Press Release from Pass Laboratories, April 10, 2006:
Pass Labs is pleased to announce that Texas Instruments
has purchased a non-exclusive license to U.S. patent
# 5,376,899. The amplifier topology, marketed by Pass
under the tradename "SuperSymmetry" provides a means of
achieving high performance with balanced symmetric feedback
and minimal gain stages.
SuperSymmetry has been the basis for amplifiers marketed
by Pass since the 1998 introduction of the X-1000, a 1000
watt power amplifier using only two gain stages - differential
input transistors driving complementary power output transistors.
"The beauty of the design lies in the combination of power
and simplicity. We believe that the highest quality sound
is achieved with a simple gain path, and SuperSymmetry gives
us high performance with minimal complexity and negative
feedback", says inventor Nelson Pass.
Pass Labs is pleased to announce that Texas Instruments
has purchased a non-exclusive license to U.S. patent
# 5,376,899. The amplifier topology, marketed by Pass
under the tradename "SuperSymmetry" provides a means of
achieving high performance with balanced symmetric feedback
and minimal gain stages.
SuperSymmetry has been the basis for amplifiers marketed
by Pass since the 1998 introduction of the X-1000, a 1000
watt power amplifier using only two gain stages - differential
input transistors driving complementary power output transistors.
"The beauty of the design lies in the combination of power
and simplicity. We believe that the highest quality sound
is achieved with a simple gain path, and SuperSymmetry gives
us high performance with minimal complexity and negative
feedback", says inventor Nelson Pass.
Nelson!
Well deserved, NP!
Since I started the reverse engineering process (X100 thread), I believe I was probably the first to alert NP that SuperSymmetry was used in THS series balanced op-amps, at least according to the simplified datasheets. This must have been way back around the year 2001 or so.
So I got to brag a little there, but my point is that NP has been exceedingly gracious, helpful and motivational in his acceptance of our hobby efforts.
I am sure that he has gotten PR/Marketing benefits out of it. Now, he has gotten Intellectual Property revenue out of this, all the more power to him! My point is that NP would be unlikely to look at state of the art op-amps and thus less likely to find this patent breach unless he had been so open about his technology on this very forum.
Well done and well deserved. I hope you got a lot of money for it. It would also be nice to find out what plans TI had for this technology beyond op-amps like the THS4131 etc.
Petter
Since I started the reverse engineering process (X100 thread), I believe I was probably the first to alert NP that SuperSymmetry was used in THS series balanced op-amps, at least according to the simplified datasheets. This must have been way back around the year 2001 or so.
So I got to brag a little there, but my point is that NP has been exceedingly gracious, helpful and motivational in his acceptance of our hobby efforts.
I am sure that he has gotten PR/Marketing benefits out of it. Now, he has gotten Intellectual Property revenue out of this, all the more power to him! My point is that NP would be unlikely to look at state of the art op-amps and thus less likely to find this patent breach unless he had been so open about his technology on this very forum.
Well done and well deserved. I hope you got a lot of money for it. It would also be nice to find out what plans TI had for this technology beyond op-amps like the THS4131 etc.
Petter
OPA1632 is probably their "best" audio offering today in this patent case as I see, tp recall
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/opa1632.html
Since it allows for +-16V rails, my guess is that this device is in for a bit of a rush by people wanting to make simple SuSy Preamps.
Petter
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/opa1632.html
Since it allows for +-16V rails, my guess is that this device is in for a bit of a rush by people wanting to make simple SuSy Preamps.
Petter
>Well done and well deserved.
I second that. I'm sure all agree, also.
I would guess they will manufacture a line of hybrid thick film chip amps. If so, I hope the circuits they find themselves in are thermally sound. I ran across one in which the fan turned on ONLY when the volume control was turned up to a certain level. It resulted in the melting of some solder joints, causing the amp to fail. I found it hard to believe it was designed that way - very poor thermal design.
Whatever amp the chips find themselves in, they are likely to tout the inclusion of the same within. If the overall design is faulty, some will blame the Pass design. You can still find some amps with actual discrete transistors in the output stages. But some I've seen - loaded down with a bunch of SMT computerized junk 
.
To reduce a Pass circuit to an I.C. - I dunno. You can imagine the corporate mental gears turning.
I second that. I'm sure all agree, also.
I would guess they will manufacture a line of hybrid thick film chip amps. If so, I hope the circuits they find themselves in are thermally sound. I ran across one in which the fan turned on ONLY when the volume control was turned up to a certain level. It resulted in the melting of some solder joints, causing the amp to fail. I found it hard to believe it was designed that way - very poor thermal design.
Whatever amp the chips find themselves in, they are likely to tout the inclusion of the same within. If the overall design is faulty, some will blame the Pass design. You can still find some amps with actual discrete transistors in the output stages. But some I've seen - loaded down with a bunch of SMT computerized junk .To reduce a Pass circuit to an I.C. - I dunno. You can imagine the corporate mental gears turning.
jacco,
The end of crummy opamps?
I doubt it.
Remember that--if nothing else--the resistors and capacitors used internally in chips are quite poor by audio standards. Discrete designs will still rule the roost, no matter how elegant the circuit design in a chip.
Nelson,
Do I recall a post a while back from you regarding IP and a certain US chip manufacturer? Might this be a resolution to that problem?
Grey
The end of crummy opamps?
I doubt it.
Remember that--if nothing else--the resistors and capacitors used internally in chips are quite poor by audio standards. Discrete designs will still rule the roost, no matter how elegant the circuit design in a chip.
Nelson,
Do I recall a post a while back from you regarding IP and a certain US chip manufacturer? Might this be a resolution to that problem?
Grey
Hello dear Nelson
I hope you remember when I reminded you an old sansui circuit here , which does use very very similar feedback topology as super symmetry and was published before you built theoretical background and great amplifiers using susy and popularized such a feedback topology.
You know it, I know it and TI guys know it , they are not idiots.
Susy is a great idea and I very appreciate it, but TI could build stuff based on it and claim that their inspiration is elsewhere, and would win at every court.
You know, you are big name and I would suspect TI has some economical business in producing something based on the patent of "the one and the only". Just imagine what if they produce a "pass IC", who will buy it? Every second diyaudio.com member? Even if it is tl071 quality for 30$ per chip? Marked with You, well.... maybe..
Beware, TI are clever, they won't buy something unless they have to or expect profits from such a transaction.
I hope I am wrong here.
kind regards
I hope you remember when I reminded you an old sansui circuit here , which does use very very similar feedback topology as super symmetry and was published before you built theoretical background and great amplifiers using susy and popularized such a feedback topology.
You know it, I know it and TI guys know it , they are not idiots.
Susy is a great idea and I very appreciate it, but TI could build stuff based on it and claim that their inspiration is elsewhere, and would win at every court.
You know, you are big name and I would suspect TI has some economical business in producing something based on the patent of "the one and the only". Just imagine what if they produce a "pass IC", who will buy it? Every second diyaudio.com member? Even if it is tl071 quality for 30$ per chip? Marked with You, well.... maybe..
Beware, TI are clever, they won't buy something unless they have to or expect profits from such a transaction.
I hope I am wrong here.
kind regards
This is great news Nelson, hope this results an excellent business to you and of course is well deserved.
Maybe the product will end on a PC gaming motherboard; competition is fierce on that market. I have seen discrete output fet’s there. So my guess is an integrated for the front end and discrete output.
Maybe the product will end on a PC gaming motherboard; competition is fierce on that market. I have seen discrete output fet’s there. So my guess is an integrated for the front end and discrete output.
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