Thanks for the detailed response Doogiehowser. I must fall into the Sigma Delta group of fans as I own both a standalone NOS DAC (Shek D2) and a Magnavox CDB460 and find both to be fatiguing to my ears. To be quite honest I find any of today's "budget" DACs (DacMagic, Dac-it, Dragonfly, etc) to be superior.
Why all the love for the TDA1541?
Seems every so often I see this particular chip regarded as the best ever made. I myself have heard it implemented several times over the years and while it is better than some of the budget dacs of just a few years ago, I cannot understand why it's still a popular choice. I understand audio is very subjective but just what does this DAC provide that today's chips can't in your opinion?