FREMONT, Calif. -- Nov. 23, 1998 -- Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) today announced that it has licensed Central Research Labs' (CRL), Sensaura® 3D positional audio technology for use in its Crystal® PC audio products. The Sensaura technology will allow the Crystal audio products to provide exceptional 3D positional audio from just two speakers.

"Today's hot new PC games are being designed to take advantage of the immersive and realistic sound reproduction that can be generated from two standard speakers or headphones, using 3D positional sound," said Scott McDonald, VP and general manager of Cirrus Logic's Crystal Audio Products. "We chose CRL's 3D positional sound technology because of its extensive game developer support and superior audio quality. We plan to be shipping our PCI audio devices with this technology by next quarter."

Originally developed for the music industry, and used by many recording artists including the late Frank Sinatra, Sensaura has been continually refined to provide very lifelike 3D audio effects. Such audio realism dramatically enhances the PC multimedia experience, whether for video and audio playback or for an exciting PC game. According to Mercury Research, Sensaura technology has been licensed by audio chip vendors who currently supply about 70% of the PC audio chip market. Games developer support includes over 130 games released or currently in development, including "Incoming" from Rage Software, "Jedi Knight" from Lucas Arts, "Unreal" from Epic MegaGames, "Need for Speed 3" from Electronic Arts and "Plane Crazy" from SegaSoft. Sensaura also supports the Microsoft DirectSound3D open standard.

About CRL & Sensaura

A pioneer in the audio industry, CRL can be credited with inventing stereo sound recording in the 1930s, starting with the foundational research and patent filing of CRL scientist Alan Blumlein on the fundamental principles of modern stereophonic recording (patent GB 394,325; 1931). Formerly the Central Research Labs of EMI Music, and now part of Scipher plc, CRL's 60-year legacy of "world firsts" includes breakthrough work in commercial public broadcast television and the CAT body-scanner, which won the Nobel prize for its inventor. Continuing this stream of innovation, CRL has subsequently developed Sensaura Technology into the definitive standard for 3D audio throughout the 1990s, transforming stereo into a truly three-dimensional listening experience. Sensaura Technology has been patented by CRL, and forms part of the Sensaura portfolio of intellectual property, with 35 world-wide patent filings to date.

About Cirrus Logic

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of precision linear circuits and advanced mixed-signal chip solutions, the latter of which demand high-performance mixed-signal processing, embedded DSP, algorithms and firmware. The company's products, sold under its own name and the Crystal product brand, enable high-volume applications in mass storage, communications, consumer electronics and industrial markets.

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Note to editors: Cirrus Logic and Crystal are registered trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.