Surround-Sound Sensation: Highest Performance 6/8 Channel D/A Converters From Cirrus Give Consumers Studio-Quality Audio Experience

    TOKYO--Oct. 5, 2001--Delivering on its vision of digital entertainment leadership, Cirrus Logic Inc. today unveiled the world's highest performance 6 and 8 channel D/A converters, giving consumers the ability to enjoy superior multi-channel surround entertainment at home or in the car.
    These new products, the CS4362 and CS4382 converters, earn the greatest performance distinction by providing the highest dynamic range performance (114dB) and the lowest distortion (0.0009%) available in today's multi-channel converter market.
    Industry research firm Forward Concepts forecasts that the consumer audio market will grow from $1.2 billion in 2001 to $3.8 billion in 2005, representing an annual growth rate of 35 percent. The firm attributes this trend in part to dramatic sound quality improvements made possible by extraordinary advances in audio technology.
    The converters are the latest addition to Cirrus Logic's Total-E(tm) platform solutions family. The company's Total-E strategy will help drive home entertainment innovation by enabling manufacturers to rapidly and reliably deliver next-generation audio and video products to consumer markets.
    The CS4362 and CS4382 support next-generation audio formats such as DVD-Audio (192kHz sample rates) and Super Audio CD (Direct Stream Digital or DSD), making them the ideal solutions for multi-channel audio products such as DVD players, Audio/Video receivers, Super Audio CD players, digital mixing consoles, multi-track digital recorders, outboard converters, effects processors and automotive audio systems.
    "The low cost of these converters allows manufacturers to offer studio-quality sound performance at price points attractive to consumers," stated Lew Paceley, vice president of marketing for the Crystal Products Division. "End users can now enjoy high-impact, high-realism sound in the comfort of their living rooms with audio/video products that are equipped with these converters."
    The CS4362/82 combines the best price/performance of any D/A converter in its class and delivers unrivaled dynamic range performance, THD+N and sound quality in a single chip device. The converters are highly integrated devices that reduce system costs for manufacturers by minimizing the external electrical components required and saving valuable board space.
    Manufacturers can utilize this high performance and other features, such as selectable digital filters, to improve the performance and sound quality of their end products. Ease of design, integration and a flexible feature set allow manufacturers to minimize time-to-market while maximizing performance and consumer affordability.

    Pricing and Availability

    The CS4362 is priced at $5.35 in 10K quantities. The CS4382 is priced at $6.50 in 10K quantities. Both products are sampling now and are packaged in a 48-pin LQFP.

    Cirrus Logic Inc.

    Cirrus Logic is the premier supplier of high-performance analog and DSP chip solutions for consumer entertainment electronics that allow people to see, hear, connect and enjoy digital entertainment. Building on its global market share leadership in audio integrated circuits and its rich mixed-signal patent portfolio, the company targets mainstream audio, video and Internet entertainment applications in the consumer entertainment market. Cirrus Logic operates from headquarters in Austin, Texas and major sites located in Fremont, Calif., and Broomfield, Colo., as well as offices in Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.

Safe Harbor Provision

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements that are dependent on certain risks and uncertainties including such factors, among others, as the ability of the CS4363 and CS4382 converters to perform as expected; overall conditions in the semiconductor market; the rate of consumer electronics market adoption of new products; customer cancellations of orders, or the failure to place orders consistent with forecasts; hardware or software deficiencies; delays in customer qualification of key new products; actual operational spending; and the risk factors listed in the company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 25, 2000, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing information concerning Cirrus Logic's business outlook represents our outlook as of the date of this news release, and Cirrus Logic undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new developments or otherwise.

Cirrus Logic(R) and Total-E(tm) are trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc.