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December 1999FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New
Application Note From THAT Corporation Helps
Power Speaker Designs
Milford,
MA – Because the amplifier always drives a known
load, powered speakers present unique design opportunities not available
in separate components. THAT Corporation's new application note AN104,
"Improving Loudspeaker Signal Handling Capability" shows how
to design a single-chip, frequency-dependent compressor/limiter
circuitry into next-generation powered speaker products. This processor
is suitable for most types of powered speakers, and along with providing
driver protection, allows the system to be driven to higher levels
without audible clipping or distortion.
The circuit requires only one
integrated circuit, the THAT 4301 Analog Engine™, and a handful of
passive components to implement its "intelligent" signal
handling capability. At normal signal levels, the processor is
essentially a unity gain buffer. However, as the levels increase to
near the overload point of either the driver or the amplifier, the
processor begins compressing, and ultimately limiting, the
low-frequency portion of the signal (where distortion and clipping are
most likely to occur). With its use of rms-level detection (to
minimize the "drop out" effect that often occurs with peak
limiters), judicious choice of time constants, and a high-performance
VCA, the circuit can extend the headroom of the speaker system without
noticeable degradation in sonic performance.
AN104, along with several other analog
signal processing application notes, is available in .pdf format on
the application note page. THAT's application
engineers are also available to help meet particular design
requirements.
THAT Corporation, founded in 1989,
provides high-performance analog integrated circuits to the
professional audio manufacturer, and is best known for its line of
modular and IC voltage-controlled amplifiers (VCAs) used throughout
the pro audio industry. The company is headquartered in Milford,
Massachusetts, with offices in Tokyo, Japan and Milpitas, California.
In addition to its IC business, THAT also designs and manufactures a
variety of finished electronic products for pro audio OEMs, and
licenses noise reduction technology to the TV broadcast and reception
industries.
For more information and
technical assistance contact THAT Corporation.
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