The display of individual tones is more layered and has more substance than during playback from the phone, and improvements are also noticeable during rapid focus changes in more complex sections – the sound is completely stable and complete without narrowing the image or other side effects. When allowed to show in full splendor, DragonFly Cobalt will provide an even better definition of tone, with the perfect blend of pleasing neutrality and a wealth of unobtrusive details. Switching to PC-based playback eliminated the USB adapter – which is always a good thing – and added some more stable power. Also, one can notice a certain kind of discreet authority with which this device radiates, so the sound is quite relaxed and the music provides true enjoyment in the long run. Although in absolute terms, the mass of the tones is slightly smaller than that of home D / A converters, DragonFly Cobalt manages to recreate the acoustic features that adorn the instrument. DragonFly Cobalt achieves excellent tonal balance during playback, with even representation and seamless blend of all parts of the audible range. The tones are very clean and the presentation clear, which is largely due to the almost complete absence of background noise. With good headsets, the playback quality is improved by several orders of magnitude over the standard output of a mobile phone. Its ease of use makes it easy to use on the go, and a huge improvement in sound is immediately noticeable. AudioQuest states that this adapter is in the range of Carbon USB cable, and is made of semi-rigid conductors with five percent silver and additional foam insulation to reduce interference. If the DragonFly Cobalt is used with a mobile phone, it is good to know that a DragonTail USB-C port adapter is included in the package. On the other hand, there is support for the increasingly popular MQA format. The resolution is limited to 96 kilohertz and 24 bits, which means that you will not need additional drivers for use with your computer, and the volume control is performed through the player itself. AudioQuest DragonFly Sound Testĭuring use, from the outset, the factory’s intention was to make DragonFly Cobalt as easy to use as possible. Finally, the headphone amplifier used was the ESS 9601 circuit, which provides an output level of up to 2.1 volts. In addition to faster signal flow, this circuit delivers significantly less power – since DragonFly does not have its own power supply, this is significant when used with mobile devices. The receiver is the Microchip PIC32MX274, which is also 32-bit, so the signal is forwarded to the D/A converter directly. The ESS circuit also performs 64-bit bit-perfect output level control, and the control is indirect, via volume control on a PC or mobile device. This 32-bit circuit with HyperStream II architecture is one of the major differences with the weaker models. Inside the small enclosure is a dense pack of electronics, at the center of which lies the digital-to-analog converter ES9038Q2M of the renowned American company ESS Technology. The sound is completely stable and complete without narrowing the image or other side effects. In addition, the case is decorated with a silhouette of a dragonfly, which also serves to signal current resolution with illumination in different colors, a solution AudioQuest has applied since the first DragonFly device.īuy on Amazon Last updated: at 21:39, More Info At the front, under the protective cover, is a gold-plated USB-A port, while on the opposite side is a 3.5mm audio output. As the youngest, but most powerful member of the family, the DragonFly Cobalt is made in blue, and the quality of the case is solid. In all three versions, DragonFly has the size of a slightly larger USB memory, and interestingly, the latest AudioQuest model even managed to shorten the case by five millimeters. AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC ReviewĪs this is not our first DragonFly to test, we can initially see that the visual changes are minimal and are reduced to a slightly more rounded lower case. Therefore, experts at the British company AudioQuest approached the problem from the opposite side, putting the smallest possible dimensions first. There are certainly choices, but mostly cigarette-pack devices, which in size and mass, are often a burden while on the move. Namely, in addition to higher quality and more expensive headphones, this requires the presence of an additional headphone amplifier and DAC. The popular DragonFly from AudioQuest in the latest version retains the title of one of the most compact, if not the most compact, portable D/A converter and headphone amplifier.Īlthough mobile music is more popular than ever due to the advancement of mobile phones, true quality audio is not often encountered in this category.
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