August 14, 2014, Seoul – STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor company contributing to customers across a wide range of electronic applications and a leader in ICs for audio processing, has unveiled the world's first audio processor featuring innovative High Dynamic Range (HDR) audio signal acquisition technology. This highly integrated chip integrates all advanced audio processing technologies into a single, powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use solution.

Audio processors are key components of home systems, such as speakers with built-in amplifiers, docking stations, and digital media players. The new STA311B processor offers high integration, making it widely applicable to home systems ranging from entry-level to high-end.

Andrea Onetti, General Manager of ST’s Analog and Audio Systems business unit, said, “ST has been a leader in the audio semiconductor field since the early days of audio electronics. Since SGS Microelettronica, one of ST’s parent companies, developed the first single-chip audio power amplifier in 1968, we have set new standards every year, and with the launch of the STA311B, we have once again elevated the level of audio processors. The STA311B combines unprecedented performance and flexibility, enabling an enhanced listening experience at a reduced cost.”

With the HDR signal acquisition function, digital signals with a dynamic range of more than 130dB can be generated without an expensive high-performance ADC (analog-to-digital converter). With this technique currently being patented by ST, the STA311B provides excellent sound quality capable of processing sounds ranging from low volumes like a whisper to high volumes like the roar of a jet engine consistently and clearly.

The STA311B is available in a compact 8.0x8.0x0.9mm VFQFPN package and integrates 8 audio processing channels with up to 10 independent selectable biquadratic filters per channel, input and output mixing capabilities, multi-band dynamic range compression, advanced pop-free operation, automatic detection of input sampling frequency, input and output (pre-processing and post-processing) RMS (Root Mean Square) metering, ST’s proprietary FFX™ Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology, and HDR acquisition input capabilities all on a single chip. This enables audio equipment and subsystem manufacturers to develop multiple products based on the same design to suit various price/performance scenarios, thereby enabling cost reduction.

The STA311B's input/output RMS metering capabilities enhance the safety of the end product without incurring additional hardware costs. While previous solutions relied on over-specified, high-cost speakers capable of maintaining high power peak values, the STA311B enables applications to suppress unwanted energy surges that could damage the speakers. The STA311B's pop-free circuit eliminates unwanted noise caused by bridge charge sequences in single-end and bridge-tied load configurations, allowing the audio to start driving smoothly.

The STA311B is a new addition to the Sound Terminal® product family and is fully supported by the AP Workbench software development tool provided free of charge by ST. This development tool allows you to configure all of ST's audio products through an intuitive and user-friendly graphical interface. In the e2e community forum dedicated exclusively to AP Workbench, interested users can participate in various activities such as exchanging opinions, asking questions, and proposing new solutions.