AKM Announces New Premium DAC and DSP Solutions for Premium Portable Audio Applications

Targeting portable audio applications (smartphones, tablets, portable music players, headphones, etc.) Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has developed the AK4962, a new advanced 2-channel 32-bit Advanced Audio DAC with DSP, featuring 32-bit 4ch ADC with microphone/headphone receivers, line-amplifier, audio/voice DSP, asynchronous SRC and microcontroller interface. AKM also announced its AK4490EN 32-bit stereo premium D/A converter and dedicated clock generator, AK8157A, are now available.

The new Tascam Celesonic US-20x20 packs 20 ins and 20 outs into a USB 3.0/2.0 audio interface for Mac OSX and Windows computers. The unit is also a complete software controlled mixer, is able to support signals up to 24-bit/192kHz and features eight Ultra-HDDA preamps with 20dB of headroom and low noise performance for recording.

The new series of 2/4/6/8ch D/A converters from Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) is powering a new generation of high-quality consumer electronic devices, measurement equipment and control systems, now reaching the market. The AK4452VN, AK4454VN, AK4456VN and AK4458VN chips are 768kHz 32bit premium D/A converters, based on AKM’s Velvet Sound chip architecture.

Korean company Astell&Kern (iRiver) has managed to forge an interesting niche market by developing and manufacturing portable high-resolution audio players. The company announced their latest-generation flagship portable HRA Player, the AK380, with 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD support. At the same time, Astell&Kern launched the much more affordable AK Jr.