Description
The portable digital-to-analog converter with headphone amplifier from AudioQuest (USA) - Dragonfly Black 1.5. Thanks to the economical microcontroller from Microchip, the "Dragonfly" has significantly reduced its power consumption and now works seamlessly with smartphones and tablets, both with Apple devices and Android devices. For connectivity with the latter, AudioQuest offers its own adapter, although an OTG cable will also work more simply.
Product information
On board the AudioQuest Dragonfly Black 1.5, there is a built-in amplifier and headphone amplifier, eliminating the need for any additional devices. Connecting to the world of music is as easy as three steps: plug the DAC into the USB port (directly or via an extension) of your laptop/PC or mobile device, select DragonFly as the playback device, and insert your headphones into the DragonFly's 3.5mm jack. The headphone amplifier provides an output voltage of 1.2V, which is sufficient to drive moderately demanding headphones. Volume adjustment is done using an analog controller.
In the 1.5 version of the device, there has been a replacement of the audio chip. Underneath the DragonFly's shell, a 32-bit chip from ESS Technology is now employed. While it doesn't support DSD format, the sound quality has significantly improved. The device supports "high-resolution" audio up to 96kHz/24-bit, and it will downsample higher accuracy files to 96kHz.
The silhouette of the dragonfly, carved into the device's casing, serves both an aesthetic function and an indicator function. The LED illumination changes color depending on the file's sampling frequency being played. Green indicates a 44.1kHz output, blue indicates 48kHz, amber indicates 88.2kHz, and purple indicates a maximum of 96kHz or higher. The DragonFly 1.5 DAC has improved dynamics and meticulous detail reproduction. The sound has gained cleanliness, openness, and richness. In rock compositions, the bass is muscular yet agile and convincing. In vocal performances, the harmonies do not blend into a jumble of sounds; individual voices are well-placed and clearly audible. High frequencies sound precise and natural.
The DragonFly 1.5 unfolds a lifelike virtual soundstage. The spatial positioning of instruments literally comes alive before your eyes. AudioQuest provides dedicated software for their devices, allowing for firmware updates.
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