EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Rectifier, IR® (NYSE:IRF - News), a world leader in power management technology, today announced its innovative Class D audio chipset has won a Product of the Year Award from EN-Genius Network, formerly known as analogZONE.

The chipset, comprised of the IRS2092 integrated audio driver IC and IR’s line of audio MOSFETs, targets Class D audio amplifier designs from 50 to 500W, offering a flexible “building block” approach complete with protection, deadtime, and PWM modulator which can scale easily to address changing design needs by simply replacing MOSFETs.

Editor-in-Chief Paul McGoldrick said, “By scaling supply rails and output MOSFETs a range of solutions can provide up to 500W output power. The scaling allows a vendor to solve multiple solutions with a single MOSFET driver to be kept in inventory. That flexibility, the performance and care over protection make this product a success story.”

“We’re honored to receive this award,” said David Tam, vice president of International Rectifier’s Energy-Saving Products group. “Our latest Class D audio chipset eliminates much of the learning curve in power stage design so that audio designers can concentrate on other differentiating features,” he added.

The chipset forms a Class D audio solution that is much smaller than a comparable Class AB design. In a 100W application, for example, the IRS2092 IC and IRF6645 DirectFET® MOSFETs reduce board size by 60% and eliminate 20% of the parts from the typical bill of materials.

Based upon a half bridge topology, the new audio driver IC integrates four essential functions for Class D design implementation including error amplifier, PWM comparator, gate driver, and robust protection circuitry. As a result, this compact 16-pin IC offers high noise immunity and reduced start and stop click noise, while greatly reducing some of the most complicated and costly design tasks such as overload protection. Key IRS2092 features include an analog PWM modulator with frequency up to 800 kHz, programmable bidirectional over-current protection (OCP) with self-reset control, under-voltage lockout protection (UVLO), and programmable preset deadtime for a scalable power design.

The IC may be paired with an extensive range of digital audio MOSFETs addressing output power from 50W to 500W. A two-channel reference design, featuring the new IC with a pair of IRF6645 DirectFET MOSFETs is also available, demonstrating an efficiency of 96% at 120W in the MOSFET stage, and a THD+N of 0.005% at 1 kHz, 60W, four ohms.

Founded in 2001 as analogZONE, the expanded site that is EN-Genius Network is the premier source for electronic design engineers working in the fields of power management, audio/video, acquisition, connectivity, networking, wireless applications, DSP, programmable logic, and green engineering. Product of the Year recipients are chosen by the editors on the basis of strong technical merit, design innovation and marketability.

International Rectifier’s Class D Audio IC Wins Electronic Product's Magazine Product of the Year Award (January 3, 2008)