Miniature 24-bit/96kHz USB Digital Audio Converter. Plays any digital music content, from wired MP3 to high resolution formats. Compatible with Apple and Windows platforms as well as iOS and Android devices. Class 1 asynchronous USB data transfer using the Stremlenght TM protocol. Constant level output for connection to preamplifiers or tuner amplifiers. The 1.2V output level is sufficient to drive most headphones on the market. It uses the ESS 9010 32-bit DAC with low phase shift filtering. Analog volume control.
Other characteristics
It's been almost four years since the first DragonFly (v1.0) changed the concept of DAC, creating a whole new type of product, a high performance DAC as compact as a USB memory. Only 249 Euros to own it: high quality components and incredible performance made DragonFly a unique product. A year and a half later AudioQuest amazed the audio community again, introducing DragonFly v1.2 for just 149 Euros and which offered unequivocally better performance. The lower price allowed many more people to enjoy their favorite music at a higher level of reproduction.
Now two new DragonFly models, even more performing and convenient and compatible with any Apple and Android device. This last point is essential in a market moment that sees smartphones as the main source of music. In fact, since the day DragonFly was introduced, there have been numerous requests for use in conjunction with the latest generation telephones. Thanks to the availability of new components, the absorption of the new DragonFly is low enough to be accepted by most of the latest generation smartphones.
The new DragonFly have in fact been developed by AudioQuest with Microchip Technology in order to develop a
USB micro-controller (the input processor of a DAC) with high performance and speed, capable of guaranteeing a better signal-to-noise ratio and at the same time much more economical consumption. The results have been excellent, given that the new Microchip MX micro-controller consumes 77% less power than that used in DragonFly 1.2 and allows complete compatibility with Apple and Android phones and tablets. The Apple Camera USB Adapter is required for use with Apple iOS devices and a Made for Android (OTG) adapter such as the AudioQuest DragonTail is sufficient for use with Android devices.
In DragonFly all aspects have been painstakingly taken care of, noise control, the type of regulation for the power supply, the quality of the passive components. And even if the DAC chips used in the DragonFly Red and Black project allowed any resolution, in AudioQuest they preferred to limit it to 24-bit/96kHz, making their use simple and fully compatible with any device, without having to download and install specific support programs . Also, compatibility with higher resolutions usually means more noise, so AudioQuest's best choice was to limit compatibility to 24/96. DragonFly is designed to be the ultimate emotional transport for music; with Spotify, with a YouTube movie, Tidal, CD, or with state of the art high resolution content.
The new DragonFly models use the new 32-bit ESS Saber DAC 9010 for the Black model and the more sophisticated 9016 for the Red model; both employ minimal filtering for natural detail and more realistic sound. While DragonFly Black uses the same amplifier and high-quality analog volume used in DragonFly 1.2, DragonFly Red employs the ESS headphone amplifier with bit-perfect digital volume control inside the 9016 DAC, a sophisticated implementation that guarantees maximum fidelity, high dynamic contrast and an excellent signal to noise ratio.
DragonFly Black's output is capable of reaching 1.2 volts, which is sufficient to effectively drive most preamp input circuits and any reasonably efficient headphones. With DragonFly Red's 2.1 volts, it's compatible with an even wider range of headphones, including low-efficiency, typically power-hungry models. For reference, please note that DragonFly 1.0 and 1.2 are capable of reaching 1.8 volts. The higher output level provided by the Red model becomes a significant advantage with some particularly inefficient headphones on the market, but above all Red offers superior sound quality, much more "torque", "grip" and "force" than the Black model. Red always sounds cleaner and clearer overall, allowing for a bigger soundstage, with each instrument or voice having its own space.
New DragonFlys can be updated via a free Windows and OS X compatible application. As new music players, next-generation audio streaming protocols, or other associated software become available, DragonFly customers will be able to implement their own and without difficulty updates.