AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC
DragonFly is a USB digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) designed to deliver cleaner, clearer, more naturally beautiful sound from any computer, smartphone, or tablet. DragonFly’s unique design allows for playback of any file type regardless of resolution. Natively, DragonFly is capable of decoding 24-bit/96 kHz data.
DragonFly represents the culmination of several new and exciting achievements.
Working closely with Microchip®, a leading provider of microcontrollers and analogue semiconductors, AudioQuest and acclaimed engineer Gordon Rankin developed sophisticated software that enabled the implementation of a new, high-performance class of USB microcontroller. Thanks to their exceedingly low power consumption and extremely low-noise power supplies, the Microchip® microcontrollers achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio, regardless of bit- or sample-rate. Meanwhile, significant advances in DAC chips have allowed AudioQuest to surpass the performance of even the multi-award-winning DragonFly Red.
DragonFly Cobalt uses monoClock® technology and the StreamLength® asynchronous USB code.
With monoClock® technology, a single ultra-low-jitter clock generated from the ESS ES9038 DAC chip runs the ESS headphone amplifier as well as all microcontroller functionalities. This single ultra-low-jitter clock enables DragonFly Cobalt to produce greater resolution and clarity than DACs that employ multiple clocks.
StreamLength® asynchronous USB code ensures improved delivery of the audio samples to the DAC chip. It produces low jitter, low resource load, minimal packet errors, world-class audio playback, and reliable connectivity between the DAC and any computing device compliant with USB Host Mode (as set forth by the USB Organisation). StreamLength® is compatible with the USB Audio Class (UAC) and requires no additional drivers, making DragonFly virtually plug-and-play for Apple™, Windows™, iOS™, and Android™ users.
Key Features
- Plays all music files: MP3 to MQA and High-Res
- Compatible with Apple® and Windows® PCs
- Compatible with iOS devices (requires Apple Camera Adapter/Connection Kit)
- Compatible with Android devices (requires DragonTail or other USB Adaptor for Android Devices)
- MQA Rendering
- 64-position, 64-bit, bit-perfect volume control
- Drives headphones directly (ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amplifier)
- High quality 32-bit ESS ES9038Q2M D/A converter
- Fixed output feeds preamp or AV receiver
- Asynchronous transfer ensures digital timing integrity
- DragonTail-C (USB-C) extender included
| Specifications | |
| Status/Sample Rates Supported (LED Indicator Colour Code) | Standby: Red, 44.1 kHz: Green, 48 kHz: Blue, 88.2 kHz: Yellow, 96 kHz: Light Blue, MQA: Purple |
| Volume Control | 64-Position, 64-Bit, Bit-Perfect |
| Output Voltage | 2.1 V |
| Headphone Amp | ESS Sabre 9601 |
| DAC Chip | 32-Bit ESS ES9038Q2M with Minimum-Phase Slow Roll-Off Filter for More Natural Sound |
| Microcontroller | Microchip PIC32MX274 Reduces Current Draw and Increases Processing Speed by 33% over DragonFlys Black and Red |
| Dimensions (H x W x L) | 12 mm x 19 mm x 57 mm |
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