MINe 109 wrote:

Are ICs more predictable despite (or due to) the greater number of
less-rigorously matched component parts?

ICs are subject to 'process drift' - meaning that their parameters vary. Some
parameters may be specced as much as 10:1 between typical and min/max figures.

Compare making an IC to baking a cake. It's not actually really that different
conceptually in many ways.

As opposed to discrete, which must be absolutely correct?

The performance of discretes is much more predictable, especially with selected
parts - such as for current gain.

A special advantage is that the semiconductor fabrication process can be chosen
to suit the type of semiconductor being made.

A low-voltage small-signal device uses an entirely different process to a
high-voltage high-current large power semiconductor.

ICs don't have this flexibility and therefore have to compromise. Only a few IC
processes are capable of supporting parts with working voltage greater than
40-44 V too.


Graham