Maxim Integrated
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www.maximintegrated.com
Evaluates: MAX98357A/MAX98357B
(WLP)
MAX98357 Development Board/
Evaluation System (WLP)
Quick Start
Recommended Equipment
• MAX98357 EV system
• 2.5V to 5.5V, 2A DC power supply
• USB audio source (from computer through an audio
media player such as iTunes® or Windows Media®
player)
• 4Ω or 8Ω speaker
Procedure
The EV system is fully assembled and tested. Follow the
steps below to verify board operation. Caution: Do not
turn on the power supply until all connections are
completed.
1) Verify that headers and switches are configured as
follows:
JU2: Pins 1-3 (selects left channel)
JU4: Pins 1-2 (power routed from the
MAXAUDINT001# board)
JU5: Pins 1-5 (12dB GAIN_SLOT)
J
U6: Pins 2-3 (power routed from external supply)
SW1: Position 1-2 (part is on)
2) Set the power-supply output to 5V. Disable the power
supply.
3) Connect the power-supply ground terminal to GND
and the power-supply positive terminal to VIN on the
DEV board.
4) With the audio source disabled, connect the USB
audio source to J1 on the DEV board.
5) Connect the MAXAUDINT001# board to J1 on the DEV
board.
6) Connect the speaker across the OUTP and OUTN test
points.
7) Enable the power-supply output.
8) Enable the audio source.
9) Verify that the speakers are playing the audio source
signal.
Detailed Description of Hardware
The MAX98357 EV system is designed to allow a thor-
ough evaluation of the MAX98357 I2S digital input Class D
power amplifier. The DEV board can be used by itself as a
stand-alone evaluation board and driven directly by audio
test equipment. The DEV board can also be used in con-
junction with the MAXAUDINT001# board, which allows for
any computer to become an I2S digital audio source.
The MAXAUDINT001# board has DC regulators that can
be used to power the device. This allows for quick evalu-
ation from a single USB connection. Note that powering
the device from the MAXAUDINT001# board does not
allow for high-power evaluation as the input current is lim-
ited and evaluation with a speaker is not recommended.
Jumpers JU4 and JU6 are used to power the device from
the MAXAUDINT001# board or external supplies con-
nected to test points VIN and VDDIO on the DEV board.
The DEV board operates from a single 2.5V to 5.5V DC
power supply and is capable of delivering 3.2W into a 4Ω
load and 1.75W into an 8Ω load. The device outputs can
be connected directly to a speaker for filterless applica-
tions. However, a filter can be added to ease evaluation.
The LRC components needed for evaluation of a filtered
output are included with the EV kit. The MAX98357A
accepts standard I2S data and the MAX98357B accepts
left-justified digital audio data. Both versions also support
8-channel TDM audio data.
Filterless Output
The DEV board filterless outputs (OUTP, OUTN) can be
connected directly to a speaker load without any filter-
ing. Use the OUTP and OUTN test points to connect the
speaker directly to the device output.
Filtered Output
Audio analyzers typically cannot accept the Class D
amplifier’s pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals at their
inputs. Therefore, the DEV board features optional low-
pass filters at the outputs to ease evaluation. As shipped,
the DEV board’s lowpass filter LRC components are
unpopulated and L1, L2 are shorted on the PCB.
To use the filtered output posts (FOUTP, FOUTN), remove
the shorts on L1 and L2 and install components L1, L2, C3–
C7, and R5, R6. Use the output posts to connect the filtered
outputs to the audio analyzer. The default lowpass filters at
the DEV board output are optimized for a 4Ω speaker.
iTunes is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
Windows Media is registered trademark and registered service
mark of Microsoft Corporation.