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A New Ultra Linear 16-Bit Digital-to-Analog Conversion System for Professional Audio

This paper describes a unique audio system consisting of an ultra linear high speed 16-bit digital-to-analog converter module (MP1926A) and a distortion suppression amplifier module (MP201A). The module set was designed specifically for reconstructing dynamic complex waveforms from digital data, characteristic of professional audio pulse code modulation (PCM). Design emphasis was placed on important audio parameters such as wide dynamic range (16 bits) for bipolar signals, excellent linearity (4ppm) for small signals in the central region of the full scale range, and low distortion (0.005%) over the full audio spectrum (20Hz to 20kHz). The module set accepts input data in the commonly used offset binary and two's complement formats. However, the excellent linearity exhibited for small signals near zero volts is achieved through the use of a new internal sign/magnitude architecture (pat pending) instead of the commonly used offset binary architecture which produces its target nonlinearities at midrange. The low harmonic distortion of the output waveform is a result of both the excellent static linearity of the D/A converter and the suppression of the D/A converter's nonlinear glitch and slewing terms by the distortion suppression amplifier module.

Author: Sanchez, Albert A.
Affiliation: Analogic Corporation, Wakefield, MA
AES Convention:66 (May 1980) Paper Number:1659 Import into BibTeX

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