Wolfson DAC and Speaker Amp selected for Adaptive Sound Technologies’ Ecotones Duet Sleep Sound Machine

Wolfson Microelectronics today announced that Adaptive Sound Technologies, Inc. (ASTI) has integrated the WM9081, a single chip mono DAC and speaker amplifier, into its innovative new Ecotones Duet, a sound machine designed to aid millions of people worldwide who suffer from sleep-related problems.

The WM9081, part of the successful Wolfson AudioPlus™ device family, is a highly integrated, single chip solution delivering optimum sound pressure levels and maximum intelligibility from speakers in portable navigation devices, mobile handsets, digital radios, and devices such as the Ecotones Duet. Compared to typical two-chip solutions, which use a DAC chip and a separate class D amplifier chip, the WM9081 consumes approximately 30% less PCB area and consumer electronics manufacturers can expect savings of up to 20% on the audio sub-system bill of materials cost (BOM).

“ASTI’s mission is to deliver the highest quality sound machines for sleep and relaxation, at an affordable price point. We are doing our job to make Ecotones products accessible to the millions of people suffering from sleep disorders,” said Sam Nicolino, ASTI founder and CEO. “We chose Wolfson because of their proven price-performance leadership in highly integrated, extremely high-quality audio devices, plus their terrific customer support, configuration tools, and attention to our requirements.”

Compatible with leading application processors, the WM9081 benefits from an integrated high efficiency 2.6W switchable class AB/D speaker amplifier, dynamic range controller and ReTune™ Mobile 5 band Parametric Equaliser with fully programmable coefficients. ReTune™ Mobile can be used to configure various equaliser profiles (e.g. rock, pop, jazz etc.) and can also be used to compensate the frequency response of electro-dynamic speakers.

Programmable dynamic range control is integrated into the WM9081 to help boost low-level signals to maximise volume for improved intelligibility. A limiter is also featured to prevent audio signal clipping and distortion, which in some systems can overload the battery and potentially damage the speakers.

David Brown, Audio Amplifiers Product Line Manager for Wolfson Microelectronics said: “We are delighted that ASTI has selected the WM9081 single-chip solution for its new Ecotones Duet sound machine. Our inclusion is a great endorsement of the outstanding quality of our audio technology.The single chip WM9081 not only enables OEMs to make significant savings on PCB space and BOM cost, but achieves a dramatically improved user experience by maximising the performance, intelligibility and noise immunity of speakers.”
The WM9081 supports four control interface addresses and four-channel TDM to allow multiple devices to be configured and driven independently. Controlling the device is done via a standard 2-wire, 3-wire, or 4-wire control interface or by hardware control pins.

The Ecotones Duet has been designed specifically to help people sleep by playing a dynamically changing mix of high-quality, natural recordings of relaxing sounds. The built-in real-time composition engine continually listens for intrusive noises, and the resulting sound and volume of the device are automatically adjusted to offer superior sound masking capabilities. As intrusive noises subside, the sound output gradually returns to normal levels. The soothing natural sounds minimise disruptions that interrupt sleep. The Ecotones Duet has been acoustically engineered for the highest possible sound quality and precision to improve the consumer's sleep experience.