The Audio Dock: Performance speaker system, which provides the highest level of audio performance, is powered by AC mains and also has provisions for battery power. Using a highly efficient Class-D amplifier extends battery runtime and requires no costly heat sink. The speaker output includes two stereo amplifiers - one to drive the left and right speakers, and the other that drives a dual-coil subwoofer. The system allows audio input from a docking connector, USB streaming audio, or a line input. Newer generation TI audio codecs, such as the TLV320AIC3254, process sound with better audio quality and longer battery life.
TI recognizes that this class of speaker systems has a tradeoff between output power and sound quality, and in the case of a portable system, battery runtime. The block diagrams for the Basic, Portable and Performance audio docking stations represent a balance of these requirements, each optimized for a different usage model.