AudioQuest DragonFly DAC

AudioQuest DragonFly DAC

Read our review of the AudioQuest DragonFly here

The centre and soul of the DragonFly from AudioQuest is its 24-BIT ESS Sabre conversion chip, this is a high performance solution you can normally find in high-end CD and BluRay players. The DragonFly can and will comfortably accept a plethora of audio/music files - ranging from space-saving MP3 to CD-standard high resolution files. No matter what the file format, the Dragonfly will ensure that it sounds the best it possibly can.

DragonFly is the 24-bit ESS Sabre™ conversion chip, a high-performance solution that’s typically found in better CD and Blu-ray Disc™ players. DragonFly can accept audio and music files ranging from MP3s and CD-standard 16-bit/44kHz to native 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution, regardless of music file format.  If your computer’s software can recognize and play a format, DragonFly will make it sound its best.

However, the Dragonfly's high-quality digital audio conversion isn't the only reason it sounds as great as it does. The way the audio is moved from computer to dragonfly needed special attention from the device's design crew. Don't forget that digital audiop is kept on computers, and sent to the Dragonfly as a stream of binary code; 1's and 0's. Making beautifully clear sounding music from 1's and 0's is more complicated than simply getting the music information from one place to another. Keeping the subtle, digital timing relationships is essential in order to be able to recreate the analogue wave forn that we hear as speech or music.

Timing mistakes and errors have always been an issue wuith digital audio playback, even more now that computers have been compacted into service as audio source components. The Dragonfly uses a highly intelligent "asynchronous" USB audio data transfer protocol. Instead of sharing the crucial audio 'data clocking'functions with the computer, the Dragonfly commands the timing of the data transfer on its own, which greatly reduces digital timing errors. Also, not all audio is encoded at the same sample rate as other pieces of audio. The Dragonfly makes use of two detatched onboard 'clocks', which makes the mathematical algorithms used to convert the digital audio information in to analogue audio information, optimised for the native sample rate of the file being played (or streamed). This means the least amount of mathmatical manipulation to the original audio data is being ensured, this results in less errors and an overall better quality sound. The clever LED light on the Dragonfly indicates the resolution of the song being played. What do the different colours actually mean? Well at 48kHz, the Dragonfly will emit a blue light, at 88.2kHz, the dragonfly will emit an orange light, at 96kHz, the dragonfly will emit a pink light. 

All of these finely thought of functions and intricate touches give the Dragonfly the ability to make music with a natural clarity and detail that's hugely superior to the sound you would hear from your computer/laptop on its own.  

Features:
Ability to play all music files
Drives and amplifies headphones directly 
Vairable output drives powered speakers or a power amplifier
Asynchronous transfer makes sure that digital timing is integritous
Two clocks enable original resolution up to 24-bit/96kHz

The Dragonfly is a stylishly smooth, flash-drive sized DAC that connects to the USB port on a Mac or Windows PC, turning any computer or laptop in to a truly high-fidelity music source and experience. It doesn't matter if you're at home, or on the go - listening through your headphones, or connecting your computer to a stereo system, the Dragonfly will reveal and uncover all of the emotional expression that makes your favourite music, or films, so enjoyable. No matter how you connect it, the Dragonfly easily and comfortably makes any computer sound better by a huge leap.