Amplifier IC 2-Channel (Stereo) Class D 16-SOP PAM8403 mini amplifier module
The PAM8403DR is a filterless Class-D stereo audio amplifier IC manufactured by Diodes Incorporated, designed to deliver efficient, high-quality audio amplification in compact, battery-powered, and USB-powered consumer electronics. The device integrates two independent amplifier channels within a single integrated circuit, providing a complete stereo audio power amplification solution without requiring significant external passive components, making it one of the most widely used Class-D audio amplifier ICs in the consumer and embedded electronics market. AllDataSheet
The Class-D amplification topology used in this device operates by switching the output stage rapidly between supply rail voltage states rather than linearly driving an analog output signal, resulting in significantly higher power conversion efficiency than traditional Class-AB amplifiers. This high efficiency means that the vast majority of the power drawn from the supply is delivered to the speaker loads rather than being dissipated as heat within the IC itself, which is critical in battery-powered applications where minimizing power consumption extends operating time, and in compact enclosures where thermal management is constrained.
The filterless architecture allows the device to drive the speaker directly, requiring no low-pass output filters, thus saving system cost and PCB area. In conventional Class-D amplifiers, the high-frequency switching content in the output must be removed by a passive LC output filter before the signal can be applied to a speaker, adding component cost and board footprint. The PAM8403's filterless design achieves its output filtering effect through the natural inductance of the speaker voice coil itself, eliminating the external filter requirement entirely in most applications while maintaining low distortion and good audio fidelity. AllDataSheet
The device incorporates protection circuitry to safeguard both itself and the connected speaker loads from fault conditions that can arise during normal use, including output short-circuit events, excessive junction temperature caused by high ambient temperature or heavy output loading, and supply voltage conditions outside the normal operating range. These protection features allow the device to recover automatically from transient fault conditions without damage or requiring manual reset, improving system reliability and reducing the risk of speaker or amplifier damage in consumer products.
The device supports a wide range of load impedances, making it compatible with the majority of commonly used small speaker drivers found in portable electronics, desktop multimedia systems, educational devices, and embedded audio applications. Its wide supply voltage operating range makes it directly compatible with USB bus power, single-cell lithium-ion battery power, and regulated supply rails commonly found in embedded system designs. The PAM8403DR is supplied in a compact surface-mount small-outline package on tape-and-reel packaging suitable for automated assembly, with construction compliant to RoHS material restrictions. Note that DigiKey currently lists this part as obsolete, though the device remains available through other distribution channels.
Spec Sheet
Identification
Part Number: PAM8403DR
Device Family: PAM8403
Manufacturer: Diodes Incorporated
Functional Classification
Device Type: Stereo Class-D audio power amplifier IC
Amplifier Topology: Class-D switching amplifier
Number of Channels: Dual channel, stereo
Output Architecture: Filterless, direct speaker drive
Electrical Characteristics
Supply Voltage Range: Wide-range supply, compatible with USB bus power and single-cell lithium battery rails
Output Power Class: Low-watt stereo class, suitable for small speaker drivers
Output Load Impedance: Compatible with standard small speaker load impedances
Audio Quality: Low total harmonic distortion plus noise for high-quality sound reproduction
Efficiency: High efficiency class-D conversion, low heat dissipation
Protection Features
Short-Circuit Protection: Integrated output short-circuit protection
Thermal Shutdown: Automatic overtemperature protection with recovery
Undervoltage Lockout: Supply undervoltage detection and output disable
EMI Management
Filterless Operation: Speaker voice coil inductance acts as output filter
Optional EMI Mitigation: Ferrite bead filter on speaker traces recommended for long trace lengths to reduce high-frequency EMI radiation
Environmental & Qualification
Operating Temperature Range: Extended industrial range
RoHS Compliance: Yes
Lifecycle Status: Obsolete at DigiKey; available through alternate distribution channels
Package
Package Type: Small-outline IC package, SOP-style
Mounting: Surface mount technology (SMT)
Packaging Format
Supply Format: Tape-and-reel