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Asahi Kasei Microdevices Debuts AK491x Premium Audio Op Amps at HIGH END Vienna 2026
2026/05/22
Overview
Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has unveiled the AK491x series of premium audio operational amplifiers (op amps). These new devices mark a significant expansion of AKM’s analog audio portfolio and will be on display at HIGH END Vienna 2026 from June 4th to 7th at Austria Center Vienna in Hall X2, Booth E07.
AKM extends its VELVET SOUND™ philosophy beyond the DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and into the analog output stage with the introduction of the AK4911 and AK4912, single- and dual-channel op amps.
Headphone demonstration board
About the AK491x series
As DAC performance has continued to evolve, spearheaded by products such as AKM’s AK4499EX, audio designers have found a dearth of op amps that can leverage these aural advances. AKM’s AK491x series delivers upgraded audio performance, with ultra-low noise and distortion characteristics—noise density of 0.96 nV/√Hz and THD+N of −150 dB at 1 kHz—that are unachievable with conventional op amps. An ample ±100 mA output-drive capability enables these new devices to maintain excellent THD+N characteristics even under the most demanding load conditions, such as 8-channel current summing in DAC applications.
Samples of the AK491x series op amps are currently available, mass production scheduled to start in early 2027.
Comments from Seiko Nakamoto, Lead Expert – Audio Product Development
“These are groundbreaking specifications, but the AK491x series was designed with a focus on the listening experience,” said Seiko Nakamoto, Lead Expert – Audio Product Development. “Sound quality cannot be fully defined by numerical values alone. AKM’s development process placed equal emphasis on volume balance, transparency, spatial expansion, and perceived weight. The next frontier for sound quality lies in op amps that achieve both outstanding measured performance and a qualitative musical experience ‘as if you were there.’”
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