AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 Plug-in USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp

80's. You can get more volume, but that's all there is to it. I experimented with lossless files and found them to be quite effective. The claims of a night/day difference are difficult to believe. Is it more common for people to listen with their minds than with their ears? Do you believe they have "Golden Ears" that allow them to hear minute differences that ordinary mortals cannot? br>br>I like to think of myself as a good listener. I'm a Classical Music aficionado who prefers to listen to the best masters of my favorite genre. I can tell the difference in bit rates (128 vs. 256). 320 kbps (kilobytes per second). But this has to be the biggest delusion the audiophile world has ever concocted, right up there with $1,000 cables that promise to turn any music into gleaming diamonds. br>br>Perhaps there is a difference between DACs at a higher price point. This item, on the other hand, accomplishes very little. I didn't try it on my iPhone because I didn't want to waste money on a lightning adapter before I knew what I was getting myself into. I tried it on an Android and was unable to hear anything. Certain phones (mine is a Moto) have compatibility issues. br>br>Best of luck!.

Sara Schmidt

| Aug 26, 2021

br>I've had Black and Red for a few months and listen to them both on a weekly basis, about 10 hours. Despite using some of the best headphones, I can't tell the difference. Black is a fantastic color, and knowing what I know now, I would only purchase another black model. I don't see why I should pay a premium for a minor difference.

Adley Frank

| Aug 26, 2021

This book comes highly recommended. br>br>I purchased the DragonFly to use as a headphone amp/DAC while traveling with my iPhone and Shure 535 headphones. I listen to Tidal lossless (CD Quality) and Spotify on occasion. The sound is good over iPhone / Shure without the DragonFly, but there is graininess throughout the spectrum. After 30-minutes, the instruments lose their juiciness, the sound becomes compressed, and the music becomes tiresome. It takes 60 minutes to complete. When you first hear the Dragonfly, the music is crisp, emotional, juicy, and transparent - I can ignore the irritating graininess and listen to music for up to 5-hours. On a recent long-haul flight, I slept for 6 hours at a time. br>br>The Dragonfly is an ideal portable digital audio converter. It's a small game that you can play from the comfort of your own home. Your phone is connected to your pocket. Does not necessitate the use of additional batteries - It does NOT sound like a MOJO DAC, which elevates the music to an even more nuanced / finer accuracy and realism - it does not drain your phone battery and tips the sound quality of your portable system over to the audiophile side. However, it makes no difference - because the Mojo is too big to fit in your bag- pocket. br>br>I only suggest this device to people who have a lot of money. Headphones that cost more than $400 are considered high-end. If you have headphones that are less than $400, save your money and invest in a better pair - They are going to have a bigger impact. However, if you connect a good pair of headphones to an iPhone without a DragonFly, you will be disappointed. Is it cost-effective? br>br>Is it a good deal? YES! I'm fortunate enough to have a pair of open Grado PS500e (amazing headphones) in my possession. I also use a Mojo DAC at home, and I occasionally use a Brooklyn DAC, which is also connected to a $10,000 stereo, to listen to my headphones. In terms of what a good audio component should sound like and when spending money on sound has diminishing returns, I have a good point of reference. As a portable headphone DAC/Amp, the Dragonfly offers incredible value. I've never spent $200 on a piece of audio equipment that has given me so much pleasure. Is it superior to X, Y, and Z? It's not a big deal. It sounds better than any portable music player you'll ever need - To tell the difference between this and a $2000 DAC on in-ear headphones, you'll have to listen critically. headphones for the ears - You also can't bring a $2000 digital audio converter with you. So, in comparison to its competitors, what matters most is how practical it is - My suggestion is to find out how much it costs. This one is worth purchasing. It's the gold standard in portable headphone DACs; you won't miss the extra $50, and you won't feel the need to upgrade because you got the best. br>br>Note 1: Many people purchase this device to use as a stereo DAC. I didn't try it on my stereo because I'll never use it for that purpose. br>Note 2: If you are looking for a unique way to express yourself, try using the words I haven't done a thorough comparison with the Mojo yet. When I compared it to my Mojo at a store for an hour, I discovered that the Mojo was significantly more realistic on my favorite songs when played back to back - When I went abroad for ten days and listened to the Dragonfly, however, I never missed the Mojo. Instead of being bound by cables and having to charge yet another device, the Mojo has become my go-to amplifier at home. br>Note 3: My experience with the Shure SE535 headphones is the basis for this entire review. I haven't spent a lot of time listening to the PS500e Grados. In comparison to the Mojo, the Grado's may reveal more about the DragonFly's flaws. This isn't a problem for me because the Grados are "open air," and that doesn't work outside - As a result, the analogy is futile.

Messiah Gordon

| Feb 07, 2021

I started exploring the audiophile world (or rabbit hole, depending on who you ask) a few months ago, and I've had a lot of fun trying out different headphones, DACs/AMPs, and hi-fi systems. My goal is to (1) find combinations I like and stick with them, rather than endlessly salivating over things I don't own, and (2) find good values that fit my lifestyle and make sense (e. g. , res tracks). I'm not going to tell my kids they can't go to college because I need new headphones, but I'm also not fooling myself into thinking a $20 pair will sound as good as a $100 pair. fi) and (3) avoid becoming the guy who uses snobbish "audio sommelier" terms that I see on message boards all too often. br>br>In the DAC/AMP world, I've already tried the Fiio Q1 (which was fine but didn't do much for me) and the OPPO HA-100 (which was also fine but didn't do much for me). 2 (It appeared to be extremely well-made - heightened the volume of everything - However, in the treble department, it was ultimately too harsh/sterile). I've had my eye on the Chord Mojo for a while and would love to hear it. It sounds fantastic, without a doubt! However, I am concerned that it will not sound "$600 fantastic" to me (see point 2 above). Then, just a few weeks ago, I came across Darko's review of this new Red and knew I had to give it a shot. br>br>I'm listening to it on an iPhone 5s via the Apple CCK (using Onkyo HF Player), an iPod Touch 6th Gen (via Korg's iAudioGate), and my Macbook Air (using Roon). Set- up is super quick and intuitive, and Audioquest did a great job of including a detailed layperson's guide that tells you everything you need to know (and why, which is kind of cool in the audio world - Too many businesses treat you as if you already have a Master's Degree in HiFi Audio. Bonus material: Audioquest also included a nice travel pouch, a voucher for HDtracks, and a 60-day trial of their software. day free Roon trial (this is fantastic, because Roon's trial period is only 14 days). I'd strongly advise you to read up on Roon if you haven't already - It enables you to listen to higher-resolution music on your Mac. It's a lot more enjoyable, intuitive, and exploratory than the default iTunes player. It's compatible with Tidal. It also improves the sound quality of your music. The Onkyo HF Player for iPhone does the same thing. Let's get right to the point. br>br>In any case, let's get to it. What does the Red sound like to you? It's excellent - If you have good headphones and are using better sources (such as the players I mentioned earlier), you should be fine. If you don't do any of these things, your music will become louder but not necessarily better. I'm wearing HIFIMAN HE400s, which are great open-style/planar magnetic headphones that have a lot of good reviews. They're already efficient, so an amp isn't required; however, most things sound better with one. Anyway, if you're curious about how the Red improves the sound, here's my best explanation: more complete and realistic Take a look at a comb if you want to get a sense of what I Consider this a visual representation of your music without the use of a DAC or an amplifier. Consider what happens if all of the tiny gaps between the comb's teeth are filled in. The DAC/AMP will operate in this manner. It seems to fill in any gaps/missing information/details you weren't aware of, making everything sound a little louder/clearer/lusher/more realistic/enjoyable overall. Kick drums have a deeper bass end. On guitars and bass notes, there is a lot more "plucking. " Snare drums with more snap. as well as minor details such as hi-res images Suddenly, the hat cymbals sound real, rather than a digital copy of what's real (if that makes sense). There's also more separation between instruments, creating the "space" you've read about, so you feel like you're in a studio surrounded by musicians rather than just hearing a wall of sound. I conducted an A/B test of a well-known rock song, listening to identical sections with and without the Red. I discovered that without it, the bass guitar blends into the drums. You'd hear it sometimes and not hear it other times (it was just muddy). The red, on the other hand, features a distinct bass guitar and drummer. br>br>Don't get me wrong - I love my job. Overall, there isn't a huge night/day difference that knocks you out - You won't be disappointed if you don't expect it. Instead, if you invest in good music, good headphones, and good sources, you will notice the difference and appreciate the positive contributions the Dragonfly makes, and you will want to listen to more of your music. In addition, here's a geeky cool thing that's actually useful: The device's dragon glows and changes colors to indicate the sample rate of your music. br>br>THE END RESULTS: The sound quality is excellent. It's a fantastic value. They put a lot of thought into the booklet add-ons, which is a nice touch. The ease of use is excellent. And the fact that it looks promising for the future. It's great that it's proof (they made it to allow for firmware updates). I believe you will enjoy it if any of the above describes your philosophy.

- br>1 MONTH LATER UPDATE: I knew I'd be interested in the CHORD Mojo for the rest of my life, so I decided to give it a try. I spent about a week with it, and my 100% honest-to-God to-God to-God to-God to-God to-God to-God to-God The goodness of it was: There was no discernible difference between the DragonFly Red and the Mojo in my opinion. They both improve the sound of my music, but neither is better than the other (at least to my ears). br>br>I'm sure there are measurements, tests, or other evidence that Mojo "wins. " I, on the other hand, was unable to detect it. I'm not sure if that's because there's no discernible difference between the two or because my equipment (I use Hifiman HE-1) isn't up to the task. My ears aren't "golden" enough to tell the difference between the 400s, Westone W30, and Audeze Sine (all of which are far from entry level gear). Who knows, who knows? Others, I'm sure, claim to be able to distinguish between the two. Mojo, in any case, sounded fantastic. Red, on the other hand, does. And Red is a third of the price, has firmware upgrades, is much more discreet/portable, and never needs to be charged (I had one annoying experience where I sat down to listen to music and Mojo's battery died 10 minutes later, requiring a three-hour recharge). As a result, I gave Mojo back and kept Red.

Morgan Herrera

| Nov 19, 2021