“Pure sound” says Laming (right)  “is continually innovating with more audio functionality, with sound hubs on devices, the emergence of 3D sound for mobile phones. That requires software and pre-processing to get it perfect.  In the current generation, development of anti-noise reduces the received noise quality to give clearer sound.”

In technical speak: “Wolfson’s newest 24-bit 192kHz DAC device combines exceptional signal to noise ratio of 123dB (stereo) with low out-of-band noise, world-class linearity and a unique combination of programmable advanced digital filters that overcome the limitation and listening issues found in current high-end audio systems as playback distorting pre-ringing and latency. WM8742 reshapes audio to recreate optimal natural analogue sound.” Happily, the thrifty WM8742 also removes the external digital filters, so it cuts external component count and cost.

Last year at Barcelona, Wolfson focus was on its WM8900 to provide longer battery life in portable media players and handsets, again with reduced external component requirements. Specifically: “It can extend battery life by up to 11 hours during headphone music playback at a typical listening level… Savings can be up to 25% on the device bill of materials and up to 40% on the board footprint.”

Happily that was achieved by removing bulky DC blocking capacitors, and its low profile QFN packaging suites slim, portable applications.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that Wolfson is a fabless manufacturer, where R&D is prime. With Laming however, it  also acquired his considerable manufacturing know-how.  He was after all the technology side of Kymata’s drive to push handcrafted optics into mass manufactured silicon chip circuitry: later worked as CTO & CEO for Alactel Optronics UK in Livingston, before its acquisition by Avanex, where he became VP of its facility. (Avenex fall this year to Bookham, brings an optical wheel curiously full circle.)

“Wolfson teams develop new products,” says Laming. “The manufacture is managed by subcontractors.  Our market is customer driven, and we are always looking at cost per chip, at lower profiles, new packaging processes, new interconnect. In a technology that doesn’t get bigger, board space costs money.”

With so much audio expertise, its tempting to ask if Wolfson looks at other niche markets, such as medical?  Laming is well aware of it.  He diverts briefly to the value that sound can have to concentrate autistic attention,  but returns quickly to Wolfson as a supplier to mass market providers.

The trick it appears is to combine the new and improved with good cost savings for the customer. For Laming and Wolfson that revolves around an intriguing mix of pure sound: high performance audio, low power, hubs, amplifiers, power management and microphones.

Adding Linux driver software to the mix
Oh, and don’t forget that essential component for electronics, embedded software. Last year Wolfson played another key role in the “LinuxWorld 2008 “Best Mobility Solution” product excellence Award for the Hermes mobile platform. Hermes uses Wolfson multimedia audio with a WM8753 dual audio interface CODEC, and two WM9001 class D speaker drivers, supported by Wolfson-developed Linux drivers. “A combination of advanced architecture with a rich set of peripherals in an ultra-slim form factor, providing flexibility, differentiation and a very cost effective, fast path to market for mobile system designers.”

The noice cancellation chip demonstrated at Barcelona, is now being sampled and will be on the market by Q2. “There is enough 3D in current ear buds on market,” says Laming. “That 3D will get much more powerful when that chip is in the mobile phone.

“Our strategies including software correction and compensation involve a lot of improvement on complex chips to empower mobile phones with hi-fi quality, and allow small units to keep the same quality  as large sound units but at low prices,” he says and admits to watching the  PC note/netbook/mobile convergance.

Netbooks and their ilk of 2010 may well boast "Wolfson sound" rather than “Intel inside” as the consumer desiderata. “When I came to Wolfson first, I was browsing a trade audio catalogue,” Laming confesses. "The specification that struck me was very simply 12v Wolfson DAC, and it brought it home to me strongly that It’s a very, very powerful brand."

Scottish born BC Forbes, on his return visits to Scotland in the '50's was once overheard giving investment advice to an interested stock market player. “Always,” he said,”look at what you yourself would use. Look at what your friends are using in their own lives. The makers of those things make the best investmentment.”  One suspects he’d like the sound of Wolfson.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                 Gail Purvis