The Crystal Semiconductor Products Division of Cirrus Logic Inc has released what it says are the first digital audio transmitters and receivers designed to support the emerging 96KHz digital audio sampling rate. The new mixed signal receivers (CS8413 and CS8414) and transmitters (CS8403A and CS8404A) are targeted at the professional audio and consumer DVD audio markets, where 96KHz sample rates have emerged to improve sound quality. The new chips support transmission of digital audio signals to industry standard formats, specifically the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format (S/PDIF) for consumer applications and the Audio Engineering Society/European Broadcast Union (AES/EBU) format for professional applications. Each chip is pin compatible with its 48KHz predecessor, enabling an OEM upgrade to 96KHz without hardware redesign. The CS8404A and CS8414 are in volume production, while the CS8403A and CS8413 are sampling with production in the second quarter.
