Nuvoton – NAU83G60 Smart Amp with Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS)
Nuvoton – NAU83G60 Smart Amp: Nuvoton Technology is a global semiconductor manufacturer with roots in Winbond and a clear focus on innovative mixed-signal solutions for audio, microcontrollers, cloud security and industrial applications.
With its own fabs and locations worldwide, Nuvoton delivers high-performance, cost-optimized ICs for markets such as automotive, industrial, communications and consumer electronics.
Today's spotlight: the NAU83G60 with Klippel Controlled Sound technology. It delivers high audio performance with a cost-efficient system design.
Nuvoton – NAU83G60 Smart Amp
The NAU83G60 is a smart stereo audio amplifier with an integrated low-latency Advanced Audio DSP. It was developed specifically for modern, compact loudspeaker systems. The integrated Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) technology delivers audio quality that was not possible before, along with higher sound pressure and deeper bass. More details below.
The amplifier delivers up to 2×30 W into 4 Ω (or 60 W bridged). It combines a highly efficient Class-D amplifier with extensive digital signal processing. Key features include:
Power Stereo output power of up to 30 W per channel into 4 Ω at < 10% THD+N, with supply voltages up to 24 V. | Sound Shaping Integrated audio DSP with 2×15-band PEQ (parametric equalizer), crossover and audio mixer, up/down-sampling and a low-latency signal path, which makes it ideal for ANC applications. |
Protection Features Protects connected loudspeakers against mechanical and thermal overload. Also includes a voltage limiter, ALC and UVLOP. | Versatile Interfaces Flexible audio interfaces: I²S/PCM/TDM (up to 8 channels/192 kHz) and high-speed I²C control up to 1 Mbit/s. |
Typical target applications include soundbars and TVs, notebooks/all-in-one PCs, wireless and smart speakers, and ANC systems (automotive and consumer).
Highlight: Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS)
What sets the NAU83G60 apart is its integrated Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) technology. KCS is a nonlinear adaptive loudspeaker control system based on a physical model of the loudspeaker driver (transducer). It uses the voltage and current at the loudspeaker terminals as its "sensor" input and identifies the electromechanical parameters in real time. It then continuously adapts the model to aging, production tolerances and ambient conditions.
The core functions of KCS are:
Nonlinear distortion compensation: A mirror filter of the loudspeaker model (keyword: digital twin) removes in advance the signal components that would otherwise cause harmonic and intermodulation distortion.
Active voice coil position stabilization: This keeps the driver's voice coil working around its ideal rest position. As a result, the usable excursion is maximized and the bass level increases significantly.
Precise mechanical and thermal protection: The model estimates excursion and voice coil temperature, so the loudspeaker can be driven safely right up to its physical limits.
With KCS, the NAU83G60 gets much more out of the available loudspeaker performance, and the sound quality stays stable over the product's entire lifetime.
Benefits for Your Product Development
KCS in the NAU83G60 addresses key development goals: sound quality, robustness/reliability, consistency, dynamics and cost optimization. It also gives audio engineers new degrees of freedom.
Sound quality and low frequencies: KCS uses the full usable operating range and actively stabilizes the voice coil, which significantly extends the low-frequency range. At the same time, it effectively compensates nonlinear distortion. As a result, even compact loudspeakers deliver more bass and higher sound pressure while keeping high sound quality.
Robustness, reliability and overload protection: The nonlinear adaptive model estimates excursion and temperature very accurately. It protects the loudspeaker against mechanical and thermal overload without typical limiter artifacts and with almost no latency. This means safety margins can be reduced and the loudspeaker can operate close to its physical limits.
Consistency through adaptive learning: KCS continuously tracks mechanical parameters such as stiffness, temperature and aging. This keeps the sound consistent across unit-to-unit variation, enclosure variants, climate conditions and the product's lifetime. Even when the mechanical system varies (e.g. tolerances in the suspension or enclosure), KCS automatically corrects the response back to the target transfer behavior. This is a major advantage in ANC systems.
Dynamics and higher volume: Targeted control of loudspeaker excursion and adaptive high-pass filtering make use of the full permissible excursion. This leads to a higher sound pressure level (SPL) and more dynamics, especially in the bass range. Compression effects are minimized, so the system sounds open and punchy even at high levels.
Cost efficiency and "Green Speaker Design": With KCS, loudspeakers can be designed mechanically for efficiency instead of maximum linearity. Examples include shorter voice coils with lower moving mass, softer suspensions or smaller magnets. Loudspeakers built this way offer better efficiency and sensitivity, with lower material costs (magnet, coil) and lower system weight. These savings are possible because the NAU83G60 with KCS enabled compensates distortion and prevents overload. This lets even cost-optimized drivers reach the required performance level.
In summary, the Nuvoton NAU83G60 Smart Amp with integrated KCS technology is a powerful platform for compact, robust and cost-efficient audio systems. It offers first-class sound quality and consistent performance over the product's entire lifetime.
Ready to take your next smart audio design to a new level? Get personal advice from our team and arrange an appointment directly by phone, or send us your inquiry here.
