ESS and Ayre Acoustics Deliver Audio Ecstasy

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, today announced that its flagship SABRE ES9038PRO Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) will be featured in the Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty digital hub being introduced at the Munich High End show for consumer audiophiles. This new cutting edge digital hub leverages the unmatched performance and sound quality of the ES9038PRO to extend Ayre’s decades-long record of groundbreaking innovation in audio systems design.

“ESS always improves on previous products and the ESS SABRE ES9038PRO breaks all the old benchmarks – both qualitatively and quantitatively. It has unmatched technical specifications and more importantly the sound is spectacular,” said Dan Christman, Chief Marketing Officer of ESS Technology. “It was natural for us to collaborate with Ayre, a company revered by both audiophiles and musicians for superb audio quality. The Ayre QX-5 Twenty extends the audiophile excellence that ESS and Ayre have built together over the past decade.”

“When Ayre introduces a new platform, we source the best components and ESS is always at the top of the list. The design of our QX-5 Twenty digital hub was meticulously crafted to deliver an astonishing level of detail and purity,” said Charles Hansen, CEO and Founder of Ayre Acoustics. “The collaboration with ESS allows Ayre to deliver all of the music’s emotional power regardless of the file format.”

About the SABRE ES9038PRO DAC

The flagship ES9038PRO SABRE DAC sets a new benchmark for audio excellence with the industry’s highest dynamic range (DNR), in a 32-bit, 8-channel DAC. The ES9038PRO was designed for premium audio equipment and for serious audiophiles it provides the most immersive listening experience — bringing music to life. It features ESS’ patented 32-bit HyperStream technology with-122dB total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N). The HyperStream architecture is responsible for both the outstanding sound quality of the ES9038 and the extremely low THD+N.

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.

ABOUT: Ayre Acoustics

Ayre Acoustics, Inc. has been steadily developing a full array of new audio and video technologies since

1993. Pioneering the use of zero-feedback real-time amplification, built on a foundation of the highest performance power supplies, and maximizing the circuit’s performance capabilities through the use of fully-balanced, differential circuits from input to output, Ayre’s designs have continually won countless awards for decades. All Ayre products are designed and built by hand in Boulder, Colorado, using only components from the highest quality supply partners in North America, Japan, and Europe.

SABRE Based Products Claim 15 Top Gold Award VGP Designations

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, today announced that 37 products incorporating SABRE technology have received Visual Grand Prix (VGP) award designations in the VGP product buying guide compiled by Phile-Web of Ongen Publishing in Japan. Of those 37 products 15 were awarded the top Gold Award designation in their respective product categories. Founded in 1987, these awards were created to recognize audio-visual excellence for home entertainment products. The VGP designation is a highly regarded technical achievement in Japan and considered an influential resource for consumer purchasing decisions.

“It’s an honor for ESS to share these awards with our customers and we feel particularly privileged to have so many Gold Award VGP designations with some of the most respected names in consumer electronics,” said Robert Blair, ESS’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re pleased that SABRE HiFi audio is appreciated in Japan and want to recognize the hard work of all our employees who create outstanding technology and help our customers bring it to consumers.”

SABRE based products were awarded the top designation of Gold Award VGP in the following categories:

Other SABRE based VGP award winners include:

About the VGP Awards
The VGP awards were launched to help consumers make informed buying decisions for home entertainment products primarily involving sound and images. The selections function as guidelines to help select superior products. Retailers and manufacturers highly value the VGP designation and consider it to be proof of superior performance, technology and design. Winning products are selected through a voting process including leading Japanese consumer electronics retailers and a panel of eight judges recognized as audiovisual experts. For a complete list of the VGP winners visit http://www.visualgrandprix.com/vgp2016/.

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.

New Xplay 5 Elite Smartphone Features Twin ES9028 SABRE HiFi DAC Design to Power Vivo HiFi 3.0

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, today announced the Company’s ES9028 SABRE HiFi Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), implemented in a revolutionary twin DAC format, has been selected for Vivo’s new flagship smartphone – the Xplay 5 Elite. Vivo selected twin ES9028 SABRE DACs to power its HiFi 3.0 capabilities because of the ES9028’s superior dynamic range and award winning performance.  Raising the bar for HiFi audio design in smartphones, the Xplay 5 Elite uses two separate ES9028 DACs  – one DAC driving the left audio output and one driving the right audio output. This first in smartphone architecture follows the multi-DAC, multi-channel capabilities previously only available in high-end audiophile, component systems.

“The Vivo Xplay 5 Elite was designed to provide a true high-end audiophile experience on a smartphone, therefore we looked to the industry leader in audio. ESS SABRE DACs are renowned for consistently delivering a dramatically better listening experience and the SABRE name is synonymous with HiFi audio,” said Mr. Feng Lei, CMO and Vice President Worldwide for Vivo. “It was natural for us to extend our successful relationship with ESS by selecting twin ES9028 SABRE HiFi DACs for the Xplay 5 Elite.”

“It’s an honor to partner with Vivo – working together to grow awareness and adoption of HiFi audio on smartphones. Vivo has been extremely successful in evangelizing high-quality audio and bringing to market innovative smartphones that deliver an uncompromised audiophile experience,” said Dan Christman, ESS’s Chief Marketing Officer. “The twin DAC implementation in the Xplay 5 Elite is an brilliant example of Vivo’s ability to advance the mobile HiFi Audio experience and we look forward to extending our collaboration even further.”

About the ES9028 SABRE DAC
The ES9028 SABRE DAC is a high-performance 32-bit digital to analog converter and uses ESS’s patented 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. It is the first SABRE DAC to use ESS’s new internal dual-DAC architecture to further enhance performance.  It also delivers an unprecedented dynamic range (DNR) of up to 129dB and total harmonic distortion plus noise of -120dB (THD+N) – a technical performance level that will satisfy the most demanding audio enthusiasts while still delivering the superb sound experience SABRE products are known for.

About the Vivo Xplay 5 Elite
The Vivo Xplay 5 Elite is the first smartphone to implement a twin DAC architecture. It incorporates an unprecedented 6GB of RAM and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. The front of the phone is a dual-curved 5.43-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and it also features 128GB of internal storage. For image capture, it has a back facing 16MP Sony camera sensor with phase detection autofocus and a dual-tone LED flash. The Xplay 5 Elite also features a fingerprint sensor, 8MP front facing camera and a 3600mAH battery. The Vivo Xplay 5 Elite will be available on March 8^th in China through Vivo’s ecommerce channels Tmall.com and JD.com.

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.

SABRE HiFi DAC and Headphone Amplifier Selected for Innovative LG HiFi Plus Friend Module 

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, today announced that its award-winning SABRE Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) and Headphone Amplifier technology have been selected for the LG G5 HiFi Plus module introduced at Mobile World Congress 2016. The ES9028 SABRE DAC and SABRE9602 Headphone Amplifier were selected to provide a superior HiFi audio experience courtesy of ESS’s superior sound quality and industry leading dynamic range. ESS’s audiophile technology easily supports the industry’s most popular high resolution and lossless audio formats including FLAC, ALAC, AIFF and WAV.

“It’s an honor for ESS to extend our collaboration with LG with this groundbreaking approach to smartphone features and design,” said Dan Christman, ESS’s Chief Marketing Officer. “This sleek modular approach will give consumers the opportunity to access top-notch audio while still appealing to photographers, gaming enthusiasts and more. With the G5, LG has succeeded in challenging the status quo in the high-end smartphone market.”

The LG G5 and its companion “friend” modules were recently announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and have already received numerous awards for innovative designs and features including the Top Tech of MWC Award in the audio category from Digital Trends. The innovative modular design gives the LG G5 the ability to transform into a digital camera, HiFi player, and more while keeping its traditional removable battery in a full metal uni-body design.

The technology inside the LG HiFi Plus module was carefully created to provide an innovative portable HiFi DAC audio player that meets the needs of consumers wanting audiophile grade performance that has traditionally only been available through large, expensive component devices. The LG HiFi Plus supports 32-bit, 384KHz high definition audio playback and can be used either as a module with the LG G5 or as a separate HiFi DAC by connecting to any smartphone or PC. 

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.

ES9218P SABRE DAC SoC from ESS Technology Selected as Headline feature for LG G6 in Regional Markets

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, today announced that it is pleased to be a part of LG’s expanded offering of premium smartphones with audiophile sound quality. The recently announced LG G6 will feature Audiophile sound quality as one of the headline features and the heart of that system is the new ES9218P SABRE DAC SoC.

The ES9218P refines the revolutionary features provided in the previous generation that drives the LG Flagship V20. Like its predecessor, the ES9018P is a System-On-Chip (SOC) that integrates 32-bit stereo Quad-DACs, high-power headphone amplifiers, ultra-low noise DAC references and output switches that save both space and cost. Additionally, it brings the key audiophile features to the mobile environment;

HyperStream II – ESS’s patented 32-bit HyperStream II architecture was introduced in the company’s new SABRE PRO DAC series, including the ES9038PRO at CES 2016 and delivers previously unheard of sound stage and clarity.

Analog Volume Control (AVC) – Analog Volume Control delivers 130dB SNR at low listening levels by reducing noise as the audio signal decreases.

Quad DAC – Internally-connected parallel quad DACs deliver superb 124dB DNR and -112dB THD+N.

2Vrms Headphone Amplifiers – True 2vrms outputs are capable of driving professional high impedance headphones and deliver professional line-level outputs.

The newer part improves channel separation for low-impedance headphones as well as refining the superior performance of the preceding parts.

“LG has been able to bring a true audiophile headphone system to the market” said Shawn Scarlett, ESS’s Marketing Director. “The LG G6, when paired with a high-end headset, can give a listening experience that is equal to many dedicated audio players that are much larger and more expensive. There is no longer a need to sacrifice quality for mobility.”

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.

New ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC Integrates the Complete Audio Path All the Way to the Headphones

For a True High Resolution Audiophile Experience

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, a leader in audio and analog design, today introduced the highest performing audio subsystem available for smartphones and other mobile applications. The ES9118 SABRE HiFi System-On-Chip (SoC), with integrated DAC, headphone amplifier and output switch, leverages the company’s patented 32-bit Hyperstream architecture to deliver up to 126dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and -113dB Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N) of audiophile quality audio all the way to the headphones.

These unprecedented 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. The first public demonstration of the ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 22-24 in the ESS space in Hall 2, meeting room 2C6 in the Fira Gran Via.

“Recent studies have shown that upwards 67% of people accessing music are doing it from their smartphone, with at least 38% listening through headphones and 43% saying the highest quality sound format is important[1],” said Dan Christman, Chief Marketing Officer for ESS. “With the phone becoming the primary music source, smartphone manufacturers need to address the increasing demand for higher quality audio. That is exactly the challenge we are solving with the ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC.”

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.

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 126dB SNR and –113dB 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 384kHz PCM and DSD256 data in master or slave timing modes.  A fully programmable FIR filter with eight 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.

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.

[1] According to a Music Watch Inc. recent study on the potential for high resolution music.

New Xplay 6 Smartphone is first to feature next generation of SABRE DACs and sets a new standard in Smartphone audio quality.

Milpitas, California – ESS Technology, the industry leader in HiFi audio and analog design, announced that the Company’s ES9038Q2M SABRE Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), will be used in Vivo’s new Flagship Smartphone. Building on the success of last year’s Xplay 5, the new Xplay6 will feature the cutting-edge DAC from ESS’s line of SABRE Digital-to-Analog converters.

“The Vivo Xplay 6 continues the line of true audiophile phones from Vivo. This is a no-compromise approach to making a mobile audio player with incredible sound quality” said Shawn Scarlett, Marketing Director for ESS. He continued “Working with Vivo is a great experience, they understand that users care about sound quality, and they are willing to put the work in that is needed to make a product sound great.”

About the ES9028 SABRE DAC

The ES9038Q2M SABRE DAC is a high-performance 32-bit digital to analog converter and uses the new patented 32-bit HyperStream II architecture previously only available in the PRO series of DACs. HyperStream II allows for the incredibly low noise that remains stable over all input levels, avoiding the noise modulation that can become perceptible in competing solutions. It also delivers a dynamic range (DNR) of up to 129dB and total harmonic distortion plus noise of -120dB (THD+N) – a performance level that will satisfy the most demanding audio enthusiasts.

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.

Flagship ES9038PRO SABRE DAC Brings Music to Life for Audiophile and Professional Products 

CES 2016 – Las Vegas, NV – ESS Technology today announced its new professional series of Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) targeted at premium audiophile and recording studio equipment. The flagship offering for this professional series is the ES9038PRO SABRE DAC.  This first member of the ESS PRO SABRE series sets a new benchmark in high-end audio by offering the industry’s highest dynamic range (DNR) of 140dB.  The ES9038PRO also offers impressively low total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) at -122dB in a 32-bit, 8-channel DAC.

“The immersive nature and quality of the audio experience that listeners value is a direct result of how well the digital source material is converted to the analog sound that human ears understand,” said Dan Christman, ESS’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Our audiophile and professional customers are constantly driving us to push the technical envelope to deliver better performance and enhance the listening experience. We are very pleased to announce that our new PRO series, with the flagship SABRE ES9038PRO, takes that experience to a new level, both for the home and professional studio environments.”

Technical Specifications

The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC features ESS’s patented 32-bit HyperStreamDAC technology. The HyperStream architecture is responsible for both the outstanding sound quality of ESS PRO SABRE DACs and the extremely low THD+N. Other 32-Bit 8-Channel DACs, using typical delta-sigma architecture, feature –107 dB THD+N (0.0004%), which when subjected to individual listening tests do not equal the clarity and sound stage of the ES9038PRO. This new flagship SABRE DAC was created to integrate seamlessly with both the existing and future portfolio of ESS headphone amplifiers as well as other audio building block technology.

Designed to Recognize and Realize the Artistic Vision

The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC was designed for premium home theater equipment including Blu-ray players, preamplifiers, all-in-one A/V receivers, and more. For serious audiophiles it provides the most immersive listening experience – bringing music to life. Studio environments can also leverage the ES9038PRO SABRE DAC’s industry-leading performance for professional audio workstations and other equipment. The PRO series enables studio professionals to recreate popular signature sound styles, using external DSP and specialized software packages, while remaining true to the artists’ musical vision.

The Complete SABRE PRO Series of DACs

In addition to the SABRE ES9038PRO, ESS is also announcing other members of the PRO series – the ES9028PRO and ES9026PRO SABRE DACs. These 32-bit, 8-channel PRO series DACs are designed for the audiophile/enthusiast who demands the high quality and performance of a SABRE DAC at a more economical price point. The ES9028PRO and ES9026PRO are pin-compatible upgrades for previous generation ESS products—the ES9018S and ES9016S – and feature 129 dB and 124 dB dynamic range (DNR), and -120 dB and -110 dB total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N).

Product briefs with further technical details and block diagrams are available here.

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 www.esstech.com.