Cadence Launches HiFi 1 DSP: Ultra‑Low‑Power Audio Engine for Wearables & Hearables

In a market that increasingly demands always‑on voice and audio with minimal battery impact, Cadence Design Systems introduces the HiFi 1 DSP—an entirely new, ground‑up design that delivers superior energy efficiency without compromising performance.

The HiFi 1 is a compact evolution of the HiFi 3 family, offering 11–16% smaller silicon area while boosting cycle‑level efficiency for machine‑learning workloads by 60–73%. For LC3 decoding—a cornerstone of next‑generation Bluetooth LE audio—it achieves over 18% cycle efficiency and 14% energy savings, setting a new benchmark for wearable and hearable devices.

Product Marketing Director Prakash Madhvapathy explains that the HiFi 1 was engineered from the ground up to meet the “always‑on” expectations of modern consumers. “It’s not a scaled‑down HiFi 3,” he says. “It’s a purpose‑built solution that extends battery life for voice commands, music playback, and AI‑driven sensor fusion in the smallest form factors.”

Key features that enable these gains include:

• Custom instructions for ITU‑T/3GPP 2019 BASOPs, accelerating speech codecs for longer talk time.
• A neural‑network ISA with optimized load/store paths, slashing energy for keyword spotting and other ML workloads.
• Efficient signal‑processing pipelines that reduce cycles for audio pre‑ and post‑processing.
• Optional low‑latency vector floating‑point unit (VFPU) for higher throughput at lower energy.
• Vector Boolean registers that cut energy in conditional code paths.

Industry analysts echo the significance of this release. Mike Demler, senior analyst at The Linley Group, notes that “the blend of AI, codec, and DSP performance in the HiFi 1 allows next‑gen hearables to deliver superior user experience without sacrificing battery life.”

Fraunhofer IIS, co‑inventor of LC3, praised Cadence’s partnership over the years. Head of Audio for Communications Manfred Lutzky says, “The HiFi 1’s LC3/LC3plus optimization delivers unprecedented ultra‑low energy levels, a game‑changer for battery‑constrained wearables.”

Cadence has also deepened collaboration with Google on TensorFlow Lite Micro. Technical Lead Pete Warden comments, “HiFi 1 significantly reduces the energy footprint of always‑on AI, enabling devices to run longer on a single charge.”

With 160 partners already integrating HiFi DSPs into current‑generation true‑wireless‑stereo earbuds and Bluetooth headsets, the new HiFi 1’s software compatibility ensures a smooth transition for future product lines.

As LC3 adoption spreads and AI‑enabled speech becomes ubiquitous, the HiFi 1 positions Cadence as a key enabler of ultra‑low‑power, always‑on audio solutions across wearables, hearables, automotive, and industrial markets.