FREMONT, Calif. --Sept. 20, 1999-- Consumers soon can look forward to a new class of audio/video products -- high-end universal DVD players -- as a result of the latest Crystal® mixed-signal chip innovation from Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS).

The new multi-standard digital-to-analog converter (CS4397) delivers, on a single-chip, the audio quality that in today's high-end DVD players require three separate components. By reducing component count, Cirrus Logic enables "you are there'' sound quality in DVD players at a high-end consumer price point.

Called the "SuperDAC,'' the new Crystal audio DAC delivers high-quality audio output, plus support for the leading rival formats for DVD-based audio, namely: DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD). By eliminating the need to predict the winning audio format, SuperDAC promises to fuel the market growth for high-end SACD players, universal DVD players that support both DVD-Audio and video, and a host of next-generation professional audio systems.

With all the new standards providing backward compatibility with CDs, the new SuperDAC provides an essential component of truly universal DVD systems that can playback the audio from any disc -- CD or DVD.

SuperDAC is the first audio DAC that offers both 120 dB dynamic range performance -- the highest in the industry -- and compatibility with the next generation audio formats: DVD-Audio (24-bit, 192 kHz sampling rate), SACD (Direct Stream Digital Technology). In addition, SuperDAC also supports HDCD-encoded discs by allowing the use of popular external interpolation filters. Now, audiophiles and home theatre consumers can look forward to true ``you are there'' DVD sound quality on SuperDAC-equipped players and receivers.

High-Performance DAC Family

Cirrus Logic today rolled out an additional high-performance DAC family member, the CS4396, which is designed to provide the same high performance as the CS4397, but without support for DSD or HDCD. Taken together, the new Crystal DAC entries provide a safeguard for a market that has yet to adopt an industry standard format.

Since the CS4396 and CS4397 are pin-compatible, manufacturers can introduce several offerings in their product line without having to worry about obsolescence.

"The CS4397 and CS4396 reinforce our overall position as a leading provider of audio chips for a variety of price points,'' said Skip Taylor, vice president of marketing for Cirrus Logic's Crystal Audio Products Division. "We are dedicated to leveraging our audio expertise to extend our market leadership with solutions for rapidly emerging audio requirements.''

Easy Migration to Lucrative High-End Markets

DVD-Audio and SACD currently are engaged in a marketing duel to become the leading audio standard by the turn of the millennium. "With SuperDAC, the standard becomes irrelevant, since our chip supports both formats as well as HDCD,'' noted Fred Valenzuela, director of marketing for Cirrus Logic's Crystal Audio Products. "This means that manufacturers now can migrate into the lucrative high ends of DVD and CD equipment markets and roll out new flagship products without the risk of investing in a standard that could become obsolete.''

"Our development of the first universal SuperDAC enables the emergence of a whole new category of consumer audio products: high-end universal DVD,'' Valenzuela continued. "With SuperDAC, we enable high-end universal DVD systems to provide professional-quality 120 dB performance, which is great news for the entire audio market: manufacturers, recording artists, producers, and consumers.''

Advanced Technologies Maximize Listening Pleasure

Besides today's high-end DVD video players, emerging DVD-Audio players and SACD players, target markets for the CS4397 and CS4396 span a broad spectrum of consumer and professional audio applications.

Characterized by outstanding audio performance at a competitive price point, these applications include professional studio equipment such as mixing consoles, outboard converters, and digital effects processors, in addition to consumer components such as high-end CD players, AV amplifiers and receivers, and outboard D-to-A converter boxes.

Such high value derives in part from the new DACs' unsurpassed dynamic range performance, a key contributor to realistic sound. It also comes from Cirrus Logic's patented expertise in proprietary mixed-signal technologies, including Switched Capacitor techniques, Multi-Bit Delta Sigma Modulator architecture, and Dynamic Element Matching.

Together, these technologies substantially reduce both noise and signal distortion compared with traditional 1-bit DAC designs. They also eliminate the need to incorporate costly and complicated analog chips in DVD or CD players to suppress noise jitter, such as phase-lock loops or voltage controlled oscillators. Consequently, manufacturers can maximize their products' dynamic range performance even as they simplify their designs, reduce costs, and accelerate their time to market.

Pricing and Availability

The Cirrus Logic CS4397 and CS4396 high-performance audio DACs come in 28-pin SOIC packages and are priced at $5.70 and $4.75, respectively, in 10,000 lots. Samples of both parts are available now. Production quantities will be available beginning in December, 1999.

Cirrus Logic, Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog circuits and advanced mixed-signal chip solutions. The company's products, sold under its own name and the Crystal product brand, enable system-level applications in mass storage, audio and precision data conversion. Additional information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com

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Cirrus Logic will demonstrate its new Crystal DACs at the Audio Engineering Society Convention (Booth No. 153), which runs from Sept. 24-27 at Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City.

Note to editors: Cirrus Logic is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Glossary of audio terms

DSD -- Direct Stream Digital 1-bit delta sigma technology used in SACD format.

DVD-Audio -- DVD working group specification for audio.

HDCD -- High Definition Compatible Digital format from Pacific Microsonics.

MLP -- Meridian Lossless Packing, part of DVD-Audio specification.

DSD -- Direct Stream Digital technology.

SACD -- Super Audio CD format from Sony and Philips. Uses DSD technology.

Super CD -- generic term for emerging DVD-based audio formats which enable audio DVDs with much greater capacity and quality than audio CDs.