News

Zetex and NAD Electronics Unveil Collaboration in the Development of High-Performance Digital Audio Amplifiers (31/5/2007)

NAD Electronics and Zetex Semiconductors have announced the joint development of high-performance digital amplifiers incorporating Zetex Class Z direct digital feedback amplifier (DDFATM) technology, a unique performance-optimised digital amplifier architecture.

NAD is a brand known for delivering audio products with outstanding performance and value for money. The intelligent deployment of new technology is a cornerstone of the NAD philosophy, but the overriding principle is that "it must bring a performance advantage". Of digital amplifier technology itself, NAD has set a high barrier for acceptance; the audio performance must match or exceed that of the best linear amplifiers to be considered. The only solution to pass this test is the Zetex DDFA technology. Greg Stidsen, NAD's Director of Product Development explained, "The high efficiency of Class D is well known and advantageous, but this alone does not qualify it for inclusion in a NAD product. With the Zetex technology we get the efficiency, but more importantly, the no-compromise audio performance our customers expect." The Zetex prime objective for DDFA products is to provide the semiconductor technology to enable its customers to manufacture products of the highest possible audio quality. Realizing the potential of the digital amplifier concept, where the whole amplifier process is performed in the digital domain, delivers fundamental advantages over conventional approaches. Abolishing digital to analogue conversions and implementing control functions in the digital domain brings performance to a new level.

"Zetex is proud to partner NAD in such an ambitious development" said Dr. Franz Riedlberger, Chief Technology Officer of Zetex, "Combining the technologies of Zetex and NAD will deliver an outstanding and highly specified product. All the previous drawbacks of digital amplifiers are simply removed by use of digital feedback; power supply noise and output stage distortion are rejected and output impedance is very low. The result is the lowest available distortion and noise coupled with outstanding linearity, leading to a detailed and natural sound."

Greg Stidsen of NAD further commented, "The first product to include our new Digital Amp technology will be a Masters Series model that we believe will set a new benchmark for amplifier performance. This will be the first product in the world to use Zetex's patented Direct Digital Feedback circuit, and will debut new NAD proprietary features as well; Digital PowerDrive and Digital Soft Clipping. This product is now under development with production expected in early 2008. More details will be forthcoming as we approach the date of introduction. "

www.nadelectronics.com