Tripath Ships World's First 4 X 70 W Single Package Digital Audio Amplifier for Sony's Latest Car Audio System

Business Wire, Sept 30, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 2002

Tripath's Class-T TA2041 1-bit Delta Sigma Digital Audio Amplifier

Revolutionizes Automobile Electronics Industry

Tripath Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:TRPH), creators of Class-T(TM) 1-bit Digital Audio Amplifiers, today announced the development and shipment of the World's first 4 x 70 watt digital audio amplifier for the automobile electronics industry. Sony will be the first company to adopt Tripath's revolutionary breakthrough technology by introducing its latest MEX-5DI car audio head unit system with an integrated Class-T TA2041 digital audio amplifier.

The Class-T TA2041 (85% efficiency, 0.02% THD+N) enables car audio manufacturers to develop one of the industry's most powerful 1-DIN car audio head unit which would not be possible to achieve with conventional analog amplifiers. A traditional analog amplifier powering a compact, 1-DIN car audio head unit causes an excess amount of high heat due to its poor efficiency and results in compromised performance. Tripath's patented signal processing is combined with a switching mode approach that considerably lowers heat dissipation while generating high fidelity sound -- suited for compact design applications such as car audio head units.

The new Class-T TA2041 incorporates a 1-bit Delta Sigma analog to digital converter with a sampling frequency 66 MHz, 1500 times higher than a CD sampling rate, with proprietary signal processing algorithms to provide un-compromised fidelity and unequaled power efficiency. The TA2041 delivers four channels of 70 watts into 4 ohms from a 19.5 voltage power supply. This performance comes in a single 32-pin SSIP package. The TA2041 signal to noise ratio of 100dB is capable of better than 0.02%THD+N.

Specifications:
TA2041

   --  4 x 70W into 4 ohms at 19.5V
   --  Better than 0.02% THD+N over wide range of output powers
   --  Signal to noise ration - 100dB
   --  Single supply, 8 - 21V
   --  Efficiency - 85% at 4 x 70W, 4 ohm load
   --  Output short circuit protection
   --  Load dump protection
   --  Single 32-pin SSIP package
   --  Applications - Automotive head units and multimedia speaker
       systems

"This exhibits a major leap in automotive audio amplifiers. The previous ceiling for automotive head units was 4 x 50W, however with our TA2041, we have been able to raise this ceiling to 4 x 70W (total of 280 watts), a 40% increase in power while maintaining superior sound quality," said Dr. Adya Tripathi, Chairman, President and CEO of Tripath. "The car audio head unit market is estimated at over 60 million units a year worldwide. Our Class-T TA2041 has extensive applications in multiple other consumer electronic markets as well. We believe that our best of breed technology will continue to have a powerful impact in the automotive and consumer electronic markets and are pleased to see Sony adopt our latest digital amplifier."

The TA2041 is the latest addition to Tripath's wide range of power (10W - 2000W) digital audio amplifiers. Tripath's highly efficient patented technology allows for substantial performance, size, weight and economical advantages over traditional amplifier technology. Tripath's broad line of Class-T advanced 1-bit digital amplifiers are rapidly gaining market acceptance and are shipping in high volume within high growth consumer electronics categories, such as powered DVD home theater systems, micro-component systems, set-top boxes, personal computers, LCD TVs and flat panel displays and automotive electronics. These tightly integrated Class-T(TM) based designs set a new standard for high power, exceptional sound quality and high efficiency. Selected Industry giants who have chosen Class-T as their digital amplifier technology are Apex Digital, Apple, Blaupunkt, Denon, Fujitsu, JVC, Kenwood, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung Toshiba and Yamaha.

About 1-bit Digital Audio Amplifier

Tripath's 1-bit digital audio amplifiers rely on a fundamentally new approach to amplifier design that uses semiconductor-based amplifiers that provide significant performance, power efficiency, size, weight and cost advantages over traditional amplifier technology. Instead of conventional pulse width modulation, employs multiple signal processing techniques, including adaptive/predicative processing, noise shaping, pre- distortion and delta-sigma modulation.

About Tripath Technology

Based in Santa Clara, California, Tripath Technology is a fabless semiconductor company that focuses on providing highly efficient power amplification to the digital media and electronics markets, DSL markets and RF markets. Tripath has created a patented technology called Digital Power Processing(TM) (DPP), which combines modern advances in digital signal processing and power processing. Tripath's current customers include consumer electronics and computer companies, such as Sony, Aiwa, Panasonic, Denon, Hitachi, Blaupunkt and Apple Computer; as well as DSL communications equipment providers, such as Alcatel, who use Tripath's power efficient line drivers for central office applications. For more information please visit our web site at http://www.tripath.com/.