Thread: AudioQuest DragonFly 24/96 Asynchronous USB DAC / Headphone Amp

Hey Guys - The DragonFly from AudioQuest just arrived. Haven't listened yet but a full review will come in due time.

Really looking forward to any comments on this device - very interesting, especially for those of us who travel frequently. Would love to have such a tiny output device *if high quality* for use on the road

AudioQuest worked extensively with Gordon Rankin from Wavelength Audio to develop the DragonFly. The DAC does not contain StreamLength code but nonetheless is an async design from Gordon.

Just plugged in my Sennheiser HD600s to the DragonFly. The sound was really good. Much better than I expected from such a tiny unit.

Chris, can you confirm whether or not this device will work with an iPad via the Camera Connection Kit? I would imagine it would *not*, as it seems that any device that draws any amount of power thru the CCK is now disallowed in iOS :/ but haven't seen this tested / stated anywhere.

I just tried several different connect / disconnect methods and each time I receive the message about the DragonFly requiring too much power via the camera connection kit.

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

I just tried several different connect / disconnect methods and each time I receive the message about the DragonFly requiring too much power via the camera connection kit.

Thanks, Chris - too much to hope for, I suppose. So iPad users (I usually take my iPad with me instead of a full-blown laptop on business trips) are still stuck with those devices that charge via USB but actually run from internal batteries (the FiiO devices, others in that same category).

Are you sure of that Chris? Virtually every ad I see for it says that it is running Streamlength code.
-Paul

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

AudioQuest worked extensively with Gordon Rankin from Wavelength Audio to develop the DragonFly. The DAC does not contain StreamLength code but nonetheless is an async design from Gordon.

Just cleared up my mistake with AQ. It's using streamlength but not the High speed version.

USB prober just reports Wavelength Audio where it usually says streamlength.

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

Just cleared up my mistake with AQ. It's using streamlength but not the High speed version.

...which is why 24/96, I guess. Still an interesting item. Wonder if it would take digital off an iPhone dock. (Even if not, I've got a 13" MacBook Pro and a set of Etymotic ER-4P IEMs, so joy while traveling ain't far away.)

Hey Chris, wonder if you have a computer at home running FreeBSD (or that you would be willing to install it on) to tell me whether DragonFly will work with it?

Very disappointingly, my ESI Juli@ won't provide digital output when running on FreeBSD (to enable it would require somebody to do some work on the driver file), which is a shame since it's such a nice affordable high quality card otherwise. If the DragonFly will work with FreeBSD's USB code, that would make it a really appealing alternative for me.

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

Hey Guys - The DragonFly from AudioQuest just arrived. Haven't listened yet but a full review will come in due time.

You are still using blue ethernet cables? Wow.

Originally Posted by realhifi

You are still using blue ethernet cables? Wow.

???

@jhwalker: I believe taupe is "in" as the ethernet cable color this season. At least it was at the Milan Ethernet Show.

I received it yesterday as well. So far been using it with Audirvana+ and my AKG 701's and K450'S and do like what I am hearing. It is able to drive these headphones nicely. Excellent improvement over the stock headphone jack on the Mac Air.

I added a USB adapter to keep it flush against the Mac.

Sample rates supported, LED indicator color codes: 44.1kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Yellow), 96kHz (White) Analog Audio -- Frequency Response: DC - 22 kHz (44.1kHz sample rate) DC - 24 kHz (48kHz sample rate) DC - 44 kHz (88.2kHz sample rate) DC - 48 kHz (96kHz sample rate)



Looking at it now they must have changed the colors as this one is currently pink.

Here is more information I found:

Capabilities: Drives headphones directly Variable output drives powered speakers or power amp Fixed output feeds preamp or AV receiver Features: 64-position analog volume control Accepts music files up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution Asynchronous Class 1 USB data transfer using the Streamlength(TM) protocol Direct-coupled circuitry from the ESS Sabre DAC chip through the analog volume control and output analog driver section Dual Master Clocks are used to minimize the amount of jitter present in the DAC circuitry Specifications: Sample rates supported, LED indicator color codes: 44.1kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Yellow), 96kHz (White) Analog Audio -- Frequency Response: DC - 22 kHz (44.1kHz sample rate) DC - 24 kHz (48kHz sample rate) DC - 44 kHz (88.2kHz sample rate) DC - 48 kHz (96kHz sample rate) Output voltage: ~= 2vrms Minimum driving impedance (i.e., minimum headphone impedance): ~= 12 ohms Maximum driving power: = 150mW

Originally Posted by realhifi

You are still using blue ethernet cables? Wow.

You bet. Augmented Cat6A 10GbE UTP Cable :~)

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

You bet. Augmented Cat6A 10GbE UTP Cable :~)

Looking forward to a debate about the audible differences of Cat5 vs. Cat6