Advanced series of DAC chips enable expressive playback of classical music

Update: April 21, 2021

ROHM has released the new BD34301EKV, a 32bit D/A converter IC created for high fidelity audio equipment – capable of high-resolution playback of audio sources. At the same time, the company also offers BD34301EKV-EVK-001 evaluation boards to test the performance of its new IC.

The DAC chip, developed as part of the company’s high-grade MUS-IC series, presents the pinnacle of audio ICs, emphasises ‘spatial resonance’, ‘sense of scale’ and ‘quietness’, which are qualities essential for reproducing classical music. Original sound quality design technology makes it feasible to successfully reproduce the target sound quality by including a circuit in the signal processing block to check audio quality. Concurrently, class-leading low noise and distortion (130dB SN ratio, -115dB THD+N) give the high performance demanded by high fidelity audio equipment. Finally, the customisable digital filter – a key function of the digital signal processing circuit – supports the creation of the best sound sought by audio equipment manufacturers.

The device has been adopted in the digital circuit block of the flagship SACD/CD player D-10X from LUXMAN CORPORATION. Masakazu Nagatsuma, director and general manager of the Development department at LUXMAN, praised the performance and sound quality of the BD34301EKV from the development stage: “The sound is natural and flat in all bands, making it easy to listen for extended periods.”