Audio IC & Amplifier Reference Guide

Popular Audio Amp Chips¶

Expanded Descriptions¶

AP3050D / CS8683H¶

• Type: Class D Audio Power Amplifier (often found as relabeled clones)

• Specs: THD ~0.1% at 500mW, peaks at high frequency/power; usually a knockoff of TPA3116D2 lineage.

• Application: Cheap, budget boards (XY-T100L style). Use for moderate performance but expect more distortion at >10W or high frequencies.

• AP3050D datasheet is not online, but poking around suggests it is a relabeled CS8683H. https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/coffee-money-xy-aph15-15w-bt-5-0-amp.383499/post-6970109

• seems to be a knockoff of the TPA3116D2, on boards such as XY-T100L. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/2021-is-almost-done-with-so-amp-review-with-a-twist.29522/page-2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WgBavvQO0

• boards with H suffix denote the ‘imported’ TI chip and locally sourced AP* have the the L suffix.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806254704301.html

• according to CS8638H data sheet, minimum THD is 0.1% at 500 mW. Distortion is < 0.01% below 800Hz, but 0.1% in 3kHz - 10 kHz band http://www.szczkjgs.com/UploadFiles/fujian/4906/CS8683.pdf

CS8673E¶

• Type: Dual Class D, 40Wx2 @ 8Ω, 5–26V supply

• Features: Spread spectrum EMI, auto-mute, cooling via PCB pad—not suitable for high-voltage with poor thermal design.

• Performance: THD+N 0.03% @ 600mW, increases at higher output. Power-on pop—control via enable pin suggested.

  • Dual-channel Class D audio power amplifier, 5V–26V supply voltage, 8Ω load impedance. 40 W x 2 max stereo output power, up to 92% efficiency. Over-current, short-circuit, and over-heat protection; Spread spectrum function. https://en.eeworld.com.cn/bbs/thread-1188337-1-1.html

  • minimum THD+N is 0.03% at 600 mW 1kHz, total THD+N is 0.06% up to about 15W. < 0.03% up to about 600 Hz, strong peak of 50% THD at 5 kHz https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/difference-between-cs8673-and-tpa3116.405281/#post-7913882

  • No heat sink required. cooled via the metal thermal pad on the BOTTOM of the ESOP16 package - i.e.: the PCB! So ensure good thermal contact with thick PCB. These chips will certainly run without heatsink (on top) at lower voltages, but once you get above 12 volts, the chip starts running (idle even) warm. At 19-24 volts, these chips REALLY heat up (even at idle). But driving them hard at 24 volts has resulted in zero failures thus far.

  • less idle hiss than the 3116 chips, probably due to auto-shutoff. nasty power-on pop. recommend manually controlling the power-up and power-down via the “enable” pin (pin 4). https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/difference-between-cs8673-and-tpa3116.405281/

  • I now prefer these over the TPA3116 chips for low power or midbass -> trebble duty (80Hz on up).

  • https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809080040132.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808229769328.html

  • Dual-channel Class D audio power amplifier, 5V–26V supply voltage, 8Ω load impedance. 40 W x 2 max stereo output power, up to 92% efficiency. Over-current, short-circuit, and over-heat protection; Spread spectrum function.

  • minimum THD+N is 0.03% at 600 mW 1kHz, total THD+N is 0.06% up to about 15W. < 0.03% up to about 600 Hz, strong peak of 50% THD at 5 kHz

IRS2092S¶

• Type: High-Voltage Class D Amp (100V)

• Performance: Extremely low distortion (THD+N 0.01% @ 50W/4Ω, 1kHz).

• Usage: Demands careful power supply and PCB layout; high-end, high-power systems.

• 100V class D amplifier https://www.infineon.com/part/IRS2092SPBF#specification

• data sheet lists THD+N 1kHz, 50W, 4Ω as 0.01%. no graphs. https://www.infineon.com/assets/row/public/documents/24/49/irs2092.pdf?fileId=5546d462533600a401535675f1be2790

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806976227882.html

• 100V class D amplifier

• data sheet lists THD+N 1kHz, 50W, 4Ω as 0.01%. no graphs, but presumably is the best case.

LM3886¶

• Type: Class-AB, 68W mono/stereo

• Specs: THD 0.03% at full power, well-regarded for classic gainclone builds.

• 68W, 1 Ch, 20-94V supply stereo Class-AB amplifier w/ Mute https://www.ti.com/product/LM3886

• THD is 0.03% at 60W/4Ω or 30W/8Ω, 20 Hz ≤ f ≤ 20 kHz. A_V = 26 dB. no graphs.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804008882252.html

• 68W, 1 Ch, 20-94V supply stereo Class-AB amplifier w/ Mute

• THD is 0.03% at 60W/4Ω or 30W/8Ω, 20 Hz ≤ f ≤ 20 kHz. A_V = 26 dB. no graphs.

MA5332¶

• Type: Class D, 200W x2 @ 4Ω

• Frequency Response: THD+N <0.01% at normal usage, rises sharply at maximum output.

• 2-channel, 200 W/ch (4 Ω at ±36.5 V; with heatsink) analog input class D audio amplifier, 95% efficiency at 4 ohms. https://www.infineon.com/part/MA5332MS#specification

• THD+N graph shows lowest THD+N is below 0.01% at 10-30W, 6 ohm. THD is 0.1% at 0.01W, increases sharply at 80-90W to 10% THD+N. At 1 kHz, 70W, 4 ohms, THD is 0.01%. Frequency vs THD+N @ 1W is around 0.03% THD+N up to about 2kHz, peaks 10kHz, 0.1%. https://www.infineon.com/assets/row/public/documents/24/49/infineon-ma5332ms-datasheet-en.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805316828570.html

• 2-channel, 200 W/ch (4 Ω at ±36.5 V; with heatsink) analog input class D audio amplifier, 95% efficiency at 4 ohms.

• THD+N graph shows lowest THD+N is below 0.01% at 10-30W, 6 ohm. THD is 0.1% at 0.01W, increases sharply at 80-90W to 10% THD+N. At 1 kHz, 70W, 4 ohms, THD is 0.01%. Frequency vs THD+N @ 1W is around 0.03% THD+N up to about 2kHz, peaks 10kHz, 0.1%.

PAM8403¶

• Type: Class-D, 3W @ 4Ω/5V

• Distortion: 0.01% at typical loads, 10% at full output.

• Application: Ultra-compact, portable systems. Very efficient.

• 3W class-D amplifier at 10% THD with 4 ohm loda and 5V power supply, efficiency up to 90% https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/115/PAM8403-247318.pdf

• THD+N is 0.01% at 1-2W, 4 ohm, 5V supply, 1 kHz. Goes up to 0.5% at 20 mW, rises sharply to 10% at 3W. Curves look similar for 8 ohm load. For frequency, it is flat at 0.05% THD+N up to about 500Hz, then peaks at 0.3% at 10 kHz. At 8 ohms, the peak shifts to 7 kHz and 0.3% THD+N.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809821927354.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809073514717.html

• 3W class-D amplifier at 10% THD with 4 ohm loda and 5V power supply, efficiency up to 90%

• THD+N is 0.01% at 1-2W, 4 ohm, 5V supply, 1 kHz. Goes up to 0.5% at 20 mW, rises sharply to 10% at 3W. Curves look similar for 8 ohm load. For frequency, it is flat at 0.05% THD+N up to about 500Hz, then peaks at 0.3% at 10 kHz. At 8 ohms, the peak shifts to 7 kHz and 0.3% THD+N.

TDA1308¶

• Type: Class-AB stereo headphone amp

• Specs: THD+N as low as -100dB; optimized for low-power clean output.

• integrated class-AB stereo headphone driver, 5V input, 40-80mW output https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/TDA1308.pdf

• THD+N is -100 dB 100Hz - 10kHz at 5 kiloohms R_L, V_o = 3.5 V. At R_L=32 ohms, P_O = 50mW, THD+N is -70 dB at 1kHz, rises to -60 dB at 30 Hz, 30 kHz. THD+N is linear for R_L=5 kiloohms on a log-log plot vs output voltage, from -55 dB at 0.07 V to -100 dB at 3 V. https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/TDA1308.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804641307525.html

• integrated class-AB stereo headphone driver, 5V input, 40-80mW output

• THD+N is -100 dB 100Hz - 10kHz at 5 kiloohms R_L, V_o = 3.5 V. At R_L=32 ohms, P_O = 50mW, THD+N is -70 dB at 1kHz, rises to -60 dB at 30 Hz, 30 kHz. THD+N is linear for R_L=5 kiloohms on a log-log plot vs output voltage, from -55 dB at 0.07 V to -100 dB at 3 V.

TDA2030A¶

• Type: Class-AB, mono 18W amp

• Specs: THD+N 0.03% up to 10W/4Ω; great for hi-fi, simple builds.

• mono 18 W hi-fi amplifier and 35 W driver, intended for use in low-frequency class AB audio systems https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tda2030a.pdf

• THD+N is 0.03% up to 10W, 4 ohm, 1 kHz. More like 0.025% with 8 ohms. Between 40 Hz and 15 kHz, goes up to 0.08%. For 8 ohms, goes up to 0.5% THD+N at 40 Hz / 15 kHz.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805044756882.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809517097067.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806158365352.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809734231703.html

• mono 18 W hi-fi amplifier and 35 W driver, intended for use in low-frequency class AB audio systems

• THD+N is 0.03% up to 10W, 4 ohm, 1 kHz. More like 0.025% with 8 ohms. Between 40 Hz and 15 kHz, goes up to 0.08%. For 8 ohms, goes up to 0.5% THD+N at 40 Hz / 15 kHz.

TDA2822M¶

• Type: AB, 2x1W, 15V supply

• Performance: THD+N 0.2-0.4% at typical output.

• 15V 2x1W output power amplifier https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/cd00000134.pdf https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/STMicroelectronics/TDA2822M?qs=NP3vpjCFX6jO%2FJg2U%252B9uBQ%3D%3D

• THD+N is 0.2% floor, goes up to 0.4% at 250 mW 5V, 800 mW 9 V, 8 ohms, 1 kHz

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809296729845.html

• 15V 2x1W output power amplifier

• THD+N is 0.2% floor, goes up to 0.4% at 250 mW 5V, 800 mW 9 V, 8 ohms, 1 kHz

TDA7498 / TDA7498E¶

• Type: Dual Class D

• Variants: 2x100W or 2x160W versions; both support 36V supply, limited by thermal dissipation.

• Performance: Low THD+N at moderate output, rises at higher frequencies/output current.

• dual 2x100-watt BTL class-D audio amplifier, 36V input https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tda7498.pdf

• for 6 ohms, stereo configuration: for 1 kHz, min is 10W output power at 0.03% THD+N. At 100 Hz, min is 0.005% at 15W. 1% THD+N at around 70W, 0.1% THD+N at 100mW. At 1 W, THD+N is about 0.03% at 20 Hz - 300 Hz, rises to 0.15% - 0.2% at at 2 kHz - 10 kHz, peaking at 10 kHz, drops back to 0.05% at 20 kHz.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807345321941.html

• dual 2x160-watt BTL class-D audio amplifier, 36V input https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tda7498e.pdf

• for 4 ohms, stereo configuration: min is 15W output power at 0.04% THD+N. 1% THD+N at around 100mW, 200W. For frequency (power unspecified), below 0.05% up to 600 Hz, rises to 0.08% at 2 kHz - 5 kHz, peaking at 3.5 kHz, drops back to 0.03% at 20 kHz.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832733725187.html

• dual 2x100-watt BTL class-D audio amplifier, 36V input

• for 6 ohms, stereo configuration: for 1 kHz, min is 10W output power at 0.03% THD+N. At 100 Hz, min is 0.005% at 15W. 1% THD+N at around 70W, 0.1% THD+N at 100mW. At 1 W, THD+N is about 0.03% at 20 Hz - 300 Hz, rises to 0.15% - 0.2% at at 2 kHz - 10 kHz, peaking at 10 kHz, drops back to 0.05% at 20 kHz.

• dual 2x160-watt BTL class-D audio amplifier, 36V input

• for 4 ohms, stereo configuration: min is 15W output power at 0.04% THD+N. 1% THD+N at around 100mW, 200W. For frequency (power unspecified), below 0.05% up to 600 Hz, rises to 0.08% at 2 kHz - 5 kHz, peaking at 3.5 kHz, drops back to 0.03% at 20 kHz.

TDA7850¶

• Type: Quad MOSFET Bridge, Class AB, automotive-focused

• Output: 4x50W @ 4Ω (max), more typical for car audio.

• 4 x 50 W 4 Ω @ max. MOSFET quad bridge class AB power amplifier https://www.st.com/en/automotive-infotainment-and-telematics/tda7850.html

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809465459351.html

TPA3255 / TPA3110 / TPA3116 / TPA3118¶

• Variants: Range from 15W (TPA3110) to 315W (TPA3255), all Class-D, excellent efficiency.

• Performance: TPA3255 at THD+N 0.006% @ 1kHz, 90%+ efficiency. TPA3116 popular for budget, DIY builds—weaker thermal design on clones.

• 315-W stereo, 600-W mono, 18- to 53.5-V supply, analog input Class-D audio amplifier THD + N at 1 kHz (%) 0.006 https://www.ti.com/product/TPA3255

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807307710872.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808619660807.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809257577465.html

• 15-W stereo, 30-W mono, 8- to 26-V supply, analog input Class-D audio amplifier w/ SpeakerGuard™ https://www.ti.com/product/TPA3110D2

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806958285821.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806958285821.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806958285821.html

• 50-W stereo, 100-W mono, 4.5- to 26-V supply, analog input Class-D audio amplifier https://www.ti.com/product/TPA3116D2

• TPA3116 has a metal heatspreader on top of the IC, the clones do not.

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806997631114.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806446124925.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805990407801.html

• 30-W stereo, 60-W mono, 4.5- to 26-V supply, analog input Class-D audio amplifier https://www.ti.com/product/TPA3118D2

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809210536082.html

UPC1298V¶

• Type: High-power analog amp IC, 50-80W output.

• 50-80W power amplifier input 20-46 V https://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/6670/NEC/UPC1298V.html

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808909087129.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809018052156.html

XPT8871¶

• Type: Mono AB/D, 5W output, suited for compact/portable mono applications.

• non-FM interference, AB / D class optional mono power amplifier. The maximum drive power is 5W (2Ω, BTL load, THD <10%) at 5V, https://www.sunrom.com/p/xpt8871-soic8-5w-mono-audio-amplifier-ic

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805896091528.html

TDA8932¶

• Class-D audio amplifier, 10 V to 36 V supply, 2x15W 4Ω https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/TDA8932B.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805686071214.html

IRS2092S¶

• 1x500W Class D audio amplifier driver, 100V + 15V supply, THD+N* (1kHz, 50W, 4Ω) 0.01% https://www.infineon.com/assets/row/public/documents/24/49/irs2092.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806068848788.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809781897510.html

MAX98357¶

• 1x3.2W Class D Amplifier, 2.5V to 5.5V supply, 0.013% THD+N, 92% efficiency, 32-bit 96kHz PCM I2S Input https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/max98357a-max98357b.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807442706139.html

PAM8610¶

• 10W stereo Class-D amplifier with DC volume control (32 step from -75dB to +32dB), 0.1% THD+N, low EMI, and good PSRR (-60 dB) https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/115/PAM8610-247304.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255799855333987.html

LM4809¶

• 105-mW, stereo, analog input headphone amplifier with active-low shutdown mode

ICEpower & NC series modules¶

High-power, audiophile grade Class-D “digital” modules: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832850192816.html NC122MP https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808670233228.html

DAC Chips¶

PCM5102A, PCM5100A¶

• 2.1 VRMS, 112/106/100 dB Audio Stereo DAC with PLL and 32-bit, 384 kHz PCM Interface https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pcm5102a.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808713100096.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807957883795.html

AK4490REQ¶

• 120dB 768kHz / 32-bit Stereo Premium DAC, -112 dB THd+N https://www.akm.com/us/en/products/audio/audio-dac/ak4490req/

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808794135081.html https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809426668119.html

PCM1798¶

• 24-Bit, 192-kHz Stereo Digital-to-Analog Converter https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pcm1798.pdf?ts=1760049273260

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808076450779.html

CS4398¶

• 24 bit/192 kHz (up to 216 kHz) stereo digital-to-analog system https://statics.cirrus.com/pubs/proDatasheet/CS4398_DS568F3.pdf

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808076450779.html

CS4344 / CS4345 / CS4348¶

• 24-bit, 192 kHz Stereo D/A Converters https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs4344-45-48

CS4302P¶

• 32-bit 768 kHz 2-channel digital-to-analog converter

CS4304P / CS4304S¶

• 32-bit 768 kHz 4-channel digital-to-analog converter

CS4308P / CS4308S¶

• 32-bit 768 kHz 8-channel digital-to-analog converter

Bare Chips¶

These parts are generally available only as bare chips, requiring custom PCB design—I’m leaving them out on the table in case the project gets enough interest for a group buy, but they’re not my top choices at the moment.

• 2SS2390

• AD83586B

• AK4458

• CS86189C, CS8676E, CS86552E, CS8618C

• D25XB60

• ES9010K2M

• HFDA801A

• L25037

• MAX98360

• MAX98365

• PAM8965

• STK4221II, STK405-120, STK415-120-E, STK416-090-E, STK416-100, STK433-090-E

• TAS2120

• TDA7295, TDA7295S

• TP3130D2

Misc chips¶

Components listed below are either not designed for audio fidelity, are legacy, or serve a different primary function (video, timer, basic signal tasks).

LM-2596¶

• SIMPLE SWITCHER 4.5V to 40V, 3A Low Component Count Step-Down Regulator https://www.ti.com/product/LM2596

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808876825990.html

PCM4202¶

• 24-Bit, 216kHz Stereo Analog-to-Digital Converter https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pcm4202.pdf?ts=1760041403018

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808076450779.html

| Chip | Function/Application | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| --- | | AD828 | Dual video op-amp, high speed, low offset—not intended for high-fidelity audio | https://www.analog.com/en/products/ad828.html | NE5532 | Low-noise op-amp, common in audio preamps but overkill or unnecessary in many designs | https://www.ti.com/product/NE5532 | | NE555 | Timing/oscillator circuit, not an amplifier or audio part | https://www.ti.com/product/NE555 | | PCM1802/PCM1808 | ADC chips, 24-bit/96kHz, good for input channel expansion—not direct power amp use | https://www.ti.com/lit/gpn/PCM1802 |

CS8416

• 192 kHz 8:2 S/PDIF Digital Audio Receiver https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs8416

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807873872094.html

CS8421

• 32-bit, 192 kHz, Asynchronous Stereo Sample-Rate Converter https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs8421

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807873872094.html

AD9226

• 12-Bit, 65 MSPS Analog-to-Digital Converter https://www.analog.com/en/products/ad9226.html

• https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808512617620.html

• 7805: Classic 5V regulator.

• Fans: Required for high-power amp builds to ensure longevity and stable performance.

• TAS5760M: discussed in https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/class-d-amplifier-with-digital-inputs.22009/page-2 - most products still use typical DAC to class D method, a digital-input class D amp is still rare and it is not clear if it offers any sonic advantage. a more complex topology https://www.ti.com.cn/cn/lit/an/slaa117a/slaa117a.pdf is better, but still not great, THD+N 0.04% and it requires a custom PCB.

Section 4: Key DAC, ADC, and Digital Parts¶

• PCM5102A/PCM5100A: Stereo DAC, 32-bit, up to 384 kHz, high SNR.

• AK4490REQ: Premium AKM DAC, -112 dB THD+N.

• PCM1798/PCM4202: 24-bit, up to 192/216 kHz, used in professional equipment.

• CS4398/CS434x: Cirrus Logic DACs, flexible format, up to 216 kHz.

• CS8416: S/PDIF receiver, glue logic for digital sources.

• CS8421: Sample rate conversion.

• AD9226: Used for specialized digital conversion, not core audio.

Section 6: Design and Selection Notes¶

• Class-D chips (TPA series, IRS, MA5332, PAM8403) offer high efficiency and compact form factor, but require careful thermal and EMI design at higher output.

• Class-AB chips (LM3886, TDA2030A, TDA1308) yield classic analog sound but with lower efficiency–best for smaller builds or headphone use.

• Many clones and relabels exist (AP3050D/CS8683H, TPA3116D2 knockoffs); always verify via PCB photos and datasheets.

• For system architecture, digital-input Class-D remains rare; most use a DAC > analog input > Class-D chain, with only a few chips supporting direct digital PWM—often with modest sonic gain.

• Power supply selection (LM2596, 7805) must be matched to amp chip voltage and load, with adequate filtering and heatsinking.

Section 7: Further Reading / Datasheet Links¶

For each chip, reviewing the official datasheet is crucial for detailed design information, pinout, and application circuits:

• Texas Instruments Amplifiers: (TPA3255, TPA3116, etc.)

• STMicroelectronics: (TDA series)

• Cirrus Logic DACs: (CS4398, CS434x)

• AKM Semiconductor: (AK4458, AK4490REQ)

• Infineon: (IRS2092S, MA5332)

• Analog Devices: (AD9226, AD828)

This resource may be expanded by adding more sections on system integrations, board layouts, comparison graphs, or build case studies. For ongoing design and evaluation, regularly survey datasheet update and user forums.