GaN as a technology is in its infancy, but the larger players are all taking notice and eager to explore its superior efficiency, switching speed, and reduced size. Together with GaN Systems (now owned by Infineon), Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) is one of the two pure-GaN players with solutions available in the audio space, offering its enhancement mode gallium nitride (eGaN) FETs.
EPC’s GaN devices are promoted directly for Class-D audio applications and the company already offered three reference designs for amplifiers up to 200W or 100W in two-channels (8Ω). According to EPC, its solutions already enable double the power with the same/smaller footprint up to 500W per channel with lower idle power consumption and easier multichannel scaling. EPC also provides the discrete and integrated GaN solutions that are the building blocks to enable audio designers to create new innovative products with already demonstrated superior audio performance, such as better SNR, lower THD+N, and lower T-IMD
The new EPC9192 reference board features a modular design that allows for scalability and expandability. The motherboard hosts two PWM modulators and two half bridge power stage daughterboards, implementing a two-channel amplifier with housekeeping supplies and protections. This design flexibility enables users to customize the PWM modulator and power stage, facilitating the evaluation and comparison of different devices and modulation techniques. This allows creating configurations for multichannel, hifi stereo, and subwoofer home audio applications, as well as for professional audio designs.
The EPC9192 is a 700W (@2Ω-4Ω) Class-D power stage design in a compact size including output filter and heatsink, with a single regulated 12V power supply input for housekeeping. It can be configured for two independent SE channels using EPC’s 200V, EPC2307, eGaN FETs in a half bridge topology, or single channel BTL mode (1400W @8Ω). The board features a dual split supply input, unregulated, ±42 V to ±85 V for power stage, balanced (XLR) or unbalanced (RCA) analog inputs, and offers undervoltage, overvoltage, overcurrent, and overtemperature protections.
"The EPC9192 is a powerful tool for audio amplifier designers looking to leverage the benefits of GaN technology," says Alex Lidow, CEO of EPC. "With high-power density and scalability, it enables rapid prototyping of compact, high-performance Class-D amplifiers."
The EPC9192KIT comes with two EPC9558L PWM modulator boards, implementing an asynchronous switching, self-oscillating PWM modulator, with feedback taken after the L-C low pass filter (Post-Filter FeedBack, PFFB). Switching frequency is set to about 600kHz. Also included is the EPC9558P power stage, built around two EPC2307, 200V, 10mΩ QFN eGaN FET and the Onsemi NCP51820 gate driver.
The EPC9192 evaluation boards are priced at $948.48, while the EPC2307 GaN FET is priced at $3.28/ea in 3Ku reels. The reference design boards and devices are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key here.
www.epc-co.com
