DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp

From MP3 to MQA and High-Res: Naturally Beautiful Sound at Your Fingertips - Whenever and Wherever You Want It DragonFly Cobalt, our new flagship...

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Brand AudioQuest
Type Amplifiers
Tags DAC, Pre-Amp, USB

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  • DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp
  • DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp

AU $600
 


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From MP3 to MQA and High-Res: Naturally Beautiful Sound at Your Fingertips - Whenever and Wherever You Want It

DragonFly Cobalt, our new flagship DAC, 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 fuzz and fog that weren't even noticeable until Cobalt removed them.

How is this possible? Like the critically acclaimed DragonFly Red, Cobalt has the 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.


AUDIOQUEST, GORDON RANKIN: A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP
Like all previous DragonFly models, 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 microcontroller functions. This superior clock enables DragonFly Cobalt to provide greater resolution and clarity than DACs with multiple clocks.

WHY THE "SLOW ROLL...?"
Cobalt employs ESS's new flagship ES9038Q2M DAC chip. While the chips used in DragonFlys Black and Red are unbeatable for the price, the minimum-phase slow roll-off filter in the 9038 results in naturally expressive sound that is always emotionally engaging and never fatiguing—a beautiful combination of warmth and detail that we find equally exciting and soothing.

KILLING THE NOISE
In Cobalt, we've taken what we've learned from our recent research and development in noise dissipation to employ power-supply filtering specifically designed to dramatically reduce the increasingly prevalent noise from WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular signals. Successfully combating this noise is absolutely crucial to the preservation of the lowest-level musical details, particularly when it comes to high-res audio—and especially when applied to a portable-audio device such as DragonFly.

BIT-PERFECT VOLUME CONTROL AND 2.1-VOLT OUTPUT
Cobalt features the same ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amp and bit-perfect volume control that give DragonFly Red its unique combination of power and grip over the music. This solution ensures maximum fidelity, thrilling dynamic contrast, and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The 2.1-volt output makes Cobalt and Red compatible with a wide range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models.

There are no audio codec compatibility issues, the Dragonfly range is fully compatible with all PC and Mac models, as well as simple use with iOS and Android devices in conjunction with AudioQuest’s DragonTail adaptor range (available in Lightning, USB-C and Micro USB variants), this is truly a one-stop shop piece of kit for the listener who wants to elevate their digital listening experience. 

With a high quality ESS Sabre 9038 Digital-Analog Converter on board, MQA Certification, and 64 position volume control, the DragonFly Cobalt provides a high end solution for an entry level price. Its minimum-phase, slow roll-off filter creates a real sense of warmth to the sound, which, in conjunction with the 2.1V ESS headphone amp and thorough noise removal technology on board, provides a less fatiguing listen and allows hours of enjoyment at any given time.

Features

  • MQA Certified
  • No codec compatibility issues
  • Works with Macs and PCs
  • Compatible with iOS and Android devices
  • Improved ESS 2.1V Headphone Amplifier
  • High quality ESS ES9038Q2M SABRE DAC
  • Minimum-phase slow roll-off filter - Makes for more warm, expressive sound, giving the unit a more rounded sound
  • 64 position analog volume control
  • Includes USB A - USB-C DragonTail Converter.

     

    STREAM TIDAL MASTERS EVERYWHERE
    DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt support Tidal Masters (MQA) playback from iPhones and Android smartphones. MQA's technology folds high-resolution files into smaller files that can be streamed on the go. As MQA Renderers, DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt complete the unfolding process, allowing music lovers to enjoy a wider selection of high-res music. Click here to learn more about how MQA works.

    STREAM QOBUZ’S VAST CATALOG OF OUTSTANDING HI-RES MUSIC
    DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt support Qobuz high-res playback from iPhones, Android smartphones, and MacOS and Windows computers. Qobuz streams and downloads music in bit-perfect FLAC, the most widely used format for mastering and archiving, at resolutions of up to 24-bit/192kHz. With DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt, listeners can enjoy more than 40 million tracks in lossless 16-bit CD resolution and over 2 million hi-res files. Click here to learn more about how Qobuz works.

    NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL SOUND IS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
    Whatever music turns you on, wherever you are, an AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC delivers inspiring, dynamic, and beautiful sound to earbuds, headphones, powered speakers, or complete audio systems.

    With a DragonFly, music appreciation and exploration are limitless: Plug into an Apple or Windows® computer or connect to an iOS® or Android mobile device. Play YouTube or Vimeo videos. Go hunting on Bandcamp or SoundCloud. Explore playlists on Spotify or Pandora. Stream high-res audio from Tidal or Qobuz. No matter the choice of musical pleasure, DragonFly delivers beautiful sound, unraveling the emotional expression and nuance that makes music and movies so enjoyable.

     

    SPECIFICATIONS

    • DragonFly Black and Red - Status/Sample rates supported (LED indicator color code): Standby (Red), 44.1kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Amber), 96kHz (Magenta), MQA (Purple)
    • DragonFly Cobalt - Status/Sample rates supported (LED indicator color code): Standby (Red), 44.1kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Yellow), 96kHz (Light Blue), MQA (Purple)
    • Volume Control: Analog Volume Control (Black); 64-position, 64-bit, bit-perfect (Red, Cobalt)
    • Output voltage: 1.2 (Black); 2.1 (Red, Cobalt)
    • Headphone Amp: Texas Instruments TPA6130 (Black); ESS Sabre 9601 (Red, Cobalt)
    • DAC Chip: 32-bit ESS 9010 with minimum-phase fast roll-off filter (Black); 32-bit ESS 9016 with minimum-phase fast roll-off filter (Red); ESS ES9038Q2M with minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound (Cobalt)
    • Microcontroller: Microchip PIC32MX (Black, Red); Microchip PIC32MX274 reduces current draw and increases processing speed by 33% over DragonFlys Black and Red (Cobalt)
    • Dimensions: 12mm H x 19mm W x 62mm L (Black, Red); 12mm H x 19mm W by 57mm L (Cobalt)

     


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