DAC burnt, I am getting sick of it.

[enjoybiking]

I2S via tiny relay? short leads?

9023 is just soic package, dead easy to solder, much harder to deadbug than just solder properly. it takes 2 swipes and a quick cleanup, look for videos on drag soldering, its much easier than you think. but rather than doing your own PCB for USB, Lucians XMOS WaveIO board seems very good, as is the support. it uses u.fl.

I did as you suggested and I am now a pro at soldering ES9023 to these slick little double-sided breakout boards I found on eBay:

5pcs SOIC8 SOP16 SO16 TSSOP16 SOIC16 to DIP16 Adapter PCB Convertor 2 54mm Pin | eBay

I can put components on top AND bottom! They have traces on the back!
I have some great "wet" {not sticky} flux I eye-dropper on...made by some famous solder company.

THEN, I spotted these:

SMD Converter Adapter PCB Board SOIC MSOP TSSOP DIP 6 | eBay

Then I spotted tiny 4PDT relays:

DS4E-S-DC5V - 4PDT 5V 2A DIP Relay

though I believe that model relay has actually reached end-of-life? I WILL try switching DAC ICs with 2 of these : I2S and the sound outs. I expect mixed results. I have TE8802, CM6631 [not A] and TE7022 USB receivers around.
TE8802 AK4396 sounds great, no caps, well, caps in the next device, a BBE SOnic Maximizer with all replaced caps. TE8802 ES9023 {and TE8802 AK4430}, will be fast tests... then repeat with CM6631 the $29 non-A {though it HAS the 45.### and 49.### Mhz clocks} which has been replaced with ~$35USD CM6631A on eBay

Thanks for the push into SMD soldering!! I also got my hands on a hot-air station. My bro-in-law and I plan to mod the famous BDP-51FD Pioneer BluRay player; it has a DAC board FULL of WM8740s -- ChipQuik didn't quite work for me, still cooling too fast with an iron. Traces on the first one waving around {I think I saved it}.