Case Study
TE Enables the Birth of the World’s First USB Type-C Linear Power Supply
Fast and reliable, TE makes for a trustworthy partner
MusicLinear
The Solution for Hi-Fi Music Fans
Computer Audio Source (CAS) systems are becoming increasingly popular among music lovers, and in regards to audio quality, power supply is a deciding factor. A clean and low-noise power supply has always been the ultimate prize for music lovers.
MusicLinearTM, the world’s first USB Type-C linear power supply for CAS, is now available for Hi-Fi music fans. The extremely low noise output of MusicLinear is as low as 20% of ordinary switched-mode power supplies. The background noise of the music played with a CAS system using MusicLinear is quieter, allowing music lovers to enjoy richer audio details such as broad pitch range, exquisite trebles, and distinct basses. This revolutionary product is enabled through industry collaborations with the start-up company, BravoLinear, as well as TE Connectivity (TE) and Arrow Electronics. With support from technology professionals of TE and Arrow Electronics, this start-up required only three months to complete the process from product definition to prototyping!
A start-up tested by a two-pronged challenge
MusicLinear is the key product of this start-up company, which posed demanding requirements in terms of product quality, R&D, and production speed. On one hand, it required outstanding EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding performance to achieve ultra-low noise to guarantee the smooth transmission of audio signals and data while preventing crosstalk between signals. On the other hand, the company also demanded a supplier to help accelerate the product launch and to provide comprehensive product, technical, and service support.
“MusicLinear is designed from scratch, and there were no similar products on the market to serve as a reference. This is another challenge that faces any start-up company,” noted the company's COO Andrew Kung.
Fast and reliable, TE makes for a trustworthy partner
Faced with a tight production cycle and the pursuit of perfect product performance, MusicLinear was in urgent need of a flexible and reliable supplier that could respond quickly. TE’s strong resources and local technology team made it the best choice for MusicLinear. The most important factors behind TE partnering with BravoLinear included:
· TE provided fast and comprehensive technical support
· TE met requirements for improving performance parameters such as power, EMI, & noise
· TE’s high level of product reliability
Mr. Kung explained, “TE’s products are famous for their reliability in harsh environments, and because longer power supply life cycles are expected for audio system’s - compared with other consumer electronics - reliability is a huge consideration.”
The R&D process for MusicLinear was quickly completed at the Arrow Electronics' Open Lab located in the Hong Kong Science Park. Mr. Kung, who has 25 years of experience in the electronics industry, stated, “We were able to obtain real-time technology expertise support and access to the latest engineering equipment and facilities available at Arrow Open Lab."
“It is the strong and reliable support provided by TE and its distributor Arrow Electronics, in terms of sample products, product application, and reference designs, that enable us as a start-up to overcome so many design challenges and accelerate time-to-market,” said the company’s CEO Alex Yeung.
TE is a trustworthy partner with very fast response times that provided key support for our start-up company.
- Alex Yeung,
- BravoLinear CEO
3-in-1 Effect: Product advantage, technology support, & local resources
In addition to fast response times, gaining market share depends on the products themselves. Positioned as a high-end product, unparalleled performance must come from strict quality control of the components. Ever since USB Type-C revolutionized the power supply of PCs and mobile devices, the charging ports and data transmission interfaces of more and more new laptops have started to utilize USB Type-C, precisely the reason why the USB Type-C interface was chosen for the MusicLinear linear power supply from the very beginning. Although the high-performance requirements for the interface posed by the USB Type-C linear power supply's own 80W of power and nominal 4 amperes of currents constitute a certain level of application difficulty, TE’s two-way USB Type-C interface with a maximum 100W of power happen to perfectly meet such requirements.
In addition to the power requirements of the power supply, MusicLinear’s premium product positioning demanded stricter requirements for data transmission and interference. If the shielding did not perform superbly, there would be interference between the pins, with signal crosstalk and limitations on the data signal transmission. This is when the outstanding EMI shielding performance of the TE USB Type-C interface showed its true advantage. TE already had validated USB Type-C connectors, and by strengthening the EMI shielding performance of the plug housing, it eliminated unwanted EMI leakage. Compared to legacy products of its kind, it can provide users with an even higher level of performance.
Moreover, when compared to standard pin encapsulation products, TE USB Type-C interface has a unique enhanced rugged design. Engineers introduced an ingenious design to strengthen the connectivity of the connector and the board. For applications that require constant plugging in and unplugging, this greatly increases the product’s durability. Furthermore, fully automated production has essentially been achieved for TE USB Type-C products, which greatly enhances product consistency and reliability.
Future of USB Type-C
In the future, the upgraded versions of MusicLinear will further strengthen the control of output noise, not only lowering the power supply's input noise but also better handling the power supply noise from the computer. At that time, USB Type-C will play a more crucial role in connectors for data transmission and power supplies.
Case Study
TE Enables the Birth of the World’s First USB Type-C Linear Power Supply
Fast and reliable, TE makes for a trustworthy partner
MusicLinear
The Solution for Hi-Fi Music Fans
Computer Audio Source (CAS) systems are becoming increasingly popular among music lovers, and in regards to audio quality, power supply is a deciding factor. A clean and low-noise power supply has always been the ultimate prize for music lovers.
MusicLinearTM, the world’s first USB Type-C linear power supply for CAS, is now available for Hi-Fi music fans. The extremely low noise output of MusicLinear is as low as 20% of ordinary switched-mode power supplies. The background noise of the music played with a CAS system using MusicLinear is quieter, allowing music lovers to enjoy richer audio details such as broad pitch range, exquisite trebles, and distinct basses. This revolutionary product is enabled through industry collaborations with the start-up company, BravoLinear, as well as TE Connectivity (TE) and Arrow Electronics. With support from technology professionals of TE and Arrow Electronics, this start-up required only three months to complete the process from product definition to prototyping!
A start-up tested by a two-pronged challenge
MusicLinear is the key product of this start-up company, which posed demanding requirements in terms of product quality, R&D, and production speed. On one hand, it required outstanding EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding performance to achieve ultra-low noise to guarantee the smooth transmission of audio signals and data while preventing crosstalk between signals. On the other hand, the company also demanded a supplier to help accelerate the product launch and to provide comprehensive product, technical, and service support.
“MusicLinear is designed from scratch, and there were no similar products on the market to serve as a reference. This is another challenge that faces any start-up company,” noted the company's COO Andrew Kung.
Fast and reliable, TE makes for a trustworthy partner
Faced with a tight production cycle and the pursuit of perfect product performance, MusicLinear was in urgent need of a flexible and reliable supplier that could respond quickly. TE’s strong resources and local technology team made it the best choice for MusicLinear. The most important factors behind TE partnering with BravoLinear included:
· TE provided fast and comprehensive technical support
· TE met requirements for improving performance parameters such as power, EMI, & noise
· TE’s high level of product reliability
Mr. Kung explained, “TE’s products are famous for their reliability in harsh environments, and because longer power supply life cycles are expected for audio system’s - compared with other consumer electronics - reliability is a huge consideration.”
The R&D process for MusicLinear was quickly completed at the Arrow Electronics' Open Lab located in the Hong Kong Science Park. Mr. Kung, who has 25 years of experience in the electronics industry, stated, “We were able to obtain real-time technology expertise support and access to the latest engineering equipment and facilities available at Arrow Open Lab."
“It is the strong and reliable support provided by TE and its distributor Arrow Electronics, in terms of sample products, product application, and reference designs, that enable us as a start-up to overcome so many design challenges and accelerate time-to-market,” said the company’s CEO Alex Yeung.
TE is a trustworthy partner with very fast response times that provided key support for our start-up company.
- Alex Yeung,
- BravoLinear CEO
3-in-1 Effect: Product advantage, technology support, & local resources
In addition to fast response times, gaining market share depends on the products themselves. Positioned as a high-end product, unparalleled performance must come from strict quality control of the components. Ever since USB Type-C revolutionized the power supply of PCs and mobile devices, the charging ports and data transmission interfaces of more and more new laptops have started to utilize USB Type-C, precisely the reason why the USB Type-C interface was chosen for the MusicLinear linear power supply from the very beginning. Although the high-performance requirements for the interface posed by the USB Type-C linear power supply's own 80W of power and nominal 4 amperes of currents constitute a certain level of application difficulty, TE’s two-way USB Type-C interface with a maximum 100W of power happen to perfectly meet such requirements.
In addition to the power requirements of the power supply, MusicLinear’s premium product positioning demanded stricter requirements for data transmission and interference. If the shielding did not perform superbly, there would be interference between the pins, with signal crosstalk and limitations on the data signal transmission. This is when the outstanding EMI shielding performance of the TE USB Type-C interface showed its true advantage. TE already had validated USB Type-C connectors, and by strengthening the EMI shielding performance of the plug housing, it eliminated unwanted EMI leakage. Compared to legacy products of its kind, it can provide users with an even higher level of performance.
Moreover, when compared to standard pin encapsulation products, TE USB Type-C interface has a unique enhanced rugged design. Engineers introduced an ingenious design to strengthen the connectivity of the connector and the board. For applications that require constant plugging in and unplugging, this greatly increases the product’s durability. Furthermore, fully automated production has essentially been achieved for TE USB Type-C products, which greatly enhances product consistency and reliability.
Future of USB Type-C
In the future, the upgraded versions of MusicLinear will further strengthen the control of output noise, not only lowering the power supply's input noise but also better handling the power supply noise from the computer. At that time, USB Type-C will play a more crucial role in connectors for data transmission and power supplies.
