Audioquest Dragonfly Red USB DAC & Preamp & Headphone Amp
€206.10€229.00
BEAUTIFUL SOUND FROM ANY MOBILE DEVICE OR COMPUTER
• USB Stick-Sized Digital-to-Analog Converter
• High-Output (2.1 volt)
• Plays All Music Files: MP3 to High-Resolution
• Drives Headphones Directly
• 64 Bit, Bit-Perfect Variable Output Drives Headphones, Powered Speakers, or Power Amp
• Fixed Output Feeds Preamp or Receiver
• Asynchronous Transfer Ensures Digital Timing Integrity
The Next Generation: DragonFly Black & DragonFly Red
While the original DragonFly defined the market for micro-DACs, its USB power draw made it compatible with computers only. Music lovers have craved a more portable version—one that could be reliably used with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. We’re delighted to present two new options that do just that: DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red. Convenience and performance are no longer mutually exclusive. With DragonFly Black and Red, any computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone can be used as a true high-fidelity music player, allowing music lovers to enjoy beautiful sound wherever they go, whenever they please.
AudioQuest, Gordon Rankin, and Microchip: A Beautiful Partnership
AudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology to develop a new high-performance, full-speed USB microcontroller solution that delivers improved signal-to-noise ratio and significantly lower power consumption. Drawing 77% less current than the previous microcontroller, the new Microchip PIC32MX microcontroller enables true compatibility with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Further, we simply cannot overstate the significance of Gordon Rankin’s contributions to AudioQuest. The new DragonFly models embody many of Gordon’s most innovative, creative, and elegant digital-audio solutions to date.
Improved 32-Bit Digital Performance
For greater overall performance, the new DragonFly models also incorporate improved 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chips—the 9010 in Black and the higher-performance 9016 in Red—both of which employ minimum-phase filtering for naturally detailed, more authentic sound. While DragonFly Black uses the same high-quality headphone amp and analog volume control found in DragonFly v1.2, DragonFly Red includes the latest ESS headphone amp and a bit-perfect digital volume control that resides on the 9016 DAC chip itself—a sophisticated implementation that ensures maximum fidelity, dynamic contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio. DragonFly Black will output 1.2 volts—enough power to successfully drive all preamplifier input circuits and a wide range of today’s efficient headphones. Meanwhile, with its higher 2.1-volt output, DragonFly Red will be compatible with a wider range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models. While the DAC chips we’ve selected are remarkably powerful and sophisticated, we’ve intentionally limited DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red’s processing capabilities to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. This makes using the DragonFlys as simple as it’s always been: they’re fully compatible with PCs without having to download and install new drivers. Most importantly, DragonFly is designed to honor the music you already own and love. Whether you’re listening to Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, ripped CDs, or state-of-the-art high-resolution files, DragonFly will deliver a more emotionally compelling and enjoyable experience.
Free Desktop Application for Software Upgradability
The DragonFly Black and Red are software upgradeable through a complimentary Windows or OS X Desktop Application. As new developments arise in music player applications, streaming protocols, or other associated software, DragonFly users are now able to incorporate those updates to their existing devices.
MQA for DragonFly is Here!
Owners of AudioQuest DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red USB DACs can now update their devices to firmware version 1.06 which includes support for MQA rendering and optimizations for use with Android devices.
Updating your DragonFly Black or Red is fast and easy. The update along with instructions and other info can be found here.
For FAQs related to MQA playback on DragonFly, click here.
For more news about MQA and DragonFly, click here