Maxim Integrated MAX98396 Class D/G speaker amplifier

Maxim Integrated Products has released the MAX98396 Class D/G speaker amplifier, offering the low power, low noise and high thermal efficiency demanded by battery-powered Bluetooth and always-on smart speakers. The 20 V digital input audio power amplifier offers 12.7 mW of quiescent power to meet and exceed the industry’s power compliance regulations, which support the always-on feature in portable Bluetooth and smart speakers. Its low 15.5 uVrms noise floor is said to be 50% lower than the closest competitor, allowing speaker placement in near-silent locations.

The high-resolution, audio-compatible speaker amplifier was designed to meet the needs of next-generation smart and wireless speakers, with a power efficiency that means the speaker takes a long time to reach the thermal limit. The product is ultrasound ready with 45 kHz of bandwidth and a dedicated data path. This feature, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) software and ultrasound, enables touchless gesture sensing, presence detection and proximity sensing.