Philips TDA1387 and TDA1545A digital-to-analog converter (DAC)

A popular misconception, especially among the DIY audio/hifi community, is that classic multi-bit digital-to-analog conversion is "superior" (both subjectively and objectively) to more-modern delta-sigma.

This debate has raged for years ...

Unfortunately, those making these claims base their opinions on highly-subjective and (more importantly) non-standardized "tests".

Potentially seeing a sales opportunity, the Chinese market has been flooded with "Philips TDA1387" SOIC DAC chips. One can readily see abundant availability by simply visiting...eBay or Alibaba/Taobao.

Prices for the 8-pin SOIC chips are not high ($2.50 - 5.00 each, plus shipping, all from China/HK sources) -- but are they genuine Philips [debate about fake Chinese TDA Philips is not new]? And even if they are real (and now avail , from China, in the thousands) -- and sooooooooooo multi-bit good!!! -- why aren't they being used by high-end mass-market manufs. (Ayre, Bryston, Classe, Bel Canto, Rega, Arcam, Cambridge Audio, NAD, etc.)?

There are also some TDA1387-based DAC+I/V kits or ready-to-go (in chassis) units, from China/Hong-Kong.

The recent (and abundant) availability of these kits, concomitant with fanboy threads on myriad DIY sites, seems a bit suspicious.The very-similar TDA1545 has proven to be quite unspectacular.

In any case, the DAC chip, by itself, is only ONE SCIENTIFIC PART OF THE DIGITAL STORY. The entire implementation (how carefully it is planned/designed and executed) is the bulk of the story. In other words, a decent (clean) power supply, pcb layout, I/V stage and output topology can make even poor-reputation 1-bit ** bitstream (or MASH) DACs sound decent. (Pejoratively stated, this is sometimes referred to as polishing a turd).