Audioquest Dragon Fly Copper

Audioquest Dragon Fly Copper

With AudioQuest’s DragonFly USB DAC, music enjoyment and exploration are limitless: Plug it into an Apple or Windows computer, or connect it to an iOS or Android mobile device. Play YouTube or Vimeo videos. Explore Bandcamp or SoundCloud. Discover playlists and podcasts on Spotify, Pandora, or Deezer. Stream high-resolution audio files from Tidal or Qobuz. Regardless of your chosen sonic pleasure, DragonFly unfolds the emotional expression and nuances that make music and movies so enjoyable. Now, more than ever, natural, beautiful sound is right at your fingertips—however you want it, whenever you want it. For easy reference, DragonFly’s LED changes color to indicate playback status or sample rate. Note: A red lens indicates that the device is in standby mode; purple indicates MQA playback.

Plays all music files: MP3 to MQA and Hi-Res

• Compatible with computers, tablets, streamers and mobile devices
• Includes DragonTail USB-C extension cable (iOS mobile devices require Apple Lightning-to-USB adapter)
• Resolution up to 24-bit / 96kHz
• ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound

DragonFly Cobalt: Improved performance, more beauty!
Compared to previous models, the DragonFly Cobalt incorporates several key new features, including a new, more advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound; a more sophisticated Microchip PIC32MX274 microprocessor that reduces power consumption and increases processing speed by 33% compared to DragonFly’s Black and Red; and improved power supply filtering specifically designed to reduce Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular noise that interferes with mobile devices.

• New, more advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound.
• Microchip’s outstanding PIC32MX274 microprocessor consumes less power and increases processing speed by 33%.
• Improved power supply filtering, which specifically increases immunity to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile phone noise.
• Includes a perfectly fitting DragonTail female USB-A to male USB-C adapter.
• All DragonTails use AQ’s carbon-level USB cables.

AudioQuest, Gordon Rankin: A Beautiful Partnership
Like all previous DragonFly models, the Cobalt utilizes Gordon Rankin’s groundbreaking StreamLength® asynchronous transfer USB code. Furthermore, Gordon’s monoClock® technology employs a single ultra-low-jitter clock, generated by the ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip, for both the ESS chip functions and all microcontroller functions. This superior clock enables the DragonFly Cobalt to deliver higher resolution and clarity than DACs with multiple clocks.

*Streamlength and monoClock are registered trademarks of Wavelength Audio, Ltd.

Why the “Slow Roll…?”
Cobalt uses ESS’s new flagship ES9038Q2M DAC chip. While the chips used in DragonFly’s Black and Red are unbeatable for the price, the 9038’s minimum-phase slow roll-off filter results in a naturally expressive sound that is always emotionally engaging and never fatiguing—a beautiful combination of warmth and detail that we find both exciting and soothing.

Eliminate the noise
In Cobalt, we’ve leveraged what we’ve learned from our recent noise reduction research and development to implement power supply filtering specifically designed to dramatically reduce the increasingly prevalent noise from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular signals. Successfully combating this noise is absolutely crucial for preserving the finest musical details, especially when dealing with high-resolution audio formats—and particularly when applied to a portable audio device like DragonFly.

Bit-perfect volume control and 2.1-volt output
Cobalt features the same ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amplifier and bit-perfect volume control that give DragonFly Red its unique combination of power and control over the music. This solution ensures maximum sonic fidelity, exciting dynamic contrast, and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The 2.1-volt output makes Cobalt and Red compatible with a wide range of headphones, including high-powered, inefficient models.

• Plays all music files: MP3 to MQA and Hi-Res
• Compatible with iOS mobile devices (requires Apple Lightning-to-USB adapter) and Android mobile devices (requires USB adapter)
• Drives a wide range of headphones with low to high efficiency
• Variable output drives active loudspeakers or power amplifiers, fixed output feeds preamplifiers or AV receivers
• Includes a perfectly fitting carbon-level DragonTail USB-A to USB-C adapter.
• Native resolution: Up to 24-bit / 96kHz
• Output: 2.1 volts
• Volume control: Digital: 64-bit bit-perfect volume control
• Desktop compatibility: Windows 7 and later; Apple 10.6.8 and later; Linux (no technical support available)
• Mobile compatibility: Apple iOS 5 and later; Android 5.0 and later. For Android devices, see user manual.
• ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with minimum-phase slow-roll-off filter for more natural sound
• Native resolution up to 24-bit / 96kHz
• Connectivity technology: Wired
• Compatible with Apple and Windows PCs