Audio Enters a New Era

There is a recent trend toward fully digital systems. Although CDs have been prevalent for nearly twenty years, audio has remained mostly analog, with the digital music on the CD being converted to analog inside the CD player and then taken through analog signal processing and amplification before reaching the speakers. However, the increase in digital infrastructure (the Internet, digital networks in buildings and automobiles, wireless digital communication), along with new digital sound sources (MP3, MD, DVD, Satellite broadcasts, HDTV/DTV) has created an unprecedented need to deal with audio in the digital domain. One of the benefits of digital audio systems is that the power and reliability of digital signal processing can readily be used to perform all audio processing functions - such as equalization, volume control, tone controls, and sound effects. Unfortunately, until now, it has remained necessary to convert the signal back to analog to perform amplification via Class AB amplifiers, or possibly using the analog-input Class-D amplifiers available today.

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