Is this a real TDA1541A?

If a fake is manufactured using the original die, then that would make it a counterfeit, but it would still be a real TDA1541A. I've used a few chips with recent dates and they sound fine.
Most of the chips on Aliexpress are used pulls which some are cleaned up, and others have dirt and dust on them. A fake just doesn't work at all. But if someone is advertising an S1 or S2 I would not trust that it is genuine. I also don't know why people get so excited about S2 chips, it measures better by 1dB - who cares!!! Will you hear it? Really?
 
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On aliexpress they happely advertise with TDA1541 S2. They use the real '97 S2 picture

Http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6112901760.html

You get a chip like first picture from kazap. Seller persists that they are selling a genuine product. Should these sellers know that there are selling fakes products?

I think they probably do know they are selling fakes if they are smart enough to use a genuine picture and then sell an obvious fake with the wrong printing.

Can you get a refund?
 
If a fake is manufactured using the original die, then that would make it a counterfeit, but it would still be a real TDA1541A. I've used a few chips with recent dates and they sound fine.
Most of the chips on Aliexpress are used pulls which some are cleaned up, and others have dirt and dust on them. A fake just doesn't work at all. But if someone is advertising an S1 or S2 I would not trust that it is genuine. I also don't know why people get so excited about S2 chips, it measures better by 1dB - who cares!!! Will you hear it? Really?

What most of us call fake TDA1541a are usually remarked TDA1541a or if your really unlucky a TDA1541 (non-a). TDA1541a R1 are cheap. Forging the printing to make it appear to be an S2 can increase the value by $400.
 
There are several ways to fake a TDA1541A S1, S2

a.- Take one original legitimate and add TDA1541A S1, S2 and one or two crown.
It is as it was in the IC manufactured with authentic production by Philips

b.- Making a modern copy and label directly, which is what they do in asia directly. Many S1 or S2 with the same year and week of manufacturing fake ...

The best is out of an old native cd player, but never spend money on S1, S2, it costs a lot to win work
 
The forgery harder to detect is when a TDA1541A S1 or S2 not legitimate, one or two crowns were added ... we have no way to prove it, and the ear is not detected.

I have owned and heard the real '97 S2 against older chips. To my ears the difference was often significant. More backgroud silence, more clean, secure sound. I have the possibility to test the 'Aliexpress S2' against the real '97 S2' at a friends place with a Philips 960 DAC.
 
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Hi I have owned several original S2 chips (1997) en several R1 (1998) Taiwan chips and they sound very much alike. IMO the difference in sound quality did not justify the price difference. The R1 is way cheaper.

Both Taiwan chips were significantly better than the old dutch chips, be it S1 or not.
 
Hi I have owned several original S2 chips (1997) en several R1 (1998) Taiwan chips and they sound very much alike. IMO the difference in sound quality did not justify the price difference. The R1 is way cheaper.

Both Taiwan chips were significantly better than the old dutch chips, be it S1 or not.

Hi Jean Paul,
Do i remember right that you bought a few '97 S2's from me? :) Can you post a picture of the genuine 1998 R1? I don't know that one. Are these still for sale as you know? BTW, do you notice difference between the Taiwan chips and the N2? You have these too isn't it?
 
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Joined 2002
Hi I have sold all TDA chips long ago so I can't check anymore. In fact you are right, it were N2 chips, excuse me for the mistake. They were TDA1541A/N2 HSH9804 11266 TAIWAN. Anyway, these N2 Taiwan chips sounded better than the older S1 chips. I compared with several original S1 chips I had in my posession then. The original S2 Taiwan are good but their absurd prices are not justified IMO. I bought the S2 chips from an asian company I think ?!

Anyway, even if you like tomatosoup very much it will bore you when you eat it every day for a week or so. After having been busy with TDA chips quite some time I stopped all activities regarding TDA chips and went the ESS way just because they are different. ESS chips also sound very good and are IMO easier to implement. Never compared both systems and maybe that was a right decision :) Latest device is a Nuforce DDA-100 so no DAC at all anymore.
 
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Jp, Gary said the same to me and finally come back to be to the list of RyanJ...
You know it is a time life hobby... ni shame to like it...
Your Es board has for sure a very good SQ/P... but agree we can change of sound sometimes...we just promise the fidility to our wives...
 
The eBay TDA1541A fakes are getting much better with the printing.

I really have to congratulate the Bulgarian forgers on their excellent work.

The Chinese guys are still woeful.

The chip below is trying to present as an early single crown. The genuine early single crown were hand stamped on the right like this forgery.

Its getting very hard to pick them these days. I think its wise to assume anything on eBay is fake unless proven otherwise.
$_57.JPG
 
Hi Oshifis,

Yes I know and have five from broken Philips/marantz cd players, but even here it becomes rare in second hand shop... I was buying them 10 euros to 15 euros in perfect working state ! (with the old good cd reader mechanism I keeped !)

But if I broken them with emc or too hot desoldring i look for a reliable source store ! there is one know in Ireland at 40 euros the chip !

Well my Aya II 2014 from Audial and Distinction-1541 are not finished yet :scratch1:

snell way of life, more involved by learning and listen to music than soldering :rolleyes:
 
Yeah prices I see are £25/chip which might not be genuine from two UK electronics stores . They were only £5/chip a few years ago.

I did pick up a job lot of Creek cd60 mainboards a few years ago. I think they were service returns so aside from working out if it is feasible to desolder dil the dacs themselves maybe dead. They are likely to be genuine s1's though.