AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC / Headphone Amplifier / MQA Renderer

DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC, by AudioQuest.

The new flagship DAC from AudioQuest takes what music lovers around the world have come to expect from the multi-award-winning DragonFly family — naturally beautiful, seductive sound — and strips away the fuzz and fog that wasn’t even noticeable until Cobalt removed it.

How is this possible? Like the critically acclaimed DragonFly Red, Cobalt has a robust 2.1-volt output to drive almost any headphone, uses a bit-perfect digital volume control for outstanding signal-to-noise ratio, enables seamless compatibility with Apple and Android devices, and is an exceptionally competent and affordable MQA Renderer.

Cobalt’s precedent-setting performance is made possible by multiple significant upgrades:

• New, more advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound.
• Microchip’s superb PIC32MX274 microprocessor draws less current and increases processing speed by 33%.
• Improved power-supply filtering that specifically increases immunity to WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular noise.
• Includes a form-fitting DragonTail female USB-A to male USB-C Adaptor. All DragonTails use AQ’s Carbon-level USB cable.

Of course, Cobalt uses Gordon Rankin’s precedent-setting StreamLength® asynchronous-transfer USB code. Further, in Gordon’s monoClock® technology, a single ultra-low-jitter clock generated from the ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip runs the ESS chip functions as well as all micro controller functions. This superior clock enables DragonFly Cobalt to provide greater resolution and clarity than DACs with multiple clocks.

All this goodness is packed into a sleek new case that measures just 57.5mm x 18.6mm x 11.9mm, making the latest DragonFly 10% smaller and even a bit more pocket-friendly.

Please remember: For even better performance, add a JitterBug!

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.
• Drives headphones directly.
• Fixed output feeds preamp or AV receiver.
• Asynchronous transfer ensures digital timing integrity.

More Information

• AudioQuest Dragonfly Series USB DACs