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AKM restarting production

CedarWind108

Member
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
32
Likes
73
Location
USA
 
Wow, I had no idea that had happened. I own an RME DAC and was recently pricing out a small system for a friend when I discovered that the price for the ADI-2 has gone up by about $350 since I bought mine (right around the time when they silently switched DAC chips). Had attributed it to the prevailing logistics and microchip production problems/shortages, but only just now learned they actually mfg. theirs in Japan. Hopefully they get back up and running quickly.
 
Heh. At the time of the fire, I predicted that it could easily be a year before they're back up. And here we are. It really is about time... if you have looked at parts distributors lately you will have noticed how many Cirrus Logic parts are listed with lead times of half a year, a full year, or even more. The market for mainstream audio converters is pretty screwed-up.

AKM's table of DAC products is currently looking like this:

Lineup​


































Part Number
Part
Status
Number
of
Channels
Analog
Output
Type
Bits
[bit]
THD+N
[dB]
S/N
[dB]
Power Supply
Voltage (MIN.)
[V]
Power Supply
Voltage (TYP.)
[V]
Power Supply
Voltage (MAX.)
[V]
2Vrms
Line
Driver
Headphone
Amplifier
Other
Operating
Temperature
[℃]
Device
Package
Number
of Pins
AK4191EQ
Preview
2
-
64
-153
153



3.3 / 1.2







VELVETSOUND, DDC
-40 to 85
HTQFP
64
AK4331ECB
MP
2
Single
32
-100
109
1.7
1.8
1.9



Yes
SRC , VELVETSOUND
-40 to 85
WLCSP
36
AK4332ECB
MP
1
Single
32
-101
109
1.7
1.8
1.9



Yes
VELVETSOUND
-40 to 85
WLCSP
30
AK4377AECB
MP
2
Single
32
-107
125
1.7
1.8
1.9



Yes
VELVETSOUND
-40 to 85
WLCSP
36
AK4377ECB
MP
2
Single
32
-109
128
1.7
1.8
1.9



Yes
VELVETSOUND
-40 to 85
WLCSP
36
AK4432VT
MP
2
Single
32
-91
108
3.0
3.3
3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
TSSOP
16
AK4436VN
MP
6
Single
32
-91
108
3.0
3.3
3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HWQFN
32
AK4438VN
MP
8
Single
32
-91
108
3.0
3.3
3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HWQFN
32
AK4452VN
Preview
2
Differential
32
-107
115 / 111
3.3 / 3.3
5.0 / 3.3
5.5 / 3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HWQFN
32
AK4454VN
Preview
4
Differential
32
-107
115 / 111
3.0 / 3.0
5.0 / 3.3
5.5 / 3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HWQFN
32
AK4456VN
Preview
6
Differential
32
-107
115 / 111
3.0 / 3.0
5.0 / 3.3
5.5 / 3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HVQFN
48
AK4458VN
Preview
8
Differential
32
-107
115 / 111
3.0 / 3.0
5.0 / 3.3
5.5 / 3.6




VELVETSOUND, Automotive grade
-40 to 105
HVQFN
48
AK4490REQ
Preview
2
Differential
32
-112
120 (123*)
4.75 / 3.0 / 1.7
5.0 / 3.3 / 1.8
5.25 / 3.6 / 1.98




VELVETSOUND
AK4493SEQ
Preview
2
Differential
32
-113
123 (126*)
4.75 / 3.0 / 1.7
5.0 / 3.3 / 1.8
5.25 / 3.6 / 1.98




VELVETSOUND



LQFP
48
[Notes] * Monaural Mode
Looks like no flagship parts any time soon, but their mainstream AK4490, AK4493 and multichannel AK445x should reappear at least.
 
Good news indeed.
 
Heh. At the time of the fire, I predicted that it could easily be a year before they're back up. And here we are. It really is about time... if you have looked at parts distributors lately you will have noticed how many Cirrus Logic parts are listed with lead times of half a year, a full year, or even more. The market for mainstream audio converters is pretty screwed-up.

AKM's table of DAC products is currently looking like this:


Looks like no flagship parts any time soon, but their mainstream AK4490, AK4493 and multichannel AK445x should reappear at least.

The flagship chips are scheduled to be announced at the end of January: "Gaku Suzuki also confirmed to audioXpress that by the end of January, AKM is planning to release a new product related to high-end audio ICs."
 
This is excellent news. I need a new DAC for my headphone station and refuse to have ESS Sabre. As soon as Topping start selling the D90 with AKM again I'll buy one immediately.
 
I wonder how many manufacturers will switch back to AKM. There will be some serious market share lost even when resuming production...
 
I wonder how many manufacturers will switch back to AKM. There will be some serious market share lost even when resuming production...

I suspect that everyone that used them before will use them again. ESS can't hold a candle to AKM IMHO.
 
I get only errors from those links:
The page isn’t redirecting properly
There’s a thread that discusses this. You can do a forum search on ‘redirection’ to find it if you can’t follow this link either. Hope this helps.
 
It is interesting that their best DAC's are now getting into the 130's (135db) in Signal to noise... but that their best ADC's can still only achieve low 120's SN (and low 110's for THD+N - vs 124db on DAC)

There hasn't been much movement in the ADC space for years.... I guess once you reach a level of performance that is more than sufficient for most people, further progress is limited!
 
There is NO human who can hear -120dB and beyond... on this planet at least.

In other words... yes! Totally pointless after that.
 
Looks like Topping has moved back to AKM for the E30 series:
 
Is that an existing chip? Not familiar with it.
 

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