AudioControl ACP-BIJOU-3100 Compact 3.1 Channel High-Power Integrated Amplifier

Next-generation GaN Semiconductor Amplification Technology

The Bijou 2100 Class-D GaN amplification runs cool to the touch, enabling installation options that otherwise limit traditional amplifier designs. GaN-based amplifier topologies achieve power conversion efficiencies in the 95%-99% range through higher frequency fast switching speeds and lower on-resistance, which reduces conduction loss and lowers thermal temperatures, allowing for higher output power.

Compact Size

GaN implementation requires less circuit board real estate and no ancillary device components to govern thermal convection, resulting in cool-running smaller chassis dimensions with more placement options.   

HDMI eARC Input

Video soundtracks from connected devices or internal streaming services feature immersive audio codecs like Dolby Atmos or DTS. Before HDMI 2.1b, playback of these dynamic audio formats was often riddled with discerning lip sync issues as the display was last to receive the signal. eARC simplifies this process with a single HDMI cable. Automatic lip sync is mandatory for all eARC-equipped devices. It uses a dedicated audio channel via the HDMI cable for discovery, control functions, and precise audio and video alignment. 

Web Configurable and IP-, IR-Controllable

AudioControl provides a programmer-friendly API to integrate the Bijou 2100 into any popular automation ecosystem easily. Setup configuration is intuitive and fast via the web interface. An included remote enables stand-alone IR control.     

GaN amplification: The future of high-performance audio

GaN (Gallium Nitride) amplification uses a cutting-edge semiconductor material known for its high efficiency and superior performance. Originally developed for demanding applications like aerospace and telecommunications, GaN technology allows amplifiers to deliver potent power in a compact, thermally stable design, ensuring exceptional audio performance and reliability. 

In the 1990s, GaN played a crucial role in making Blu-ray technology possible by enabling the development of blue laser diodes that produced 405 nm light directly without the aid of other optical mechanisms, a significant technological achievement. 

Experience unmatched audio performance with GaN technology:

High efficiency: GaN-based amplifiers offer greater power conversion efficiency than silicon MOSFET designs with no thermal drawbacks. Four times faster turn-on switching speeds and twice as fast turn-off results in reduced switching losses that produce heat as a byproduct.    
 

Compact power: GaN’s higher switching frequency and low thermal discharge allow for designs with fewer associated components. This results in less space required for the semiconductors and the elimination of thermal reduction supplements to reduce amplifier chassis sizes.

Improved thermal performance: GaN amps inherently run cooler than MOSFET-based Class-D amplifier designs, providing higher reliability for amplifier longevity and installation flexibility. 

Superior audio quality: The incredible transient response of GaN semiconductors enables nearly perfect reproduction of the incoming audio waveform. Accurate tracking results in less ringing distortion that requires negative feedback to eliminate from audibility, which has always been the nemesis for audio fidelity in Class-D amplifier designs.  

In GaN designs, there is virtually no turn-off overshoot of the waveform, which also masks details in the audio signal.  

Higher operational switching frequencies, 800 kHz compared to 400 kHz for traditional Class-D MOSFET amplifiers, inherently reduce distortion to improve audio quality.   

High-End Audio without the High-End Price: GaN semiconductors are now found in some of audio’s cost-no-object high-end amplifiers, and it is little known how difficult it is to implement GaN devices correctly into an audio architecture. AudioControl engineers have overcome tremendous obstacles to incorporate GaN into the new Bijou series, and the results are clearly audible.