AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt headphone amp/DAC

Description: Product highlightscompatible with Windows® and Mac® computers compatible with iPhone® and iPad® requires Lightning-to-USB adapter (not included); Apple's Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter recommended for best results compatible with some Android devices DragonTail USB-C adapter included may require a DragonTail Micro USB Adapter to connect to some Android devices 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M digital-to-analog conversion chip with minimum-phase filter for nuanced, dynamic sound high-efficiency microcontroller for extremely low power draw and increased processing speed processing speed increased by 33% over DragonFly Red high-performance ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amplifier powered by USB connection no need for external power supply asynchronous USB data transfer using Wavelength Audio, ltd.'s Streamlength® protocol for reduced timing jitter and better sound offers rendering for MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) audio files 3.5mm stereo minijack provides: headphone output (minimum recommended headphone impedance 16 ohms and higher) variable line-level output for driving powered speakers or power amp fixed line-level output for connecting to a preamp or receiver 64-step, bit-perfect digital volume control (operated via your computer or mobile device) supported sample rates: PCM up to 96kHz native resolution (sample rates above 96kHz will play but are down-converted by your computer or mobile device's playback software) incoming sample rate color-coded LED indicator for 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, and 96kHz sampling rates input bit depth: 16 bits, 24 bits output voltage: 2.1 Vrms durable metal construction with blue hardshell finish storage pouch supported operating systems: Windows® 7-10 Apple OS X® (version 10.6.8 or later) Apple iOS® (5 and newer) Android 4.1 and later 3/4"W x 1/2"H x 2-1/4"D warranty: 1 year What's in the boxUSB DAC / PreAmp / Headphone Amp (Cobalt Blue) Protective cap (installed) 6" "Dragon Tail" cable (USB-C male on one end and Type A USB female on other end) Stitched leatherette storage pouch Flight Manual (Instructions) Qobuz promotional offer Tidal promotional offer Warranty/Registration card About this itemWritten by Crutchfield's Jeff Miller The AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt connects to your phone or computer and provides a serious sonic upgrade (flexible DragonTail USB-C adapter included). Super-premium sound, everywhere You might think awesome sound quality is hard to achieve on the go. If so, we'd like to present the handy AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC/headphone amp. It's roughly the size of a thumb drive, and it plugs into your phone or computer to deliver premium, high-precision sound. AudioQuest's highly successful DragonFly models put the USB DAC category on the map, and the Cobalt looks to be the best one yet. It makes for an easy and very effective upgrade to your portable or desktop listening setup. I received a sample of the Cobalt, and shared my listening impressions in the video above — including how it compares to the DragonFly Red and DragonFly Black v1.5. I actually own the latter, and often use it to audition the latest and greatest headphones. It slips right into my laptop bag, and its sound rivals that of some popular (non-portable) desktop DACs out there. And the Cobalt sounds even better — more spacious, with more realistic dynamics and better imaging. AudioQuest's fastest, best-sounding DragonFly AudioQuest loaded the Cobalt with a brand new high-performance USB microcontroller that increases processing speed by 33% (over the DragonFly Red and Black). Faster processing means less extra noise, and ultimately less distortion. This chip also reduces power consumption. That's important if you're listening on the go, because the DragonFly draws its power from your connected mobile device or computer. So you can enjoy the upgraded sound without sucking your phone or laptop's battery dry. A better internal DAC AudioQuest also replaced the DAC found in previous DragonFly models with an improved 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M processor. This high-performance DAC chip features slow minimum-phase filtering for AudioQuest's most nuanced, dynamic sound yet. And it is one reason why this compact DAC/amp can perform at the level of much larger components. The DragonFly Cobalt also features the same headphone amp as the DragonFly Red, which I've found gives even hard-to-drive headphones plenty of volume and punch. (I've even driven some super-sized, power-hungry planar magnetic over-ears with that built-in amp.) And the 64-bit digital volume control offers super-precise sound level adjustment with no loss of detail. Enjoy high-res USB audio The DragonFly Cobalt is designed make everything you listen to sound better. So even the compressed audio you get from MP3s, Spotify®, Apple Music®, or YouTube videos will get a sonic boost. But if you have a high-resolution music collection, or stream lossless music from Qobuz or TIDAL, you can really hear what the Cobalt can do. This DAC will decode high-resolution music files up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution, which is better than CD quality, and it also offers full MQA support. There's little to no fuss as you switch from one file type to the next or one music service to another. The dragonfly-shaped logo on the DAC's exterior even lights up and changes color to verify the resolution of the incoming signal. Some of my listening notes I expand a little more on this in the video above, but I wanted to open up my notebook and share some of the thoughts and listening impressions that I jotted down about the Cobalt. As noted, I use the DragonFly Black quite regularly, so I'm very familiar with its sound. And I really dig the extra punch it adds when listening to headphones. That said, I noticed a major improvement going from the Black to the Cobalt. I listened to both through the Shure SRH1540 closed-backs, a set of studio headphones with a flat frequency response and refreshingly un-flavored sound. So it worked well for judging the differences. I fired up the high-res streaming service Qobuz and jumped around to some of their new remasters. James Taylor song, "Fire and Rain" in 24-bit/96kHz: Everything just seems more condensed through the DragonFly Black. When I switch over to the Cobalt, the soundstage really opens up. And it makes great use of that extra space...vocals more defined, and instruments better separated. High-res version of the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book: The term "natural" is thrown around too much these days when it comes to sound, but that's what I'm hearing Spot-on imaging — all the instruments have room to breathe and are layered deeply into the mix. And her beautiful vocals rise above it all, in such a realistic way. Just a wonderful sense of place, like I'm at a jazz club and all the musicians spread out on the stage in front of me. So potent....Forced me out of the analytical head space, where I can just let the music and whole experience wash over me. The DragonFly Cobalt connects to your iPhone via a Lightning-to-USB connector (sold separately). For headphones or speakers Plug your headphones directly into the DragonFly's stereo 3.5mm mini audio output jack for high-energy private listening. You can also use an optional stereo mini-to-mini cable or mini-to-RCA adapter to feed a line-level signal to a pair of powered speakers, power amplifier, or receiver. Compatible with most phones and computers The DragonFly Cobalt can plug directly into the USB port on a computer, but there are several ways to connect to other dev

Price: 199.95 USD

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

End Time: 2024-08-18T22:45:07.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD