xMEMS Introduces Amplifier-Less MEMS Tweeter for 2-Way Wireless Earbuds

March 27 2025, 17:00
xMEMS unveiled Lassen, the company’s latest member of its growing µFidelity range of MEMS drivers, and the first “amplifier-less” MEMS tweeter optimized for 2-way True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. According to xMEMS, Lassen brings a number of advantages with no need for a piezo amplifier, reducing cost, size, and power consumption while maintaining exceptional sound performance with up to 115dB SPL in the 6kHz–20kHz range. For manufacturers, Lassen lowers integration costs by 25% making room for other advanced features, and allowing consistent sound quality in mass production.
 

With Lassen, xMEMS says that it has reduced the barrier to entry by eliminating the need for a piezo amplifier, reducing cost, component area and power consumption. This allows developers to explore two-ways TWS earbuds designs with a lower cost all-silicon micro tweeter solution that fully leverages the benefits of xMEMS µFidelity technology. xMEMS designed the Lassen TWS tweeter on its established, proven MEMS platform to enable mass production and easy integration into 2-way earbuds.

The xMEMS Lassen microspeaker delivers up to 115dB SPL in the 6kHz to 20kHz frequency range from a standard 1Vrms audio output, without the need of additional amplification, delivering sound quality that exceeds that of legacy tweeter speaker technologies. Measuring just 3.2 x 5 x 1.15mm and consuming mere microwatts of power, Lassen significantly reduces the barriers of entry to broad deployment of 2-way TWS wireless earbud audio.

“The industry has embraced the superior audio quality of 2-way speakers in TWS earbuds, as well as the ability of xMEMS speakers to enhance that quality,” says Mike Housholder, VP of Marketing & Business Development at xMEMS. “Lassen is a revolutionary design based on a proven platform. It will bring the benefits of 2-way earbud audio to a broader market by eliminating extra cost of the piezo amplifier and minimizing the space and power required to deliver truly immersive TWS sound experience.”

“The previous xMEMS Cowell and Muir MEMS speaker solutions for 2-way earbuds required a separate piezo amplifier chip. Manufacturers such as Creative Labs and Soundpeats embraced this integration requirement because the solid-state xMEMS drivers produced unparalleled sound reproduction quality and detail. However, with xMEMS’ Lassen, no amplifier is required – freeing up space in TWS earbuds for other advanced features while delivering that same superior sound quality and soundstage as previous xMEMS technologies.”
 

By removing the amplifier requirement, xMEMS was able to reduce the cost of tweeter integration by roughly 25 percent. This puts solid-state MEMS speaker technology squarely on-par with other micro tweeter solutions, including balanced armature and planar magnetic drivers.

“Because Lassen is manufactured in the same high-capacity semiconductor wafer fabs as other xMEMS products, it enjoys superior semiconductor-level quality and scalability, so TWS designers know they can deliver consistent, repeatable sound quality across their TWS earbud designs,” Mike Housholder adds.

Samples of the xMEMS Lassen TWS Tweeter are available now, with mass production scheduled for September 2025.
www.xmems.com
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About Joao Martins
Since 2013, Joao Martins leads audioXpress as editor-in-chief of the US-based magazine and website, the leading audio electronics, audio product development and design publication, working also as international editor for Voice Coil, the leading periodical for... Read more

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