AK5578EN - 8-Ch 32-Bit 768kHz Audio ADC | AKM
MPN: AK5578EN ✓ ActiveAK5578EN Overview
An audio ADC (analog-to-digital converter) is a mixed-signal integrated circuit that samples analog audio voltages and converts them into high-resolution digital words for downstream processing. The AK5578EN belongs to the AKM AK557x family of premium audio converters, sitting in the hierarchy audio ADC -> delta-sigma converter -> data converter IC -> mixed-signal semiconductor. It targets digital audio systems where multichannel, high-resolution capture is required, such as professional mixers, multichannel recorders, broadcast consoles and high-end measurement equipment.
Key specifications differentiate this converter: 8 differential input channels, 32-bit word length, 768 kHz maximum sampling rate, 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratio. It also integrates four selectable digital filter types so engineers can trade phase behaviour and frequency response against sound-quality preference, and it supports DSD output up to 11.2 MHz for native DSD capture workflows.
Technically, the AK5578 is AKM's third-generation premium audio ADC architecture, providing a TDM-compatible digital audio interface for straightforward connection to a DSP, in addition to I2S-class serial audio transport. Because the digital interface supports TDM audio formats, a single serial bus can carry multiple channels, reducing routing complexity in multichannel designs. AKM also documents that channel summation improves the dynamic range to 124 dB in 8-to-1 mode, a useful option when fewer channels are physically wired but maximum SNR is still desired.
Typical applications include professional digital mixers, multichannel PCM recorders, studio monitor controllers, broadcast and mastering equipment, and audio measurement or test setups. The 8-channel, TDM-capable architecture makes it particularly efficient for equipment with many balanced inputs.
A key design consideration is interface planning: budget TDM slot timing and the digital audio clocking between the AK5578EN and the host DSP, and confirm the required analog input filtering and reference layout in the manufacturer's application guidance. Operating voltage, package thermal data and absolute maximum ratings should be confirmed against the datasheet before layout release.
This page consolidates manufacturer documentation, distributor pricing as of 2026-10-30, drop-in alternatives within the AKM converter family, and practical design notes that are not gathered together in the original AKM datasheet or a single distributor listing.
Drop-in alternatives for AK5578EN — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with AK5578EN (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Dynamic Range, Input Type, Number of Channels, Package, Resolution.
AK5578
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AK5558VN
✅ Drop-InContact for price
View Datasheet →AK5594
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AK5626
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AK5572EN
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs UnverifiedContact for price
View Datasheet →AK5578EN Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Converter Type | Audio A/D Converter (ADC), delta-sigma architecture |
| Resolution | 32 bit |
| Maximum Sampling Rate | 768 kHz |
| Number of Channels | 8 channels |
| Input Type | Differential input |
| Dynamic Range | 121 dB |
| Signal-to-Noise plus Distortion (S/(N+D)) | 112 dB |
| Dynamic Range in 8-to-1 Channel Summation Mode | 124 dB |
| DSD Output Support | Up to 11.2 MHz |
| Integrated Digital Filters | 4 selectable filter types |
| Digital Audio Interface | I2S and TDM-compatible serial audio |
| Package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Product Generation | Premium ADC Gen3 |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
| REACH Status | unknown |
AK5578EN 64-qfn (9 x 9 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for AK5578EN (64-qfn (9 x 9 mm) package). This analog component features input, output, and power supply pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for offset null, compensation, and enable pin configurations. Ideal for signal conditioning and amplifier circuits.
No detailed pinout data available for AK5578EN.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
AK5578EN is suitable for 6 applications: Professional Digital Mixing Console, Multichannel PCM and DSD Recorder, Broadcast and Studio Monitor Controller, Audio Measurement and Test Instrumentation, Multichannel USB and Network Audio Interface, High-End Listening Room Analysis System.
Professional Digital Mixing Console
The AK5578EN's eight differential inputs map directly onto the eight trim-pot channels of a professional mixer, avoiding a bank of single-channel converters. With 32-bit resolution and 121 dB dynamic range, fader-post or pre-fader snapshots preserve quiet ambience and room tone without requiring a large headroom boost from the preamp chain. TDM support lets the converter share one serial bus with the console DSP, which frees routing resources and reduces the number of digital connections that must be validated at bring-up. The 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) footprint keeps the converter section compact inside a rack or desktop chassis, while the selectable digital filter set lets the design team choose the frequency response that best complements the console voicing. For a new build requiring native DSD capture of live stems, the DSD output up to 11.2 MHz path adds archival headroom.
Recommended
Multichannel PCM and DSD Recorder
A multichannel recorder built around the AK5578EN can capture eight balanced inputs simultaneously at up to 768 kHz with 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB S/(N+D), which is well suited to archival and mastering-grade capture. Native DSD output up to 11.2 MHz means DSD-native sessions can be recorded directly without a separate DSD A/D stage, while the four selectable digital filter types let the engineer choose the preferred roll-off for each session. The 32-bit word length also allows gain staging downstream without the dithering artefacts of shorter converters. Placement matters: keep the converter's analog inputs away from the DSP and switching supply nodes, and confirm the recommended grounding and decoupling network in the AKM application guidance before releasing the PCB layout.
Recommended
Broadcast and Studio Monitor Controller
In a broadcast monitor controller, the AK5578EN handles the multi-channel return feeds and cue inputs while the same box drives powered studio monitors. Eight differential inputs at 768 kHz provide enough headroom for line-level source material without clipping, and the 121 dB dynamic range keeps monitoring decisions repeatable across a wide range of programme levels. TDM compatibility simplifies the link to the DSP that performs switching, downmix and loudspeaker routing, and the 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) package integrates cleanly alongside a companion DAC such as the AK4137EQ in a half-rack or 1U format. Because monitor controllers are often fan-cooled and thermally enclosed, verify the converter's thermal margin and exposed-pad connection during mechanical and thermal design sign-off.
Recommended
Audio Measurement and Test Instrumentation
Precision audio analysers and automated test sets can use the AK5578EN as an eight-channel front end, replacing four dual-channel converters and halving board area in a rack instrument. The 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB S/(N+D) specification means the measurement floor is set by the instrument rather than the converter, which is essential when quantifying THD+N at the -100 dB level or better. The 8-to-1 channel summation mode, which AKM documents as raising dynamic range to 124 dB, is useful for wideband noise-floor characterisation. Instrument designers should still budget for clean reference and power supply routing, since the 64-QFN exposed pad needs an adequate thermal and return path to sustain the specified noise and distortion performance over temperature.
Recommended
Multichannel USB and Network Audio Interface
A desktop or rack-mount multichannel audio interface can place eight differential inputs behind a single AK5578EN, which is ideal for drum recording, live instrument rigs and small-room capture. The converter links to a host DSP over TDM, and the host handles USB or network transport, clock recovery and driver work. Because the AK5578EN supports 768 kHz and DSD output up to 11.2 MHz, the same hardware can serve hi-res PCM sessions and DSD-native workflows without a board respin. Designers should treat clocking as the critical path: use the AKM-recommended master/slave clock arrangement, isolate the converter from high-current USB and power-supply switching nodes, and plan input protection and balanced input stages for the 121 dB dynamic range headroom that the converter provides.
Recommended
High-End Listening Room Analysis System
Room-analysis and acoustic measurement rigs benefit from the AK5578EN when eight measurement microphones must be captured simultaneously with matched gain and identical conversion characteristics. Using one converter for all eight channels removes the gain and frequency-response mismatch that appears when multiple discrete converters are mixed, which directly improves the accuracy of the resulting loudspeaker correction filters. The 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB S/(N+D) figures ensure the low-level reverberation tail is captured without a noise floor artefact, and the selectable digital filters let the analysis software apply consistent phase correction across all channels. A companion DAC such as the AK4137EQ or AK5483 can drive the measurement stimulus path, completing a repeatable loop from generation to capture with matched conversion characteristics on both ends.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for AK5578EN — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | AK5578 | AK5558 | AK5594 | AK5626 | AK5572EN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) - same family package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) family package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) family package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) family package | 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) family package |
| Brand | Asahi Kasei Microdevices | Asahi Kasei Microdevices | Asahi Kasei Microdevices | Asahi Kasei Microdevices | Asahi Kasei Microdevices | Asahi Kasei Microdevices |
Key Differentiators
- Eight differential inputs integrated in one 64-QFN converter with native DSD output (vs AK5558)
- Higher conversion performance per package than related AKM audio ADC families (vs AK5594)
- TDM-compatible interface plus four selectable digital filters (vs AK5626)
- Channel-summation mode raises dynamic range beyond the base specification (vs AK5578)
Design Notes
Treat the analog input section as the most sensitive part of the board. Place the AK5578EN close to the input connectors and keep the eight differential input traces short, differentially paired, and referenced to a quiet ground plane that is isolated from the DSP and switching-regulator return currents. Because the converter offers 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB S/(N+D), any leakage or coupling from switching nodes will dominate the noise floor. Follow the grounding, input filter and reference recommendations in the AK5578 English datasheet application section rather than improvising an analog layout.
Plan the TDM or I2S digital link as a controlled-impedance structure. The AK5578EN is designed to connect easily to a DSP over TDM audio formats, but a TDM bus time-shares eight or more channels on one line, so clock skew, jitter and setup/hold margin all matter at 768 kHz frame rates. Route BCLK, data and the frame/latch signal as a matched group, keep stubs short, and confirm the host DSP's I/O standard, I/O voltage and drive strength against the AK5578EN's digital interface requirements in the datasheet.
The 64-QFN (9 x 9 mm) package uses an exposed thermal pad, so its heat path is primarily into the PCB copper. Provide a continuous, unobstructed ground and thermal pad area directly under the device and tie it to the system ground plane with multiple vias, then estimate the converter's self-heating from its analog and digital supply currents and dissipation at the operating sample rate. Because the device is intended for low power consumption, thermal margin is usually comfortable, but a sealed enclosure in a 1U or desktop chassis still needs a thermal check against the maximum ambient temperature.
Two specification traps are easy to hit on this part. First, the 121 dB dynamic range and 112 dB S/(N+D) figures are typical AKM conditions - do not assume they hold with an unbalanced input, an inadequate input filter, or an aggressive gain setting. Second, the DSD path up to 11.2 MHz requires the correct clocking and filter configuration; enabling DSD without the matching system clock setup can produce invalid output rather than a usable stream. Also confirm the order code suffix and packing before releasing the BOM, since AK5578 and AK5578EN are the same converter family in the 64-QFN package.
Compliance Information
The available source data records compliance as RoHS -, REACH - and MSL - (not stated). Compliance status should be confirmed against the AKM product page and the current material declaration before release to production.
