ess_ES9118_brief_040516.pdf

INTRODUCING THE ES9118 SABRE HIFI SOC
Revolutionizing Smartphone Audio
Widely recognized as the gold standard in Audio Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC)
technology, ESS Technology has introduced the ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC to deliver
unprecedented audiophile grade experiences to the smartphone market. The ES9118
is the highest performing audio subsystem available for smartphones and other mobile
applications.
This new class of HiFi System-On-Chip (SoC) integrates ESS’s award-winning DAC technology,
headphone amplifier and output switch. It leverages the company’s patented 32-bit
HyperStream architecture to deliver up to 126 dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and -113 dB Total
Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N) of audiophile quality sound all the way to the headphones.
Functional Block Diagram
ES9118
INB_L, INB_R
DATA2, DATA1,
DATA_CLK
Oversample
Filter
VOL, MUTE
I2S/DSD
Core Voltage
SDA/SCL, ADDR,
GPIO2, GPIO1
RESETB
I2C/GPIO
RESET
TEST
RT1
AVDD
GND_SN
Analog Trim
OSC
XIN/
MCLK
AVCC
LN REF
XOUT VCCA
VREF AVCC_
DAC
HPA/VC Charge Pump
PNEG
_VC
C1_ C2_
VC VC
OUT_L
SABRE HPA
System Clock
DVDD
LDO
DVDD
SABRE
HiFi DAC
ASRC
IN_L, IN_R
C1
C2
AVCC PNEG AVCC
_CP
_HP
OUT_R
SABRE
Switch
AUX_L
AUX_R
SW_
REF
Bringing Music to Life on Smartphones and Mobile Devices
These new performance levels for mobile devices makes the highly integrated ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC the perfect choice for true
audiophile experiences that were previously only available with large, expensive home theater components.
With upwards of 67% of people accessing music through their smartphones, and 38% listening through headphones – 43% of
consumers say the highest quality sound format is an important factor in making purchasing decisions. Smartphone manufacturers
need to address the increasing demand for higher quality audio – exactly the challenge solved by the ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC.
ESS Technology –Bringing Music to Life
ES9118 Product Brief
Optimized for Smartphones – Comprehensive Format Support
The ES9118 supports the industry’s most popular high resolution and lossless audio formats including FLAC, ALAC, AIFF and WAV. It
also completely supports compressed legacy formats so the consumer is assured that they will have the best listening experience
possible. By integrating SABRE building blocks including the DAC, headphone amplifier, feedback resistors, output switch and
low-noise DAC reference into a single package, the ES9118 also reduces the amount of board space used by the audio subsystem
enabling ever-shrinking, slimmer phone formats demanded by today’s consumers.
Further Technical Specifications
The ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC is a 32-bit, 2-channel audio digital to analog converter integrated with headphone amplifier and output
switch designed for audiophile-grade applications in an easy-to-use 40-CSP or 40-QFN package, delivering up to 126 dB SNR and
-113 dB THD+N using the ESS patented 32-bit HyperStream® DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. The ES9118’s
integrated DAC supports up to 32-bit 384 kHz PCM and DSD256 data in master or slave timing modes.
A fully programmable FIR filter with seven presets provides a customizable sound signature and the ES9118’s integrated headphone
amp supports up to 1.1Vrms output with analog volume control to reduce output noise at real-life listening levels. The patented,
integrated output switch allows non-HiFi sources, such as speech, to bypass the ES9118 to minimize power consumption. Residual
distortion from suboptimal PCB components and layout can be minimized using ES9118’s unique THD compensation circuit, while
PCB footprint and bill-of-materials are minimized by the integrated feedback resistors and low-noise DAC reference LDO.
Additional Features and Benefits
Feature
Benefit
Patented 32-bit HyperStream architecture
Enables an integrated SOC featuring the highest performance
32-bit mobile audio DAC with headphone amplifier
Patented Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
Unmatched audio clarity free from input clock jitter
64-bit accumulator & 32-bit processing
Distortion free signal processing
Versatile digital input
Supports master/slave PCM (I2S, LJ 16-32-bit) or DSD
Customizable filter characteristics
Seven preset filters with a user-programmable filter for custom
sound signature
Output switch for auxiliary source
Voice mode bypass with negligible power consumption
Integrated low-noise AVCC LDO
Eliminate external LDO and reduces PCB size
Adjustable analog gain with integrated HPA
feedback resistors
Reduce noise at real-life listening levels
Eliminates external thin film resistors and reduces PCB size
THD Compensation
Minimizes distortion from external PCB components and layout
Package options : 40-CSP or 40-QFN
Minimizes PCB footprint
Less than 65 mW quiescent power and less than
1 mW standby power
Maximizes battery life
1.8/3.3V Digital Supply
1.8/3.3V DAC Analog Supply
1.8V HPA Supply
Support 1.8/3.3V logic levels
Customizable DAC analog performance
Minimize HPA power consumption
About ESS Technology
For more than three decades ESS Technology has been on the cutting edge of audio technology. A privately held fabless semiconductor company,
ESS Technology designs and markets high-performance analog and HiFi audio devices for mobile, consumer, automotive, and professional audiophile
systems. The company was founded in 1984 and today ESS Technology is best known for its SABRE series of high-performance audio products.
For more information visit http://www.esstech.com.
237 South Hillview Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035 USA | phone: (408) 643-8800 | fax: (408) 643-8801
Copyright © 2016 ESS Technology. All Rights Reserved.