ESS Technology SABRE® Digital-to-Analog Converters

ESS Technology SABRE® Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) are highly-integrated, 32-bit, and 24-bit audio solutions targeted for premium home theater equipment, professional audio workstations, and studio equipment. Each SABRE DAC comes with multiple preset reconstruction filters built-in, as well as allowing for fully customizable settings that can be tuned by a system manufacturer to match the specific needs of a particular design. The reconstruction filter is a critical part of refining the sound of a system that depends on listening taste, program material, and equipment set-up.

DAC Types

SABRE PRO Audiophile DACs are based on 32-bit HyperStreamDAC technology, delivering a dynamic range (DNR) from 124dB to 140dB, with -110dB to -124dB total harmonic distortion plus noise (TH+N). These devices include eight preset filters, full-scale auto-gain calibration, programmable volume ramp rate, total harmonic distortion (THD) compensation, programmable soft-start time, improved DPLL lock range, additional programmable GPIOs, DSD over PCM (DoP) input capability, and clock gearing to reduce core clock frequency.

SABRE 8-Channel DACs include 32-bit and 24-bit audio D/A converter solutions targeted for consumer applications, such as audio pre-amplifiers and A/V receivers and professional applications, including recording systems, mixing consoles, and digital audio workstations. These devices offer outstanding performance courtesy of ESS’s patented 32-bit HyperStream architecture and deliver an exceptional DNR of up to 135dB and THD+N of -120dB.

SABRE 2-Channel DACs provide audiophile-quality sound to stereo devices. These devices are optimized for stereo operation with ultra-low power consumption making them ideal for a wide range of equipment. These solutions easily support the industry’s most popular high-resolution and lossless audio formats, including MQA, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, and WAV, as well as compressed legacy formats.

SABRE Low-Power DACs combine high performance with ultra-low power consumption, making them ideal for products such as high-resolution digital music players. SABRE Headphone SoCs combine the DAC with a headphone amplifier, allowing for small, low-power, cost-effective systems that simplify design without sacrificing audio quality.