AudioQuest – DragonFly Cobalt

Designed in the USA 1 Year ofWarranty Ideal forAudiophiles Best Suited forPortable Use ESS ES9038Q2MDAC Chip 2.1 VoltsPower Output Pair with Laptop via USB Super LightweightDesign DESCRIPTION THE ULTIMATE PORTABLE AMP/DAC The AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt has been developed in partnership with Gordon Rankin and Microchip Technologies. It has a better signal to noise ratio and a much lower power consumption than the original DragonFly. It consists of Gordon’s monoClock® (single ultra-low-jitter clock). Thanks to the new Microchip PIC32MX274 microcontroller, the processing speed increases by 33%. This makes it perfect to play music at all kinds of resolution (including MQA) and from any music streaming app of your choice. ESS ES9038Q2M DAC CHIP & 9601 AMP FOR POWERFUL SOUND WITH LESSER NOISE The DragonFly Cobalt has an output of 2.1 volts—enough power to successfully drive all preamplifier input circuits and a wide range of today’s efficient headphones. Its improved power supply filtering specifically reduces the noise of WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular signals. It comes with a 32-bit ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip that employs minimum-phase slow roll-off filtering for naturally detailed, more authentic sound. The ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amp and bit-perfect digital volume control add that much-needed power. You can use the source device’s volume controls to adjust the DragonFly Cobalt’s volume. WORKS BEST WITH ANY DEVICE OF YOUR CHOICE The DragonFly Cobalt’s software can be easily upgraded thanks to the Desktop Device Manager. It includes a form-fitting DragonTail USB-A to USB-C Adaptor. All DragonTails use AQ’s Carbon-level USB cable. Streamlength™ asynchronous USB code ensures low jitter, low resource load, minimal packet errors, world-class audio playback, and reliable connectivity between the DAC and any computing device with a USB input. It requires no additional drivers, making the DragonFly Cobalt virtually plug-and-play for Apple, Windows, iOS and Android users. SUPPORTS MQA FOR MASTER-QUALITY SOUND The Dragonfly Cobalt 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. SPECS SPECIFICATIONS 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 64-position, 64-bit, bit-perfect OUTPUT VOLTAGE 2.1 HEADPHONE AMP ESS Sabre 9601 DAC CHIP ESS ES9038Q2M with minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound MICROCONTROLLER Microchip PIC32MX274 reduces current draw and increases processing speed by 33% over DragonFlys Black and Red DIMENSIONS 12mm H x 19mm W by 57mm L SUPPORTED INPUTS 3.5mm Stereo Jack WEIGHT 22g IN THE BOX BOX CONTENTS 1. AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB DAC 2. DragonTail USB-A to USB-C Adaptor 3. Travel Pouch 4. Flight Manual FAQS What are the main differences between DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt? All DragonFlys are designed to preserve the body, warmth, and natural beauty in music. We like to think of the progression like this: Black is beautiful, Red is more beautiful, and Cobalt is most beautiful. For a complete Model Comparison Chart, Click here. Will DragonFly make my internal computer speakers sound better? No. DragonFly does not use the internal speakers in your computer. 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 models—Black, Red, and Cobalt—are compatible with iOS and Android devices. What kind of audio content can I play through DragonFly? From MP3 to MQA and Hi-Res, DragonFly adds life, meaning, and color to all of your music. 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 Windows® computer or connect to an iOS® 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. What headphones can I use with the DragonFly? DragonFly is versatile enough to drive virtually any headphone on the market today, from impedances of 10ohm and higher. 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. What is an MQA Renderer? and also matches and compensates the DAC characteristics to the hierarchical target, matching the analog sound heard in the studio. 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. How do I play MQA files from Tidal on my Apple device? As a fully functional MQA renderer, your DragonFly is ready to unfold and play MQA files through the Tidal music-streaming service. If you have a Tidal Master account and want to enjoy the full benefits of Tidal Master (MQA) files through DragonFly, simply adjust your Tidal playback settings: macOS Click on your profile name (located in the top left corner of the Tidal desktop application) Choose “Settings” Select “Streaming” Under “Streaming Audio Quality,” select “Master” Make sure that your DragonFly is selected for Sound Output Beside “Sound Output,” click “More settings” Select “Use Exclusive Mode” Make sure that “Passthrough MQA” is not selected iOS, iPhone, iPad, iPad Pro Click “My Collection” (the heart icon; located in the bottom right of the mobile app) Click the gear wheel (located in the upper right) Scroll down and click “Streaming” Set WiFi to “Master” Set Cellular to your desired option, noting that streaming hi-res with MQA will require a relatively large amount of data Make sure “Optimized playback” is enabled Start at a very low volume and gradually work your way up to a comfortable level How do I play MQA files from Tidal on my Windows computer? To play MQA files from Tidal on a Windows computer, follow these steps in the Tidal app: Click on your profile name Choose “Settings” Select “Streaming” Make sure that your DragonFly is selected for Sound Output Beside “Sound Output,” click “More settings” Select “Use Exclusive Mode” Start at a very low volume and gradually work your way up to a comfortable level How do I play MQA files from Tidal on my Android device? For Android playback, we recommend the USB Audio Player Pro media player by eXtream Software Development. Can I use DragonFly with Windows operating systems? Yes. DragonFly is compatible with Windows 7 and later. If you’re running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, please be sure to install the Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 (August 9, 2016), to maintain optimal USB audio performance. Why can’t I select 88.2kHz as the sample rate in Windows 7? Microsoft does not offer native support for 88.2kHz with its Windows 7 operating system. 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. Are there known USB-Audio issues with Windows 8 and Windows RT? Early versions of Windows 8 had compatibility issues with their device drivers and many USB DACs (including DragonFly). If you are running Windows 8, we suggest that you do the following: Make sure your OS has all of the latest updates and service packs installed. Once all OS updates have been installed, check that all hardware device drivers are up to date and compatible with the latest version of Windows 8. There are no reported audio issues with Windows 8.1. The AQ Device Manager is not detecting my DragonFly. What should I do? If the installation is complete and the DragonFly is not visible, you may need to restart your computer to complete the installation process. Can I use DragonFly with Mac OS X? Yes. DragonFly Black, Red, and Cobalt are compatible with OS X (starting with OS 10.6.8 to present). There are no known compatibility issues with OS X. Can I use DragonFly with Apple iOS devices? Yes. DragonFly Black and Red can be used with Apple iOS devices. 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. Can I use DragonFly with Android devices? Yes. DragonFly Black, Red, and Cobalt will work with most Android devices running on Lollipop OS (and some Android devices running on KitKat), provided that the device manufacturer has adhered to the USB specification and implementation, and supports audio over USB. 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. How do I set volume level when using DragonFly? When using DragonFly with headphones, powered speakers, or a power amplifier, start at a low (or zero) volume level, then slowly raise the volume until the desired level is achieved. When using DragonFly with headphones, powered speakers, or a power amplifier, it functions in variable output mode, and we recommend the following steps: Set the volume control of the associated music player application to maximum. Set the computer’s main (operating system) volume control to 25% of maximum. Using the computer’s main (operating system) volume control, adjust the volume to the desired level. 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. DragonFly can play audio data at four different sample rates. Which one should I choose? DragonFly will play music or audio data at sample rates of 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, or 96kHz. 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. What do the various colors of DragonFly’s LED indicate? DragonFly’s LED displays different colors to indicate status or sample rate of audio data. For DragonFlys Black and Red: Red = Standby; Green = 44.1kHz; Blue = 48kHz; Amber = 88.2kHz; Magenta = 96kHz; Purple = MQA. For DragonFly Cobalt: Red = Standby; Green = 44.1kHz; Blue = 48kHz; Yellow = 88.2kHz; Light Blue = 96kHz; Purple = MQA. I purchased high-resolution music files at 24-bit/176.4kHz or 24-bit/192kHz. Can I play these files using my DragonFly? Yes. However, as mentioned above, DragonFly performs best when audio data is processed at its native sample rate. If you have higher resolution files, it is important to choose the correct higher sample rate in order to maximize the benefit of those files. For the best performance with sampling rates above DragonFly’s 96kHz ceiling, files should be played at a rate mathematically related to their native resolution. For instance, a 192kHz file should be played at 96kHz (i.e., 2 x 96000.0 = 192000.0). 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. What music player applications does AudioQuest recommend? While iTunes was once the easy and obvious answer, a cottage industry of higher-performance, add-on applications have since sprouted up. These applications address OS X only. Amarra Audirvana Plus Bit Perfect Pure Music Stand-alone media players (for Apple and Windows) JRiver is a complete audio and video media player, offering both USB and Network (airplay and DLNA) connectivity. Roon works seamlessly with a local media collection and Tidal Streaming services. Additionally, Roon enables streaming to multiple locations, and a complementary iPad application enables an external interface. Tidal is a subscription-based, CD-quality (1411kbps) streaming service. It offers both music and high-definition video content, including full-length concerts Qobuz is a subscription-based streaming service that offers an outstanding selection of hi-resolution content. 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. Is DragonFly a FCC-compliant digital device? DragonFly has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. 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: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that of the receiver. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician. Modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under FCC rules. Is it better to leave DragonFly constantly plugged in, or should I unplug it when it’s not in use? It is completely safe to leave DragonFly plugged in at all times. We hope that you will always want it connected to your music playback device! 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. Do you recommend using JitterBug with DragonFly? We absolutely recommend using JitterBug with DragonFlys Black and Red, both in series (with DragonFly plugged directly into JitterBug) and/or in parallel (with JitterBug plugged into a separate USB port within the host computer). 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. DOWNLOADS Flight Manual DragonFly Cobalt Warranty & Media Reviews 1 Year Warranty Don’t sweat it, this AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt comes with a 1 year 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 SoundMar, 2020 RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS StereophileMar, 2019 PRODUCT DESIGN WINNER The Absolute SoundMar, 2018 EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD Sound & VisionDec, 2016 “If you loved the DragonFly Red as much as we did, and are looking to make the next step up without compromising on size or form, the Cobalt is a no-brainer.” Read More “The AudioQuest – DragonFly Cobalt for sure is the best DragonFly AudioQuest has released up to now. It’s small, pretty, sounds great, is affordable and does full MQA.” Read More “If you’ve already invested in decent wired headphones or IEMs and don’t want to go wireless, the AudioQuest – DragonFly Cobalt is well worth considering!” Read More “Overall, the differences between the two AudioQuest DACs were relatively small, but I preferred the Cobalt for long-term listening.” Read More “Also new to the Cobalt table is “improved power supply filtering” that specifically targets WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular noise. That’s electrical noise (not acoustic).” Read More ” Its sound was obviously more open, quiet, devoid of any slightly grainy or “fizzy” tinge, and effortlessly dynamic. And the bass was just all-around better: deeper, tighter, more everything.” Read More