Simple Class-D audio level shifter/amplifier (or PWM level shifting from 3.3V)?

[wb0gaz]

I have a PWM audio source (24 kHz "carrier", width modulated to carry audio envelope.) It is working fine, but with 3.3V out of the microcontroller, it's quite feeble to drive (through a large blocking capacitor) a (4 ohm) speaker.

I added four parallel gates from a 74ACT244 level shifter (at 5V) into the path from the microcontroller PWM output to the (4 ohm) speaker. I now get reasonably good quality audio (tone) and adequate, but not excess volume.

I'd like to carry this one step further.

I would like to buy/build a level shifter that functions like the 74ACT244 parallel gates, but runs from a higher voltage, say 6-12V. I'm open to building, but it would also be of interest if such a thing exists as an IC (3.3V logic in, "6-12V logic" out, 6-12V power supply, and saturated current of up to several amperes (6V/4 ohms = 1.5 amps, at least as a starting point.)

I'm looking for recommendation of such a level shifter or amplifier stage. I'm new to Class D, but I imagine this is what I've stumbled into, and it's fascinating stuff!

Thanks for any getting-started guidance...

Dave

[langwadt]

a gate driver like a TC4422 could work

[wb0gaz]

Thanks! I hadn't thought of using a gate driver, and that certainly makes sense as a starting point, certainly easier than discrete fets!

Dave