12/4/2023 0 Comments Dragonfly cobalt teardown![]() What do you get for the extra coin All three DragonFlys feature Gordon Rankin's StreamLength asynchronous USB code, which allows the DAC chip to control the conversion timing of the samples fed via the USB bus, reducing word-clock jitter. At one end of the DragonFly is a male USB A connection and the other, a 3.5mm socket. costs 299.95 compared with 199.95 for the DragonFly Red and 99.95 for the Black. AudioQuest has taken that design concept and refined it to an irreducible minimum. At its core, the DragonFly Cobalt is a single input USB DAC. If you’re looking to make the next step up in desktop, or even mobile, sound and the asking price is within reach, the Cobalt represents something of a no-brainer. This is a review and detailed measurements of the AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt portable DAC and headphone amplifier ('dongle'). The Cobalts price includes a DragonTail USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adaptor, for use with devices that have a USB-C port, like the iPad Pro. The design follows the same practise as previous DragonFlys. However, the sonic return is such that those wishing to use the Cobalt with their USB-C smartphone should still get one and fork out for a new adaptor instead. Our only real complaint is nothing to do with the sound, only the quality of the DragonTail adaptor. That doesn’t counteract any of the sonic improvements you’re getting for your premium outlay, but some may favour the Red’s more relaxed temperament. It improves on almost every aspect of its older sibling’s five-star presentation, but with that added insight and maturity comes a slight loss of the fluidity that made the Red sound so human. The only reason some people might be put off is that the DragonFly Cobalt is a serious performer. The Cobalt’s hard work is also heard as it belts out grand dynamic shifts before donning its reading glasses to contour those more diminutive quivers. Timing is greatly improved, with beats locking in like puzzle pieces, so much so that it can sometimes leave the DragonFly Red feeling a tad lazy. In both senses, there is measurable progress. You could spend your time analysing the music if you like, the Cobalt makes that easy with its wide-open soundstage and impressive clarity, but AudioQuest has not lost itself entirely in the detail, offering still a keen sense of rhythm and expressive dynamic range. The Cobalt isn’t necessarily concerned with polishing your music, only the lens through which it can be seen: bedroom recordings can still sound intimately lo-fi, purposefully screeching treble remains uncensored and grisly riffs still drag their knuckles along the floor. I spend almost 60/month for Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify and am happy to do so. Access to tens of millions of songs is a very attractive proposition. Lines are indelibly drawn round the edges of each instrument, with granular detail on offer to complement the cleanliness and military precision. The AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt DAC faces a lot more completion in 2021 from a seemingly endless list of new Dongle DACs but it still makes a compelling case for its supremacy. ![]()
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