AD9746BCPZ vs AD9743BCPZRL

The AD9746BCPZ is a dual 14-bit, 250 MSPS digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in a 72-lead LFCSP package, while the AD9743BCPZRL is a dual 10-bit, 250 MSPS DAC in the same 72-lead LFCSP package. The primary difference is resolution: 14-bit for the AD9746 versus 10-bit for the AD9743. Both share the same 250 MSPS update rate, dual-channel architecture, and pin-compatible LFCSP package, but the AD9743BCPZRL is supplied in tape-and-reel packaging (RL suffix) for high-volume assembly.

Yes. Both devices are offered in the same 72-lead LFCSP (CP-72) package and share the same pinout, which allows a common PCB footprint. However, because the AD9746 provides 14-bit resolution and the AD9743 provides 10-bit resolution, designers must verify that the lower-resolution AD9743 meets the system's dynamic performance requirements before substituting it in a board designed for the AD9746.

Both the AD9746BCPZ and the AD9743BCPZRL are specified for a maximum update rate of 250 MSPS. This makes them suitable for wideband communications, instrumentation, and other high-speed signal synthesis applications requiring dual DAC channels at up to 250 MSPS.

The AD9746BCPZ offers 14-bit resolution, providing 16,384 discrete output levels, while the AD9743BCPZRL offers 10-bit resolution, providing 1,024 discrete output levels. The higher resolution of the AD9746 yields lower quantization noise and better spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance, which is important in demanding wideband transmit and instrumentation designs. The AD9743 is better suited to applications where 10-bit resolution is sufficient and reduced digital interface width is advantageous.

Both the AD9746BCPZ and AD9743BCPZRL use a parallel LVCMOS-compatible digital input interface with separate data ports for each DAC channel. The AD9746 accepts 14-bit parallel data per channel, while the AD9743 accepts 10-bit parallel data per channel. Both devices support a dual-port architecture that allows data to be latched on rising and falling edges of the input clock to accommodate the high data rate at 250 MSPS.

The BCPZ suffix indicates the device is supplied in a 72-lead LFCSP package in tray or tube form, while the BCPZRL suffix indicates the same package supplied in tape-and-reel format for automated pick-and-place assembly. The electrical specifications and die are identical for a given resolution grade; only the packaging and shipping format differ. Note that the AD9746BCPZ and AD9743BCPZRL differ in resolution (14-bit vs 10-bit), so the suffix difference is separate from the resolution difference.

Both the AD9746BCPZ and AD9743BCPZRL operate from a single 3.3 V analog supply and a 1.8 V digital supply, with separate analog and digital supply pins to support mixed-signal isolation. They also include an on-chip reference and a flexible output current range, typically programmable from 2 mA to 20 mA per channel, allowing optimization of power consumption versus output swing.

Because both devices share the same 72-lead LFCSP package and pinout, the AD9743BCPZRL can be placed on a board designed for the AD9746BCPZ. However, it is not a functional drop-in replacement: the AD9743 provides only 10-bit resolution versus 14-bit, so the digital data interface width and the achievable dynamic performance differ. A substitution requires revalidation of SNR, SFDR, and system accuracy against the application requirements using the respective manufacturer datasheets.