- DAE-3HT, Implementing High-End Audio Performance in Consumer Electronics at an Affordable Price

January 19, 2012 – Intersil, a global leader in the design and production of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, today announced the launch of the cost-effective, high-performance D2Audio DAE-3HT 12-channel digital sound processor and amplifier controller. This product delivers premium audio quality, which consumers consider most important in audio systems. Intersil recently showcased its digital audio engine sound processor and amplifier products, including the DAE-3HT, at CES 2012.

Specifically designed to deliver high-quality sound in price-sensitive soundbars and Blu-ray home theater systems, the DAE-3HT supports up to 8 digital input channels and supports up to 12 PWM output signals in Class D power stages. The cost-effective 72-pin QFN-packaged SoC (System on Chip) provides interface flexibility with 4 I2S inputs, 1 I2S output, S/PDIF input/output, I2C port, and SPI port. Additionally, the DAE-3HT is compatible with Audio Canvas™ III, the company's design tool specifically developed for creating customized audio path configurations, and includes support for D2Audio SoundSuite™ audio path enhancement and virtualization work. Each of the 12 PWM outputs delivers excellent audio performance at both power and line outputs.

Distinctive Advantages of the DAE-3HT
According to recently released data from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), "9 out of 10 consumers responded that sound quality is most important in audio," and the DAE-3HT satisfies these consumer demands. Additionally, according to the report, interest in high-quality audio consumer electronics has expanded beyond audio enthusiasts (34%) to the general consumer base (39%), and most of them demonstrate willingness to pay higher prices for high-quality audio products.

The greatest advantage of the DAE-3HT is that it delivers excellent audio performance without the high costs commonly expected in high-end audio. For example, according to CEA, 57% of soundbar users and 58% of DVD users responded that their audio systems do not provide high-quality sound. However, when using the DAE-3HT, soundbar audio quality is improved compared to normal performance. In fact, the Tvee model 30 from Boston Acoustics, which applied D2Audio technology, was the only product to receive a perfect score of 10 out of 10 in the "2011 Sound Bar Shootout" conducted by Sound & Vision, an audio specialty magazine