Industry’s highest-performance audio operational amplifier

This post is sponsored by Texas Instruments. A new audio operational amplifier (op amp) that sets the latest standard in audio performance, the OPA1622 is the newest addition to Texas Instruments’ Burr-Brown audio line and is the next generation of the widely adopted OPA1612, says the company. The OPA1622 delivers high output power of up to 150mW and extremely low distortion of -135dB at 10mW, enabling the highest performance for professional audio equipment. The OPA1622’s small size, low power consumption and low distortion can deliver high-fidelity audio in portable devices such as headphone amplifiers, smartphones, tablets and USB audio digital-to-analog converters (DACs). Key features : 1 - Pushes the boundaries of audio quality: Headphone amplifier designers can take advantage of its low total harmonic distortion (THD) of -135dB at 10mW output power into a 32ohm load – 12 times better than the nearest competitor. It also delivers maximum output power of up to 150mW before clipping while maintaining the lowest THD and noise (THD+N), providing a clean signal path for professional audio applications. 2 - Optimized for high-fidelity portable audio devices: Consumes low quiescent current of 2.6-mA per channel and delivers high linear output current of 80 mARMS in a small, 3mm x 3mm dual flat no-lead (DFN) package. Additionally, the increased power-supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of -97/-123dB at 20kHz enables low distortion from switching power supplies with no low-dropout regulator (LDO), saving board space without compromising audio performance. 3 - Unique pinout simplifies design and improves distortion performance: The OPA1622’s ground-referenced enable pin is directly controllable from the low-power processor’s general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins without level-shifting circuits. Its innovative pinout improves printed circuit board (PCB) layout and enables exceptional distortion performance at high output power. 4 - Eliminates audible clicks and pops: A unique enable-circuitry design limits output transients when the OPA1622 is transitioning into or out of shutdown mode. A TINA-TI SPICE macromodel is also available for the OPA1622 to help designers verify board-level signal-integrity requirements. A TI Designs – Precision reference design for voltage-output audio DACs will be available in 1Q16 to speed time to market for OPA1622-based headphone amplifier designs. Technical support for the OPA1622 is available in the TI E2E Community Precision Amplifiers forum, where engineers can search for solutions, get help, share knowledge and solve problems with fellow engineers and TI experts. Additionally, engineers can deepen their audio expertise with TI Precision Labs – Op Amps, TI’s on-demand training series that covers a wide variety of topics, including low-distortion design and noise. The videos use a real-world circuit to teach designers how to achieve overall system-performance goals, says the company.