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FM Demodulation with Feedback: Exploring Threshold Reduction Mechanisms

FM Demodulation with Feedback: Exploring Threshold Reduction Mechanisms

By closing a feedback loop around the demodulator, the FMFB architecture narrows the noise bandwidth and lowers the FM threshold, without improving SNR at high CNR.


Exploring the Threshold Constraints of FM Demodulation Through Solved Examples

Exploring the Threshold Constraints of FM Demodulation Through Solved Examples

Working through examples shows how the threshold effect reshapes FM design choices. See how ignoring it can undershoot the required carrier power by over 5x for the same target SNR.


Nuvoton Teams up With Klippel To Reimagine Smart Audio Amplifiers

Nuvoton Teams up With Klippel To Reimagine Smart Audio Amplifiers

New chip weds advanced technology from Nuvoton and Klippel to create a high-performance audio solution for smart audio devices


News Aug 17, 2026 by Duane Benson
Ceva and Actions Show Off Strengths of Bluetooth HDT in New Audio Chips

Ceva and Actions Show Off Strengths of Bluetooth HDT in New Audio Chips

The ATS296X series from Actions Technology combines Ceva's High Data Throughput radio IP with Actions' own dual-RF design, targeting links of roughly 7.5 Mbps.


News Aug 17, 2026 by Luke James
Introduction to the Threshold Effect in FM Systems

Introduction to the Threshold Effect in FM Systems

The standard FM SNR equation breaks down once the carrier-to-noise ratio drops below a critical threshold, revealing a hard limit on trading bandwidth for noise performance.


The TL072: A JFET Op Amp That Became the Default for Audio

The TL072: A JFET Op Amp That Became the Default for Audio

Texas Instruments combined JFET inputs with a bipolar output stage in 1977—and it slowly took over guitar pedals, synthesizers, and mixing desks.


News Aug 14, 2026 by Luke James
A 60 W Class-AB Audio Amplifier: A TDA7296-Based Single-Channel Power Amp

A 60 W Class-AB Audio Amplifier: A TDA7296-Based Single-Channel Power Amp

Learn how to construct a robust DMOS-based board featuring mute and standby controls. It easily drives 4 or 8 Ω loads for your next custom stereo or speaker project.


SNR Analysis of FM Modulation with Arbitrary Message Signals

SNR Analysis of FM Modulation with Arbitrary Message Signals

Deriving a general signal-to-noise expression for frequency modulation with any message signal reveals a core trade-off: more deviation buys better noise performance, but only by using more bandwidth.


NXP Tunes Into Automotive Infotainment With Hybrid Radio-AI Processor

NXP Tunes Into Automotive Infotainment With Hybrid Radio-AI Processor

The compact system footprint and streamlined integration may help automakers adapt to shifting radio policies.


News Aug 06, 2026 by Joshua Tidwell
A 500 mA Power Op Amp Breakout Board With Precision Current Limiting

A 500 mA Power Op Amp Breakout Board With Precision Current Limiting

Safely drive up to ±500 mA into reactive loads. This compact module employs the LT1970A and offers independent 1% source/sink thresholds and onboard fault diagnostics.


Understanding Noise in FM Systems: The Tone-Modulated Scenario, Part 2

Understanding Noise in FM Systems: The Tone-Modulated Scenario, Part 2

This article explores how combining signal and noise power reveals how the FM system’s output SNR scales with carrier amplitude and modulation index.


The MOS 6581 SID: Giving the Commodore 64 Its Voice

The MOS 6581 SID: Giving the Commodore 64 Its Voice

Bob Yannes built a three-voice analog synthesizer onto one die in 1982, and its imperfect filter became the signature sound of an era.


News Jul 31, 2026 by Luke James
A Dual 38W Power Amplifier: A Compact STA540-Based Stereo Audio Board

A Dual 38W Power Amplifier: A Compact STA540-Based Stereo Audio Board

This project brief describes how to build a compact dual-channel power amplifier module that delivers 38 W per channel into 4-ohm speakers using STMicroelectronics' STA540 audio amplifier IC.


Understanding Noise in FM Systems: The Tone-Modulated Scenario, Part 1

Understanding Noise in FM Systems: The Tone-Modulated Scenario, Part 1

Explore how frequency-modulated waves resist interference. We break down the demodulator architecture and derive the exact output signal power for a sinusoidal message.


Infineon Serves up Security IC Supporting USB and NFC Connectivity

Infineon Serves up Security IC Supporting USB and NFC Connectivity

The new SECORA ID Key S USB security solution supports FIDO2 and PKI through hardware and near field interfaces.


News Jul 20, 2026 by Duane Benson
Understanding the Noise Performance of AM Receivers with Envelope Detection

Understanding the Noise Performance of AM Receivers with Envelope Detection

Envelope detection is simple, but that simplicity has a noise-performance cost. Here’s how much SNR conventional AM gives up compared to its coherent counterparts.


The NE565: The Chip That Made the Phase-Locked Loop Practical

The NE565: The Chip That Made the Phase-Locked Loop Practical

Signetics packed a VCO and phase detector into one 14-pin part, turning a daunting feedback technique into something an ordinary engineer could build.


News Jul 17, 2026 by Luke James
New Demands on RF Interconnects—How 5G and AI are Redefining RF Designs

New Demands on RF Interconnects—How 5G and AI are Redefining RF Designs

5G, AI, and quantum computing are pushing RF interconnects to their limits. Learn how engineers are evolving connector designs to ensure signal integrity in compact, high-speed systems.


An Ultra-Low-Noise Pre-Amp For Audio Applications

An Ultra-Low-Noise Pre-Amp For Audio Applications

Build an ultra-low-noise preamplifier with a JFE150 JFET and OPA202 op-amp, perfect for high-impedance sensors, hydrophones, guitar pickups, microphones, and turntables.


Analyzing the Noise Performance of Coherent SSB Demodulators

Analyzing the Noise Performance of Coherent SSB Demodulators

Using a graphical approach, we show that coherent SSB demodulation leaves the input and output SNR unchanged, then compare its noise performance to DSB-SC and baseband systems.