Cirrus Logic Announces New MFi Development Kit for Lightning Based Digital Headphones

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Posted June 29, 2016 at 6:20pm by iClarified

Cirrus Logic has announced the availability of a MFi Headset Development Kit, a reference platform that is designed to help companies quickly develop new Lightning based digital headphones. The kit comes as Apple is widely rumored to be dropping the headphone jack on the next generation iPhone in favor of its Lightning interface.

“New digital connectivity in mobile devices, including the Lightning-based interface, is creating opportunities for OEMs to innovate in product design and is accelerating the transition from analog- to digital-connected products within today’s billion-unit headset and headphone market,” said Carl Alberty, vice president of Audio Products Marketing, Cirrus Logic. “Our MFi reference design provides a complete high-performance, digital-headset solution and a reference iOS application to support the rapid development of these emerging consumer products.”

The MFi Headset Development Kit demonstrates the advantages of Lightning-connected headsets over conventional analog headsets. For example, digital connectivity with an integrated, high-performance DAC and headphone driver delivers high-fidelity audio to the headphone speakers. In addition, Lightning-connected headphones can interact with an iOS app to create a more custom audio experience, such as personalized EQ settings.

The Cirrus Logic MFi Headset Development Kit includes a form factor reference design and a development board for debugging, as well as MCU programming and audio performance measurement. Both boards are pre-programmed to support a demonstration of high-performance digital audio playback and voice capture, enabling developers to evaluate a prototype within minutes. The design can be adapted to any headset form factor, including earbuds and over-the-ear designs.

The Cirrus Logic HiFi MFi Headset Development Kit is available to MFi licensees through the MFi procurement portal.

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Cirrus Logic Announces New MFi Development Kit for Lightning Based Digital Headphones

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White Castle Farts - June 30, 2016 at 5:19am

there is nothing new here. DACs have existed for a very long time. All this is a a low powered inline DAC with the apple lightning chip built in. ive been using a higher resolution, powered fiio e18 with both android and ios devices for years with appropriate adapters. but small inline DACs already exist, its just now someone paired it with the MCU and probably a USB-C version would appear simultaneously from manufacturers.

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Boaty McBoatface - June 29, 2016 at 8:42pm

I've heard from a very reliable source that Apple will be removing the speaker(s) from the iPhone 8. When getting a call, you will not be able to hear the phone ringing unless you attach a special Beats, Lightning-enabled, external speaker for $99. The new external speaker will be digital, offering Virtual Dolby Surround sound. It will greatly improve the perceived sound quality of your ringtones and "will further demonstrate the advantage of external speakers over the built-in one(s) in previous models". Apple is also considering removing the built-in microphone from the iPhone - if you'd like to respond to what a caller is telling you, you'll have to attach a special Beats external digital microphone (priced $59). Alternatively to all these add-ons, you'll be able to use a special Apple watch (requiring an external battery module). After all, it's Apple we are talking about, the company that released a hideous battery case (with a free bump) for the iPhone and called it "an elegant solution". Hey, at least the phone will be thinner by 0.9 microns! #AppleGreed #re-inventing-the-wheel-as-a-square-shape-and-calling-it-progress

Mang Domeng - June 29, 2016 at 9:49pm

Hahaha! Exageration at its finest! Rant all you want but for audiophiles this is no big deal. Lightning port is where you can get the best sound than from a stereo port. External DACs are connected through lightning port, speaker docks connect to lightning as well, gym goers use bluetooth headphones to listen to their music so why cry out loosing the stereo port? It's not the end of the world yet. Move on! After Apple makes this move I bet everybody will follow. It is like when sony released a mirrorless camera, the bulky canon and nikon dslr users bashed the new change but years later we can now see nikon and canon mirrorless cameras. Here's the trend when Apple changes something everone else follow.