR over the audio band of 20 Hz to 20 kHz (inputs grounded) is better than 124 dBV. Insertion loss at 1 kHz is ±0.01 dB while the audio frequency response is within ±0.003 dB.

Muting is better than 120 dB, similar to channel-to-channel crosstalk. PSRR is 90 dB at 20 kHz (110 dB at 1 kHz) and the -3 dB bandwidth is a typical 230 MHz.

The supply used can be either 3.3 V or 5.0 V with the worst current consumption at 65 µA.

The dc numbers are also great, but kind of irrelevant compared to the ac results.

The quality of this multiplexer/switch is high enough for the most demanding professional applications although, of course, the majority will see their way into home theater, CD, DVD, Blu-ray, MP3, cellphone, and computer sound card type applications and they have been priced on that basis and packaged accordingly.

The ISL54405 is in production in three packages: TQFN-16, µTQFN-16, and TSSOP-16, priced at $0.83, $0.80, and $0.92, respectively, all in 1000-piece lots.

Data Sheet