Microchip’s Bluetooth SoC combines Sony’s LDAC technology for audio devices
Today’s consumers expect Bluetooth audio devices to create an immersive and uninterrupted listening experience. Bluetooth audio designs, however, can be limited by the bit depth and frequency rate of existing codecs, the communication and compression technology used to send audio over the air. To bridge this divide, Microchip has developed a certified, Bluetooth 5-compliant system on chip (SoC) with Sony’s LDAC audio codec technology. Sony’s LDAC is considered the highest-quality audio codec available, reports Microchip. It transmits up to 990kbits per second data throughput, which is three times higher than the standard Bluetooth Sub-band Codec (SBC), and maintains frequency and bit depth of up to 96kHz/24-bit. The high compression and reproduction efficiency enables high-resolution audio listening experiences for Bluetooth audio devices, adds the company.
The IS2064GM-0L3 SoC allows manufacturers to develop a new generation of audio devices with an advanced codec, extending high-resolution audio into mass market Bluetooth wireless products, says Microchip. Headphone manufacturer, Audeze, has implemented the SoC into its high-end Mobius gaming headphone.
The Audeze Mobius headphone uses Microchip’s IS2064GM-0L3 SoC for the Bluetooth wireless connection supporting LDAC and other audio codec interfaces.
The IS2064GM-0L3 SoC not only makes the LDAC codec available to the broader market of audio product vendors, it also allows customers to use Microchip’s technical support and comprehensive development environment to assist customers with implementation and getting to market faster. The LDAC codec is also integrated into the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system Bluetooth stack, which means the LDAC technology is more widely available on the transmit side.
“Microchip enables OEMs to address consumers’ increasing demand for high-quality audio with the convenience and ubiquity of Bluetooth wireless,” said Steve Caldwell, vice president of Microchip’s wireless solutions group. “OEMs can focus on their audio product and sound quality and know that, because of Microchip, the Bluetooth wireless integration will be seamless.”
The IS2064GM-0L3 is available to customers upon request after approval. Development boards are also available.
The IS2064GM-0L3 comes in an 8.0 x 8.0mm LGA package and is available for volume production.
