Excellence EVERYWHERE w/ AudioQuest's DragonFly Cobalt
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- This video sponsored by Voxativ: voxativ.berlin/
Camera: Olaf von Voss | Editor: Jana Dagdagan
For PC, Macs and smartphones: the DragonFly Cobalt (US$299/€299/£269) is AudioQuest’s top-tier USB DAC.
Backstory: darko.audio/20...
10 more thoughts: darko.audio/20...
PLEASE READ! Darko.Audio FAQ:
darko.audio/faq/
AudioQuest DragonFly Red review:
darko.audio/20...
AudioQuest DragonFly Black review:
darko.audio/20...
Further information: www.audioquest...
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Also featured in this video…
Campfire Audio Polaris 2:
campfireaudio....
Xiaomi Mi A1:
darko.audio/20...
LG V40:
www.lg.com/us/...
iPhone 6S Plus:
www.amazon.de/...
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Playlists…
Spotify:
open.spotify.c...
Tidal:
tidal.com/brow...
Qobuz:
play.qobuz.com...
#audioquest #usbdac #dragonflycobalt #portableaudio
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I own a DragonFly Red and this video is exactly what I was looking for. Clear, informative, and beautifully presented. You've got a new subscriber. Thanks!
Same here. I own the Dragonfly Red and because of this video, I impulse bought the Cobalt.
I’m definately upgrading from Red to Cobalt. However, the biggest increase in sound quality I recently expercienced, was the upgrade from Spotify to TIDAL. Even with Spotify on best quality, I nearly fell off my chair when I first heard TIDAL Hifi and especially Master quality.... it’s not cheap, mind you, but for me worth every euro!👍
Sjoerd Nieuwland I agree. The master quality is amazing. Tidal has also opened me up to new music genres as well.
As much as I love Tidal, and I have been a member for several years now, something about Qobuz is slightly tighter. Now mind you I have not tested this on anything but the MBP headphone jack as of yet. Even their 16/44 flac seems tighter. Thier titles are limited though, and their interface is worse than Tidal was in 2015. I recommend doing the trial though.
As to why I'm here, I am using hd600 and really wanted to know if the opinions on the Red, now I'm looking at the Cobalt since most my streaming is in the office. Since you at least have experience with the Red, do you have any opinions on MQA VS HD FLAC on the Dragonfly?
@@lorenmorgan1931 You're right the sound is amazing. I don't know if it's worth $24.95 a month, I'm still debating that, but the sound is phenomenal. I do have Grado RS1's with a Grado headphone amp. I was able to get those 2 things for under $300. The guy I got it from practically gave them away.
@@johnblack8036 thats the price of one vinyl album....per month, of course, it's worth it...
Well, I don't want to say that Spotify is rubbish, because they democratized the music and changed the game, so I respect them. But Tidal is totally another league.
Filming, editing, audio is very well done - in this and in all the other Darko videos I've seen. Good job!
Wonderful review. Nice job John! When it comes to digital you are my favorite reviewer. Thank you for your hard work and professionalism.
Thanks so much for the great review john, i bought one from richer sounds and paired it with my Imac and harmon kardon soundsticks , with spotify was great , but the cobalt came with a 2 month free Tidal HiFi account , wish it didn't , because WOW , and now its going to cost me £19.99 a month as i cant go back after that sound, its bloody awesome.
Great review John. You answered my main question as a current owner of the Dragonfly Red. Now it’s just a waiting game of when it’s available for purchasing!
what are you going to do with red dragonfly ?
Such a carefully balanced user of language to convey the thoughts, a delicate descriptive hyphenator! Always - - always good videos. Thank you so much.
He has a silky tongue and keeps selling me stuff. My wallet hurts! ;)
Rottenlead tell me about it. Schiit Modi 3, Allo Digione Signature, chord poly, Audioquest Carbon usb. Now I’m looking at the campfire Polaris v2
my best audio upgrade evva! Thanks for the awesome tip mr.Darko, and keep up the good work. Sub'ed a long time ago
I was a Red user for a couple of years and loved it. Recently, got the EarStudio ES100, which to me is leaps and bounds better than the Red and much more feature packed and versatile. And, the killer is that it’s at a price point that doesn’t make sense given its sound and build quality. It’s a must have!!
Ali Shafai I just looked it up online and it’s a very interesting product. How well is the mic and it’s functionality when receiving and taking calls?
LOVE this review! Always wanted to purchase the dragonfly red. Now, my decision to wait seems to be quite timely and fruitful! Love the thoroughness, and explanation Regarding the differences. Thanks again.
Even if I can't afford the majority of the products that you review, I still enjoy your videos. The scripting and also the direction is well done, I really like listen you
Hey man,
Excellent review. I'm defintely steppin' up from Red to Cobalt after watching this.
You and I listen to exactly the same music. From techno to lo-fi electronica/hip hop. Cool! :)
I’ve been following you for years Darko, this is your best work yet. Love the video reviews, so much more refreshing than traditional editorials. Love the scenery of your town
Now that’s an office......great coffee and music. Great channel, I learn something every time I watch it
Hi John. First time to the group. I'm an addict. My name's Martin and I'm a subscriber. I've watched this vid about 10 times...5, before I plumped for the Cobalt (my first Drgonfly), and you're right, it's "bloody fantastic". I've just watched again, and to see you out and about, free to travel with no restrictions is an added joy. Anyhow...When I bought the Cobalt, my daily driver was a Note 9, and found the sound was crisper, clearer, more head(sound)space, and overall a glory to behold. I'm using Camp Fire Comet (again as a result of one of your vids) and I'm delighted with that rig. A few months back I went back to my stable of an iPhone in the shape of a 11 Pro Max, and again the sound reproduction with my Cobalt & Comet is glorious....but....soooooo different in its joy giving. Whereas the Note 9 gave crystal clarity, the 11PM has a more smoother, more creamier delivery. Chocolate and Cheese, of which I love both. But therein lies my problem....which do I rock when I travel? I went down the cobalt route to minimise my gear carrying, but now it all depends on my travel type. When I'm flying, I take the Note 9 with me as a DAP, because the sound is clearer/brighter above the engine drone (the Comets do a great job of sound isolation by the way), but when I'm out and about, walking or trams, my 11PM is just wonderful in it's own right. I just wanted to drop by to say thank you. You're erudite insight has helped guide me to find my happy places...now it's just about where those places are and how I get there. Keep it up fella. Ta muchly.
Had no idea you lived in 'straya, John. Good on ya!👍👍
This is one of the better audio/audiophile channels on YT. 👌 Good job to all of you!
I know that this review is 5 years old, but I would like to thank you for reaffirming that I made a good choice when I purchased the Cobalt and that I am currently waiting for it to arrive. Good quality audio is important to me and as of late I have been made to suffer from some quite inadequate and inferior sound quality via my computer and Android phone. It definitely can have a negative effect on your mood and well being. Again I thank you!
1) Great review, 2) great production and cam work in this vid...really enjoyed being in "Berlin" with you...this takes huge effort & creativity and we viewers really appreciate it!, 3) what is/are the audio track(s) playing behind the Berlin train scenes at ~ 7:15 & 10:20...I checked out all the songs on the playlist and could not hear them in there...they're very nice track(s) that I'd love to buy a copy of.
I have just purchased another cobalt today after my old one gave up after 3 years (the inside jack socket has detached from the ciruit board, likely from carying it in the pocket basically everywhere I go - after soldering it myself few times it finally gave up for good).
It's been 4 years since this video was made and there is still no other DAC that would be as good as cobalt at this price range (curently £179 in UK). I stopped liking my dragon red because of it. I use it with my phone but also with my Klipsh bookshelf speakers which have their own DAC built in ( that I'm bypassing by using phono line), but cobalt is much better.
What I like the most in terms of sound is the clarity and instrument separation this small thing provides. It is outstanding still after all these years.
I had this for about a month now and I actually prefer this set up over many others I've had in the past. I am currently using it with a Grado SR325X and using VLC for playback of my music library. It is so satisfying. Sure you can spend thousands on a very serious audiophile set up but the Dragonfly DAC solution is for people who are on the go and want something very portable while still retaining about 90% of the fidelity of the tracks.
I’m going to purchase the cobalt to use in an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I’m going to use it with my new Bowers and Wilkins PX8’s which aren’t even out the box yet. Am I correct in saying this will be an amazing experience, what headphones are you guys using?
Hello John, I just wanted to drop you a quick line and a big shout out and thank you!, for your information on the Dragonfly Cobalt . I watched this several times and took the plunge and purchased. I was blown away ! . Your style of delivery and an unbiased view was of great help so thank you. Keep up the great work. Chris UK.
Appreciate the clear no nonsense overview of the Audioquest Cobalt DAC.
You clarified the grey area of connectivity for Mac and Android - because when it doesn’t work it can be a PITA to sort out why.
I have decided to purchase the Cobalt to improve the output of my iPad Pro!
And I hit the subscribe button!
This really is my son's type of product, I may now have a way to convince him to listen to Hi-fi.
I love the fact that you bounce around Berlin. It brings back soooo many great memories of my time in West Berlin (the wall was still up) and I love trying to spot landmarks in the background etc.
Thank you John! Before this video I didn't have any idea about my phone audio quality. Now I am contemplating of getting one of these Dragonfly Cobalt. What a great and helpful information you have!
DragonFly Cobalt backstory: darko.audio/2019/07/a-short-film-about-the-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
10 more (technical) thoughts on this USB DAC: darko.audio/2019/07/10-more-thoughts-on-the-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
Wow! Just bought this dac after looking at this review. Just love it! What a difference compared to the normal sound of my iPhone. Time to rediscover my favorite music. Thanks for this review!
I was very fortunate to get a sneaky listen to the Cobalt and Red at the Munich show. It is a big step up.
I am using a red as the DAC out of my streamer in to my Rega Brio amp with B&W 606 speakers. It's sounds really good and the dynamics seem fine, it is musical. Great little DACs. I've heard the Cobalt trades warmth for insight.
what connector do you use from the AQDF dac to the amp?
Thank you for taking us out with you around in Berlin in your videos! Haven't been there since 1990. What a fun time it was to be there with them wining the world Cup. And the people there were terrific! Thanks!
Thank you for not being a snobby audiophile my man, I can’t wait to use this with Spotify and an lcd 4z!😄👌🏻
Yep I saw the Dave lcd 4z video. I guess planars do like the power of a larger amp at home like the Dave even when they are easy to drive?! What headphones would one use with USB audioquest dac-amps. Easy to drive planars did not sound that great with my dragonfly red.
Great video, as always very informative and fun to watch. I hope that a review of a bit more mainstream product will bring you more viewers, because you deserve bigger stage! High quality work and excellent timing - might be actually the first on RUclips!
BTW, any chance to get a comparison with Chord Mojo since you have listened to both of these devices now. :)
Largely based on this review, plus some other RUclips and written reviews, I purchased the Dragonfly Cobalt, and it arrived last night. So, I spent several hours testing it out with my iPhone X (via the Apple Lightning-USB-A camera adapter). My headphones are a set of Bose QC35s (sorry, Bose-haters) operating unpowered, via a wired connection. My test music was Apple Music, Lossless as well as Hi Res Lossless. And I compared the sound of the Cobalt DAC with the internal DAC, using the Apple Lightning-3.5mm adapter). And I did my best to set the output volume of either option to be as equal as I could make it.
There was a clear and obvious difference between the Apple interface DAC and the Cobalt DAC. While the Apple Lossless music sounded good, it sounded two-dimensional. I’m not sure how to best describe it, but I visualized it as seeing all of the instruments and voices spaced around in the same flat plane, so there was clear left-right spacing, but that’s it. But switching to the Cobalt DAC and listening to the same tracks, the music opened up. Now, in addition to clearer and cleaner sounds from the voices and instruments, and the left-right spacing, there was now more dimension to the sound, the instruments and voices sounded more open and…real.
A lot depends on the quality of the recording. I listened to some old albums that are now available in Hi Res audio (Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, for example), and while the sound is very good, the quality of the recording pales in comparison to more modern recordings. So, I guess you can’t make a modern Hi Res recording sound better than the best original master recording.
I like how the Cobalt DAC will automatically switch, track by track, to the correct coding rate for the track, and how the Dragonfly backlight will show the difference:
Green - 44.1Khz
Blue - 48Khz
Yellow - 88Khz
Light Blue - 96Khz
One thing I DID notice about MacOS is when I started testing the Cobalt DAC with my 2016 MacBook Pro. In order to get it to work properly, I had to make some setting changes to the MIDI app. And, unlike my iPhone X, apparently my MacBook doesn’t have the ability to detect the rate of a track and automatically switch the MIDI app to use that rate, so whatever it gets set to in the MIDI app is what it will remain, unless I change it manually. And the Dragonfly light on the Cobalt will change colors to reflect the rate that the MIDI app is set for.
In any case, so far I am totally pleased with this Cobalt DAC, and it has finally let me hear the amazing quality of Lossless and Hi Res Lossless music.
I'm about to buy a used dragonfly cobalt over eBay and you confirmed me in doing that. Thanks!
I have the Audioquest DragonFly Black, and I swear by it. Got it paired with my Sennheiser Momentum headphones and it’s an excellent combo. Best $130 I have ever spent!
This video and the American Made video made me purchase the Dragonfly Cobalt! First off how much you talked about it so passionately and then secondly how much love and care with which it’s made. Btw, I purchased it off the link from your site John, so hope you got a little kickback from it. Love your work!
How have you liked yours so far?
@@AshtonCoolman i just got one - i think it may be dated as i found it underwhelming. i tried to return it but the shop refused. this alsone tells me they probably dont sell well anymore. old tech.
@@AshtonCoolman I love mine! I have both the Red and the Cobalt now and the sound signature on both are still amazing I think. The Red is a bit smoother while the Cobalt is punchier. I've combined the Cobalt with my Holocenes from Campfire Audio for outdoor listening and the Cobalt with my Sennheiser Drop 6XX for indoor listening. The sound is STELLAR!! So much detail in everything! You'll love it if you get yours.
A lot of work must have gone into making this video. Kudos to the cameraman and the editor!
Ofcourse, the content was quality, as always...
I just preordered Cobalt based on your review. I own DragonFly black and Grado GH1 headphones.
These dragonflies are awesome. Would be nice to hear what you think of the dragonfly for home use with speakers compared to non portable dacs like the Modi 3.
Yeah, it would.
John Darko
I hope John’s reply here means that he’s working on a video comparing the Cobalt to other DACs for home hi fi set-ups.
I too am wondering how the Cobalt compares to the Modi 3.
We’ll see...
Your content is BLOODY FANTASTIC. I clicked the Like button 9 times and its still as blue as the Cobalt!
Subscribed and love your videos and your production quality is amazing
I subscribe to a lot of the audio reviewers. Yours are probably my favorites. Your background music is killer. I have the red dragonfly,love it. When I have some extra money will check out the cobalt. Excellent Review!
Yes, the background tracks are excellent.
Enjoying getting out and about. Jana, Olaf, & John's work goes from strength to strength.
The Dragontail is actually an improvement ergonomically - I've never liked big, chunky USB sticks sticking out the side of my laptop. Just like the USB sticks I use plugged into my car radio are SanDisk Ultra Fits.
Great video John. As a DF Red owner i believe that a more valuable step up would be if they include a 2.5 balanced autput beside the 3.5, i think it's about time. Greetings from Argentina!
John great stuff there,thanks for the excellent presentation and making it all easy to understand,you answered my question too on if it would improve the lg v30s sound,keep up the good work!well done fella ☝
The huge takeaway of course is that "night and day" differences are rare in the audio world. Almost word for word.
Oh nice. Glad to see that it works with the apple lightning adapter.
And you're right. I've heard many ppl critique these portable dacs as lacking transparency and separation during critical listening sessions.
But that's not the point of these devices. They are literal on-the-go devices. And on the go, these are enough to present a sense of quality which one might be hard pressed to find in a phone.
Rei Ayanami yep, it is almost impossible to completely isolate the surrounding noise on the go thus really no point of talking about those critical listening
Great news! I didn’t know this existed. I love my Dragonfly Red so I’m curious how this one will perform.
I just got my Audioquest Cobalt. It has what I percieve to be slightly less treble but better instrument separation. It has what is to my ear, a less fun sound. I like my Red better, the cobalt is going back. I would recommend comparing the two for yourself and then deciding.
i wholeheartedly concur...... been using it for years.
Began using the Cobalt today with my office laptop. It's everything Mr. Darko says. It removes the 'fog' from your audio that you never knew existed until it was gone.
Another great video review. I love the way you present & film your reviews. Best channel by far. Keep up the good work.
Dragonfly Cobalt. Never looking back to DAP. This device changes the whole audiophile game.
Edit: I've had this for about a month now and I must admit, it is the most satisfying DAC in many angles. I also have the Chord Mojo but Dragonfly Cobalt has the unique sound signature that my ears prefer over the Mojo, it is also slightly more musical to my ears than the Mojo. As I use it more and more, the pros of this device over any other device just keeps stacking up.
Buy my cobalt for a moth ago and its bang on the money! What a product in a tiny packaging. Sounds stunning and drive my B&W PX in a great way...
An iPhone user here. I'm not gonna have that sort of a heavy dongle hanging off my phone when on the go. It's a good thing to bypass the DAC & hp out using the lightning though, but this here is quite inconvenient for most folk. Best I've found so far is Audeze's Cipher cable that plugs straight into the lightning port and handles DAC, amp, controls and has a handy app for EQing. Cobalt should work well for stationary use though.
Any such Cipher cable for other headphones (single-side 3.5 mm stereo jack)?
also,as usual, bloody fantastic review!! Update: 7/20 - after procuring my cobalt, I found that I preferred the brighter treble of the red, so I'm sending the cobalt back.
I like your take on this! Brilliant as always.
I like to try this. I have every DF ever made. It's a fantastic product.
Well.made technology review. As a minor criticism the review missed informing the audience about the slow slope roll off filter used in the DragonFly cobalt DAC. The DragonFly black and red both use a fast (steep) roll off filter to remove quantization noise, a digital artifact.
The mobile capability is the killer feature. I have a Meridian Explorer and hardly use it, as it only works with the Mac, not with the iPhone.
6:46 and the bass is entrancing from my Dragonfly Red on 20 EUR sony earphones. At home I plug it in to a 40y old aplifier, there it can show off it's potential to a much higher extent. Dragonfly Red has changed the way I listen to digitaly acquired music. Very curious about the Cobalt model, but if you did not use a good DAC before, let alone the Red will be a shock for you.
I'm considering running one of these off of my iPhone 6s Plus into a stock automobile head unit via aux input. I know the whole thing is non-audiophile silly but I just want to get outside the iPhone DAC and see what it will do. I am in my vehicle, (which is a Dodge Caravan Wheelchair Conversion Van with the upgraded stock stereo), for up to 14 hours a day. It's a rear loader Caravan conversion for Non Emergency Medical Transport. Delivering high quality music for my customers is a feature which we enjoy together while traveling to appointments when the conversation wanes thin. I know they appreciate any amount of improved fidelity I can give them, so you see there is a service aspect to them for the sake of the business. I run the cleanest van in the fleet and my company outperforms all of our competitors in service and attentiveness to our customers needs. It's important to me to make the most of this opportunity and offer the best non emergency medical transportation in our area. If you had a grandparent or loved one that needed this service, you would want me and my company working for you !
I stream Spotify premium for music and Stitcher for podcasts through the auto's head unit which is surprisingly robust. The stock stereo has at least 7 speakers in it and I'm sure they hid a subwoofer in the back somewhere because it seriously kicks bass. I can't really alter the soundsystem because its a company vehicle ... so I am trying to get the most out of it. Right now I am using 2 alternating methods of getting the iPhones signal to the head unit. Firstly I'm using one of those bluetooth FM transmitters you get off of Amazon from china to convert the Spotify to FM signal. [ I know, in the audiophile world this must be a cardinal of sins, but that's why I'm here ... I need advice !] Secondarily, I sometimes set up a Fiio A3 running direct from the iPhones headphone jack (using a 3.5mm TRRS to TRS breakout dongle direct to the A3 then to the head units aux input on the dash). The A3 is just a preamp with separate bass boost circuit which boosts the headphone signal so I can drive the pre-amp stage of the head unit as high as I dare before it starts to overdrive. It offers some slight improvement in audio quality, but not much because in order to use the A3 I have to power it separately from the iPhone with an external Li-ion battery pack in order to not get ground loop noise. The ground loop noise is very noticeable if I try to run the iPhone and A3 off of the same usb power circuit, i.e. the vehicle's circuit. Running the iPhone with just the bluetooth FM converter, there is no ground loop electrical noise from the vehicle because of the digital conversion and I have the added benefit of not having to run the extra wires for signal and power, and don't have to lug the extra gear of external battery pack and A3 ; hiding them in the glove box. So its a trade off, the cheap bluetooth FM transmitter is convenient and noise free but the A3 setup involves more gear, separate power of both units ... and still there is a pickup of signal noise floor from all the extra direct signal cables that have to run from headphone jack, to A3 preamp and then to Aux input.
I know this isn't an audiophile setup, but do you think the Cobalt Dragonfly with the Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter kit would improve the fidelity of my system over the bluetooth fm transmitter solution now employed ? I could easily power the iPhone separately, if need be to help isolate interference. Any advice you guys could give would be appreciated, thanks !
I have the DragonFly Cobalt. I have it attached to my P.C. but I will take it when I travel. I have had it two weeks and the sound on my speakers and head phones are great. Not as good as my Mytek DAC but the Mytek is not portable and far more expensive.
Did not know this was in the works. Great information. Appreciate the comparison to the DragonFly Red. Thank you!
Fantastic review! I finally got one this week, loving it!
What a nice life John Darko must have. Breezing round the cafes of Berlin in the summertime listening to high quality audio. Easy Street has never looked so effortless 😄
Yeah, because you only see the finished video. Not the hours and hours of preparation, or the full day spent location scouting or the hours discussing edits and vfx with Jana.
@@DarkoAudio like the graceful ease of a swan with all the hard work going on underneath. Genuinely appreciated 👍
If you think it's that easy, RUclips has made it possible for literally anyone to produce and publish video. Set up your own channel, get a few million subscribers and retire rich.
This looks really useful. I am not concerned about high-res as I cannot hear the difference over CD quality. :)
Great video John! Nice outdoor offices as well! What's better than great German Coffee and a apple strudel...:) Looking forward to the Cobalt. Had nothing but great experience with the Red. At some point we will have AudioQuest Cortex. :)
I've ran the red now for two years or so and I'm having one of these too!
Love the video John! If I have the Audeze i3s, do you recommend I use a usb C-lighting adaptor to make use of the cipher dac OR should I give the dragonfly a shot if I’m using a MacBook Pro like yours?
This is what I'd like to call EDC-fi (everyday carry fidelity). It's perhaps the best option out there for a truly portable amp/dac that will provide audible improvement over laptop and phone jacks for IEMs. Powerbank-sized amp/dacs and DAPs are just too cumbersome. I need one, just not sure I'm willing to spend $300 for it though. :(
Thanks for this review. I actually just bought now a dragonfly cobalt and i am really very happy with it. I even can connect it to my squeezebox touch.
The Berlin beauty shots are a wonderful bonus to your audio reports.
Took the plunge - wow - what a difference in the sound - iPad or iPhone 7 no problem - using my Pioneer HDJ 2000 headphones at home but will add the campfire IEM’s when I start commuting again ..great video and super DAC this - highly recommended
Excellent channel - informative and entartaining at the same time. Would you please also comment on the Audioquest's jitterbug? Would it be a reasonable extention to a dragonfly red? As I understood from the video, the cobalt version includes already a relevant technology...
Great video, as always! Could you do a video with it connected to an integrated amp at home? I'm curious as to how the Cobalt would sound in a good stereo.
John, AudioQuest owe you because I bought a Cobalt as a direct result of this brilliantly informatve review. Thanks very much.
The Cobalt is a cracking product. I used the red daily for about 3 years, and I was quite satisfied, but the Cobalt is noticeably superior.
Not a small difference either. Layering and imaging are miles apart. It’s honestly like comparing the output from my iPhone to the DFR.
More spare time, ... I wanted better quality music to listen to. My knowledge level starting was pretty low. You have helped me immensely. Sincere thanks. I have 57-year-old years so I have been trying to find a sweet spot. I think I will try: my iPhone 11, to Dragonfly Cobalt, and I have an offer in on some used Campfire Vega. Very excited.
Precisely what I was looking for. Has it been released yet? I see the red and black on audioquist’s web, but no mention in the US for the cobalt. If you have a link please list it - and better yet if you receive credit. Thanks, your vids are so instructive without being odiously audiophileish.
Dennis Considine From what I understand. They aren’t released yet. I think in the fall.
I bought it from Amazon (US) last night. It’s everywhere if you google it.
Great video John. Deciding whether to step up from the DFR... The one problem I had with the DFR is that the volume from iOS was too high for sensitive iems even at the lowest settings. Is this still the case with the cobalt? I ended up using a volume attenuator between the DFR and the Shure se846
This is where my audiophile journey just started
Excellent video, everything you transmit is very sublime.
Well, not everything. But thank you.
I also would appreciate more videos around the city. They're incredibly interesting.
I found the red to be a significant achievement by the manufacturer ....... it became the most used dac I own due to my daily commute by train. TBH I can’t see me upgrading
For iPhone users, I would recommend the video adapter which permits charging the phone while listening to it. I find the DF is draining the battery of my iPhone X rather quickly. On intercontinental flights that becomes important. However, the apple adapters when bent over in pocket will wear out in about 6-12 months. Be prepared for that.
For those wondering how much better the red/cobalt is to Mac DAC, if Mac DAC to DF red is 100% better, then the Cobalt adds another 25% or so. It is pretty easy to hear the differences, I have never heard any interconnect cable differences, and VTA on my VPI TT with Zephyr MIMC* cartridge makes zero difference. But those DACs really change the sound. I use them with Etymotics ER4XR and SR with FLAC files (Flacbox on iPhone, Audirvana and PureMusic on laptop).
@John, Olaf & Jana - thank you most warmly for the informative and entertaining videos. It is what keeps me sane during these dire lock-down times.
@community - i own a Dragonfly Cobalt for 24 hours now and i would be keen to hear your suggestions of the best before & after songs that show the worth of the Dragonfly Cobalt. I am a total Hifi beginner and my music taste centres around EDM. I listen on a Macbook Pro (2015) through entry-level Sennheiser headphones.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
As always, a great perspective. Yes I know what 'rooting' is ..... however I always thought it came from the French as in En Route, but I stand to be corrected.
It appears to me that we are being provided with audio excellence at far less cost and that the time taken to achieve this advanced excellence is shortening with each iteration.
Wonderful video. Subscribed!
I'm in the market for a new DAC/AMP. What do you recommend, this or the chord mojo?
It would be much more logical to put a usb type c connector on the dragonfly and then provide a separate, standard usb dongle to connect to laptops etc.
This is still a laptop targeted DAC, and even in 2019 most laptops are using USB A. Also, there are many people who have not bought a new laptop with type c only, so USB A is the best bet. Furthermore, not all phones use Type C. Lastly, it's a cost savings for audioquest and consumers. AQ can use existing plans and parts, since other Dragonflys use the same type A.
Wouldnt work with most apple products due to their need for a rip-off adapter
These pieces are so good, just right. Thank you!
Lovely review as usual. I enjoy the Cobalt as well. The colour display on the resolution of Audio is a brilliant convenience. And one of the few portable DACs that can unfold MQA. But I guess that last bit of MQA decoding is still wanting isn’t it ? But that’s nitpicking really on a portable device which is as good as many desktop DACs really. Cheers.
John Thanks for the nice comments!
Love the out and about summer shots of Berlin! I may give this one a whirl. I bought a Red and tried it with my Galaxy S10 and a couple of laptops, TBH I could not hear a lick of difference compared to straight headphone output when streaming CD-quality Qobuz or listening to stored FLAC files. Headphones are 1More triple drivers and Meze 99 Classics, both easy to drive. (I have a Schiit Fulla going to my Audioengine desktop speakers and hear a significant difference with that compared to the built-in DAC in the speakers, especially when used with Audirvana on my desktop PC, so it's not that I just dismiss DAC differences)
I dig the fact that you are sharing direct experiences, not theoretical preconceptions. More power to you, my friend.
@@DarkoAudio Aw shucks, thanks! BTW, I've been testing at home the Elac Navis and KEF LS50w - no contest for me, the Elacs by a wide margin. You described them as "lovely" which hits it on the head. So much fun and emotionally involving to listen to!
Excellent review, thanks very much! Question: what DAC would you use at this price point with a home computer driving Audioengine 5s for example if portability is not an issue? Thanks!
What DAC you use shouldn't really matter, as the audio engine should have its own amp and the signal coming from the DAC should be of a high enough voltage. I personally use a fiio k3. It's small compact sounds great has all the necessary ports and can be used with my mobile phone. It also does basically anything I can throw at it.
Maybe the Audioengine D1 or D3?
Hi John! I've been watching your videos for years and never took the time to say thank you for the quality of the work you do for us, so... Thank you! I purchased so many gears based on your reviews (or non reviews, for example the Meze 99 classics or KEF LS50). I am stuck with an issue and hope you (or your friendly community) could help. I have purchased a dragon redfly Red DAC to improve my experience when listening to music (mainly Spotify as I have tried Quobuz but did not enjoy that Hi Res experience that much because I want a streaming service that presents me "new songs" and the algorythm of other services is just not like the one of Spotify, I want to discover new songs so I chosed for quantity/discovery VS quality). For unknown reasons, the dragonfly red isn't delivering any sound at all with my Samsung S10 (it works fine with the Iphone of my wife) and customer service of both companies cannot help me. What can I do to enjoy the Meze 99 classics according to you? I was planning to buy a DAP (Sony NW-A105 for example) so that I can skip using my Samsung S10, it would be still cheaper than buying a new phone but I don't know if the sound quality will be better than Samsung paired to my Meze 99 classics? Any idea on how to skip or buy pass this smartphone issue? I don't even know if I can connect the dragon fly red to a DAP like Sony or should I just throw it away and only use a DAP and Samsung? Keep up the good work and good listening moments to the community!
Does the S10 deliver any sound by other sources like RUclips for example?
The focus pulls are so nice, video is good too!
Hey great review man. I was kinda shocked that it can only play up to 98kHz because I'm pretty sure the DAC chip in it can do up to 32 bit 768kHz which is insane. I know there is a newer dongle DAC that has the same chip and its a lot less so I would love you do a review of it with your appreciations and maybe mention how does the price difference feels. It's the Hidizs S9 Pro dongle DAC.
Again thanks for your amazing reviews and I'll keep watching your channel
I heard the reason they limit it to 24bit 98khz is to keep the power consumption low
E1da 9038S only 2.5 mm balanced DACis to be considered ,i purchased the Cobalt open box at 200$ .I don’t know which is better e1Da 9038Sumusu 3generation is very clean and 400mW +@ 32 ohms .Quality is great,no volume just play and play ad a dedicated filter app Tweak9038 Russian made .The DC it’s on my way in next few days ,then I can tell.Otherwise the dragonfly “eater”the Earmen Sparrow unbalanced and balanced great sound ,really nice natural
If you say this, then I will buy it. The Astell & Kern SR15 arrives tomorrow. I will give it a try. But if it won't blow me away, I will send it back and order a Cobalt! Thank you John!!
AudioQuest is to be commended for being able to put such processing power and sound quality into such a small package. We truly are living in a golden age of audio, when we can get something with such amazing technology for so little.
A well timed review. I was flirting with the Cobalt after my new phone has no headphones socket. Thanks for helping me make up my mind.
You're living the life John! Thanks for the bloody review!
Excellent work. The outdoor scenery makes it even more interesting.