NXP's long experience in consumer electronics has provided it with an enormous amount of knowledge about
Class-D amplifiers. This consumer experience is complemented by a similarly long history in automotive
electronics, particularly car radios. In their article
‘
The car audio challenge’,
Michael Kaufmann and Kees van der Wolf consider the amplifier design problems of big sound systems in
the car and how Class-D and Class AB systems can address it.
Automotive audio power requirements are certain to increase. There are two primary ways to meet those needs. The conventional approach is to add more channels driven by standard audio amplifiers, but it is becoming complex and increasingly untenable as a complete solution because of the sheer number of channels. Another approach is to raise power outputs and using a single amplifier to drive two or three speakers while still producing high performance audio.
In the article, the authors explain some of pros and cons of both Class AB and Class-D amplifiers and how they can both meet today's performance demands, concluding that Class-D amplifiers will increasingly expand out from their niche in low-power systems.
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