AudioQuest
AudioQuest - DragonFly Black
Portable DAC & Amp
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Designed in the
USA
1 Year of
Warranty
1.2 volts
Power Output
PAIRS WELL WITH THESE ACCESSORIES
THE ULTIMATE PORTABLE DAC/AMP
The AudioQuest DragonFly Black has been developed in partnership with Gordon Rankin and Microchip Technologies. It has a better signal to noise ratio and consumes 77% lesser power than the original DragonFly thanks to the Microchip PIC32MX microcontroller. Streamlength™ asynchronous USB code ensures low jitter, low resource load, minimal packet errors, world-class audio playback and reliable connectivity between the Dragonfly Black and any computing device with a USB output.
ESS SABRE DAC CHIP & TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TPA6130 FOR GREAT SOUND
The DragonFly Black comes with a 32-bit 9010 ESS Sabre DAC chip that employs a minimum-phase fast roll-off filter for a naturally detailed, more authentic sound that can process up to 24-bit/96kHz audio. It features a Texas Instruments TPA6130 amp circuit and analogue volume control. You can use the source device's volume controls to adjust the DragonFly Black's volume.
COMPATIBLE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF HEADPHONE AND SOURCE DEVICES
This tiny DAC/AMP is compatible with a wide range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models. It's compatible with PCs, without needing any additional drivers. You can also use it with your smartphone and enjoy music from your favourite streaming app like Tidal, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube and more. The DragonFly Black's software can be upgraded with the free Windows or Mac desktop app.
SUPPORTS MQA FOR MASTER-QUALITY SOUND
The Dragonfly Black supports Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) playback. This is an award-winning audio technology that's meant to deliver the sound of the original master recording. MQA files are tiny and can easily be streamed using Tidal. 
| STATUS/SAMPLE RATES SUPPORTED (LED INDICATOR COLOR CODE) | Standby (Red), 44.1 kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Amber), 96kHz (Magenta), MQA (Purple) |
| VOLUME CONTROL | Analog Volume Control |
| OUTPUT VOLTAGE | 1.2 |
| HEADPHONE AMP | Texas Instruments TPA6130 |
| DAC CHIP | 32-bit ESS 9010 with minimum-phase fast roll-off filter |
| MICROCONTROLLER | Microchip PIC32MX |
| DIMENSIONS | 12 mm H x 19 mm W x 62 mm L |
| SUPPORTED INPUTS | 3.5 mm Stereo Jack |
| HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE | 10 Ohms & Higher |
| WEIGHT | 22g |
| BOX CONTENTS |
1. AudioQuest DragonFly Black USB DAC
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| 2. Travel Pouch | |
| 3. Flight Manual |
| GENERIC NAME | Headphone Amplifier |
| COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | China |
| IMPORTER DETAILS | Importers Name: Audio One Private Ltd. Address: Lalani Aura, 5th Floor, 34th Road, Khar (W), Mumbai - 400052 Contact No: 022-66716544 |
| NET QUANTITY | 1 |
AudioQuest: Extraordinary Audio Products since 1980
Founded in 1980, AudioQuest is popular for producing and selling a host of audio products and accessories including headphones, Digital-to-analog (DAP) converters, audio cables, power-conditioning products, phono cartridges and other audio accessories. Each AudioQuest product is designed to deliver extraordinary performance and value.
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The Perfect Blend of Quality and Style
AudioQuest offers a wide range of products and accessories from affordable to state of art products. Across this range, the one thing that remains constant is the blend of high-grade materials and sophisticated design. This allows AudioQuest to deliver clear and natural audio which sounds exceptional.
Makers of Critically Acclaimed Headphones
AudioQuest has produced the critically acclaimed NightHawk and NightOwl headphones along with award-winning DragonFly DACs. So be it headphones or DACs, rest assured of the high standard quality across the AudioQuest product range. AudioQuest is dedicated to promoting the pursuit of pleasure while respecting the pursuit of musical truth.
DragonFly is specifically designed to connect to external audio devices, such as headphones, powered desktop speakers, complete audio/video systems, and iOS and Android mobile devices.
Note: DragonFly v1.0 and DragonFly v1.2 are designed to work with computers and laptops only; they are not designed for use with iOS and Android mobile devices. However, all current-production DragonFly modelsóîBlack, Red, and Cobalt---re compatible with iOS and Android devices.
With all current-production models of AudioQuest's DragonFly USB DAC (Black, Red, Cobalt), music appreciation and exploration are limitless: Plug into an Apple or WindowsŚ¬ computer or connect to an iOSŚ¬ or Android mobile device. Play YouTube or Vimeo videos. Go hunting on Bandcamp or SoundCloud. Explore playlists and podcasts on Spotify, Pandora, or Deezer. Stream high-res audio from Tidal or Qobuz.
No matter the choice of sonic pleasure, DragonFly unravels the emotional expression and nuance that makes music and movies so enjoyable.
While all DragonFly models offer enough output to drive most headphones, DragonFly Black (1.2-volt output) comfortably drives most medium- to moderate-efficiency models and DragonFlys Red and Cobalt (2.1-volt output) easily drive even the lowest-efficiency models.
All current-production AudioQuest DragonFlys (Black, Red, and Cobalt) feature an MQA renderer that enables playback of MQA audio files and streams, delivering the sound of the original master recording. When connected to an MQA Core signal (within TIDAL Masters or Audirvana, for example), DragonFly's purple display indicates the unit is rendering an MQA stream or file.
macOS
iOS, iPhone, iPad, iPad Pro
Fortunately, aftermarket programs such as JRiver Media Center and Foobar2000 bypass the Windows "Hardware and Sound" application and allow native 88.2kHz decoding. For more information please visit www.jriver.com or www.foobar2000.org.
There are no reported audio issues with Windows 8.1.
Yes. DragonFly Black, Red, and Cobalt can be used with Apple iOS devices. An Apple Camera Adapter is required to connect DragonFly to an Apple Lightning device.
In our tests, Apple's Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Adapter (with charging port) sounds better and is more reliable than Apple's less expensive Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter, while also providing the ability to charge during playback. Your mileage may vary. Some users prefer the size of the smaller adapter, while others prefer the performance of the larger adapter. We encourage experimentation.
When DragonFly (Black, Red, Cobalt) is connected to an iOS device using Apple's older Lightning to USB Camera Connection Kit, I can hear clicks and pops in the background of the music. What should I do? In some rare instances, the combination of an iOS device in conjunction with the standard CCK and DragonFly Black, Red, or Cobalt causes a clicking in the background of the music.
Neither we nor Apple have been able to determine why this is, but, in circumstances where this occurs, we've found that using Apple's Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Adapter resolves the problem. In addition, this connector offers improved audio performance over the smaller unit and provides the ability to charge the attached iOS device while listening to music.
To verify that your Android device complies with isochronous USB audio, download and run USB Host Check.
In our early pre-production testing, we found that some Android devices (4.1 OS and newer) do not provide native support for audio over USB. If you find that your Android device (4.1 or newer) does not support audio over USB, we ask that you please contact the manufacturer of your device. To determine whether your device supports audio over USB, consult the user manual or visit the manufacturer's website.
Despite Android's support of USB audio output, there are still hardware manufacturers that do not completely adhere to the USB audio class specification. If you experience this, we recommend the USB Audio Player Pro application.
UAPP includes its own USB audio device driver that is compliant with the USB Organization's USB Audio Host Mode Class specification. Further, it is compatible with various audio formats and will manage music on both the Android's internal memory and inserted SD cards. With the phone connected to the Wi-Fi network, this application can also find and connect to DLNA servers/libraries. USB Audio Player PRO Version 5 now supports audio from Google Music, Tidal (including Tidal Masters), Qobuz, and Shoutcast, and includes an MQA Core Decoder, which will unfold MQA streams from 44.1/48kHz to 88.2/96 kHz and can be combined with DragonFly for further unfolding of even higher sample rates.
When using DragonFly with headphones, powered speakers, or a power amplifier, it functions in variable output mode, and we recommend the following steps:
DragonFly Black is equipped with a 64-step analog volume control. With DragonFly Black connected to a PC or mobile device, adjusting the host's system volume control will, through proxy, control the DragonFly Black's onboard volume. This ensures maximum resolution and the highest sound quality, regardless of volume setting.
In DragonFly Red and Cobalt, we were able to employ a highly sophisticated 64-step, 64-bit, bit-perfect digital volume control. It works similarly: With DragonFly Red/Cobalt connected to a PC or mobile device, adjusting the host's system volume control will, through proxy, control the DragonFly's onboard volume. Here again, we've optimized the volume control to ensure maximum resolution and the highest sound quality, regardless of volume setting.
You can also use DragonFly as a traditional fixed-output source component (such as a CD player, DVD player, or Blu-ray player), connected to a standard input on a receiver or preamplifier. When used in this manner, DragonFly functions in fixed output mode, which allows the overall volume level to be adjusted with the audio/video system's master volume control. For this application, both the music player's volume control and the computer's main (operating system) volume level should be set to maximum.
For the best sound quality, the computer should be configured so that it sends music and audio data to DragonFly that matches the native rate of the music. For example, since all CDs use a sample rate of 44.1kHz, 44.1kHz tends to be the "native rate" of most digital music. In most cases, for most people, this will be the best sample rate to choose.
Choosing a sample rate that is higher than the native rate of a music file will convert the audio data using mathematical approximations that can potentially decrease the sound quality.
Conversely, if you have high-resolution music files, configuring your computer for 44.1kHz (or any other lower sample rate) will cause the computer to down-sample your music to a lower resolution.
When possible, always configure the computer to output the native sample rate of the music you are listening to. Many music player software suites on the market manage this process for you.
By selecting sample rates that are directly divisible, the computer avoids having to do sonically degrading, complex math in its conversions, and allows DragonFly to sound its best.
Stand-alone media players (for Apple and Windows)
For any technical support or questions regarding the functionality or use of these recommended playback applications, please contact the manufacturer. AudioQuest cannot provide technical support for any of these recommended playback applications.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy, and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the equipment under FCC rules.
While repeatedly plugging and unplugging DragonFly will not affect its lifespan or reliability, in general we have found that DACs measure and sound better after being left on for at least 24 hours.
However, because some of JitterBug's filtering is included in DragonFly Cobalt, a JitterBug is not necessary and not recommended with mobile devices or when only one USB port is available. When using Cobalt, you can still optimize the digital audio from a computer, car stereo, or other hardware by adding a JitterBug (in parallel only) into a different USB port.
1 Year Warranty
Don't sweat it, this AudioQuest - DragonFly Black comes with a warranty
from AudioQuest that covers manufacturing defects.
All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.
Read more about AudioQuest's warranty in India.
PRODUCT DESIGN WINNER
The Absolute Sound
Mar, 2020
RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS
Stereophile
Mar, 2019
PRODUCT DESIGN WINNER
The Absolute Sound
Mar, 2018
EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD
Sound & Vision
Dec, 2016
“The DragonFly Black continues this commitment to better sound quality on a budget, but in an even more impressive package. The look may be same, but this is easily the best DragonFly yet.”
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"I've spent almost a year using DragonFly Black and I don't plan on stopping. Anyone who enjoys music and wants to make the most out of listening to it at their desk should seriously consider this."
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"I find the Black to be the most neutral sounding one of the new DragonFly units and it’s also the most energetic one. It’s more that it’s fast sounding with good attack and prat."
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“Through headphones, the DragonFly Black was superior to the original DragonFly in every way. The soundstage was considerably larger.”
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"The DragonFly Black is quite possibly the sharpest high street audio bargain available right now. It’s the quintessential everyman hifi product."
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"Now add to that low power consumption, size and fuss free operation without drivers and I think DF is still great choice in certain usage scenarios."
Read MoreYouTube Reviews
Watch the most popular YouTube reviews for the AudioQuest - DragonFly Black
Customer Reviews
Used with : iPhone 7 plus, Macbook Pro
Headphones Used: Audeze Sine, RHA t20i, Meze 99 Classics, Crossfade M-100
The Dragonfly Black just lights up the music and makes it more enjoyable. The bass is more pronounced and has more weight to it. The soundstage is better, vocals are more prominent and everything is crisper. And it can get really loud.
The only downside is the inability to fine tune the volume. This was not a problem when used with my iPhone but with the MacBook, increasing the volume by one notch resulted in considerable increase in volume.
In order to use the dragonfly with an Android/iPhone, an adapter would be required. For the iPhone, the lightning to USB camera adapter from Apple works best, though it is quite difficult to find one. I purchased mine through Flipkart. I have not yet used the dragonfly on an android device.
Took my AT M50x to a whole new level.Couldnt tell much when compared to my M2Tech Evo DAC. Such a tiny thing can do such wonder, it's truly amazing.
Great service by Headphone zone guys.Periodic update of the courier. Prompt call from team if you drop in a message.
Can anybody suggest a usbc to USB A female cable?
As decribed awesome product!!!! Truly amazing!!!
I have been very impressed with the DragonFly Black. It is perfect for less demanding headphones like my AT M50’s or a set of IEM’s. When driving my HiFiMAN Sundara’s I do notice a bit of a drop off in overall punch and heft of the sound, it seems to be at it’s limit and I have to set the source vol. to about 80-90%. The only gripe I would have is I wish AudioQuest would have updated it to a USB C connector instead of the USB A. That being said it is perfect for driving a set of good IEMs off my iPad. I would even recommend it for a beginner setup as long as you choose you headphones carefully.
Hey Hormazd, thanks for sharing your honest and amazing feedback, we really appreciate it!
its good.
i was expecting more amplification.
Audio output changed to another level
Combined it with signature acoustic head phone.........
The title says it all. It is convenient to carry, sounds very revealing (though a bit treble heavy to my ears) and can provide enough juice to power reasonably demanding IEMs/HPs. However this is a battery monster. Drops my device's battery to half, so a battery pack is must if you want to listen all flight long.
Hey there, nothing makes us happier than knowing you loved your purchase, hope you had a comfortable shopping experience & thank you for the great review & ratings!
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