AudioQuest DragonFly

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<p><strong><a rel="attachment wp-att-11747" href="http://www.tonepublications.com/review/audioquest-dragonfly/attachment/olympus-digital-camera-193/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11747" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.tonepublications.com/media/1-Dragonfly_01.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="550" /></a>I’ve been having way too much fun with the AudioQuest DragonFly—so much fun that it’s taken me all year to write the damn review.* This nifty little device has quickly become a must-have travel accessory.* And although I’m perhaps not as sexy as George Clooney, I am on an airplane these days almost as much as his character in <em>Up in the Air</em>—but fortunately I never have to fire any of the people I’m visiting.</strong></p>
<p>Here’s how it usually goes:* The minute we hit 10,000 feet and the pilot signals that personal electronics can now be used, I pull out the DragonFly and whatever phones I’ve brought along for the ride.* Before I can even get the cans on my head, the passenger in the seat next to mine asks, “What is <em>that</em>? I’ve never seen one of <em>those</em>. Is it expensive?”* And I’ve had just as many female as male passengers inquire.* On the flight home from the Munich High End show, I just happened to be sitting next to an audio nerd who was terribly impressed. *“How did you get one of those?” he asked.* It turns out that he was a loyal <em>TONEAudio </em>reader, which always makes for great conversation.</p>
<p>After a quick listen, everyone comes away convinced that they need a DragonFly—even Bose noise-cancelling headphones users, and that’s saying a lot.</p>
<p><strong>What Makes It So Awesome?</strong></p>
<p>We could go on and on about all the techie bits that make the DragonFly so special—like its 24-bit/96-kHz Sabre DAC, on-board headphone amplifier and built-in digital volume control—but that would be kind of boring.* (For those wanting such techie bits, read Art Dudley’s excellent review in the October issue of <em>Stereophile</em>.)</p>
<p>Beyond its technical achievements, the DragonFly succeeds on many levels.* It sounds way better than its $249 price tag suggests, but the real triumph of the DragonFly is that it’s <em>accessible</em>.* You don’t have to be a mega-nerdtron to understand it (or use it, for that matter), but if you are a true audio enthusiast, you’ll immediately grasp its gestalt.* Among the 100-plus parts inside this tiny music machine, which is barely bigger than a USB jump drive, are Sabre ESS DAC chips, a pair of clocks and a 60-step digital volume control.* The USB connector even uses the same silver coating as AQ’s premium USB audio cables.</p>
<p>But you’ll forget all of that the minute you plug it in.* I’ve used a couple of excellent portable DAC/headphone amplifiers, but none of them are conducive to traveling light.* The DragonFly requires no power adaptor, cables or accessories; just plug it right into your laptop’s USB port, direct your computer to use it as the sound output and you’re rolling.* It works equally well with Mac or Windows operating systems.</p>
<p>My review of the DragonFly begins with my current traveling companions, the Sennheiser PXC 450 noise-cancelling headphones.* Starting with Bombay Dub Orchestras’ <em>3 Cities</em>,<em> </em>in straight 16-bit/44.1-kHz mode via iTunes, there is a major jump in sound quality that instantly eliminates some of the fog that always accompanies noise-cancelling phones.* With the already spacey vibe of this album, the presentation is definitely more hallucinogenic via the DragonFly.* Driving guitars, courtesy of Black Sabbath’s <em>Paranoid</em>,<em> </em>quickly nudges me back into audiophile mode, as I listen to the big improvements the DragonFly makes to Apple Lossless files through noise-cancelling headphones.* The cymbals in “Fairies Wear Boots” have a smooth, natural timbre through the DragonFly that make me want to goose the volume up a bit higher than might be prudent—so be careful:* The lack of graininess and distortion catches you off guard at first.</p>
<p>Flying always makes me impatient, so I often bounce back and forth between music, movies and Angry Birds, but thanks to the DragonFly’s virtual elimination of listener fatigue, I’m listening to complete albums—something I rarely do on a plane. *I save the playlist from this trip so I can compare tracks when back in the office with a full compliment of other headphones.</p>
<p><strong>Better Phones, Better Results</strong></p>
<p>With the impressive performance that the PXC 450s turned in, I’m not prepared for what the DragonFly is capable of with my cache of over-ear headphones.* Should I start at the bottom and work up, or the other way around?* Decisions, decisions.* Patience gets the best of me and I jump right in with the Audeze LCD-2 planar phones and upgraded Cardas Clear headphone cable.</p>
<p>Yeow, this is incredible!* Even with 16-bit/44.1-kHz files, it’s like strapping a pair of Magnepan 1.7s onto my head, with a First Watt amplifier on my back—which would not be convenient or fashionable.* School Food Punishment’s <em>Air Feel, Color Swim </em>gives the LCD-2s a great workout, with layer upon layer of well-sorted vocals and synthesizers.* Switching back to the headphone jack on the MacBook Pro is now unacceptable—the additional resolution provided by the bigger phones is too much fun to be without.</p>
<p>There’s more texture and decay everywhere.* The bongos at the beginning of William Shatner’s rendition of “Space Truckin,” from <em>Seeking Major Tom</em>,<em> </em>now feels like it’s being played through a great pair of loudspeakers, and I find myself forgetting that I even have headphones on.</p>
<p><strong>High-Resolution Files: The Final Frontier</strong></p>
<p>Upping the ante to recently downloaded files from HDtracks shows just how much the DragonFly is capable of. *The latest version of Pure Music software is a night-and-day upgrade from the standard CD-quality files I have on hand of Herbie Hancock’s classic album,<em> Head Hunters</em>.* The beginning of “Watermelon Man” now has air on the acoustic instruments that wasn’t there before, and the bass line now has plenty of it’s own space and texture.* Those not convinced of the validity of higher-resolution digital files need not purchase a five-figure digital rig; the DragonFly and a great pair of headphones will make you an instant believer.</p>
<p>As my next-door neighbor, who knows nothing about audio, shouted while listening to the 24-bit/96-kHz version of Fleetwood Mac’s <em>Rumours</em>, “I like this a <em>lot </em>better!” (Funny how people shout when wearing headphones, isn’t it?)</p>
<p>Having auditioned a wide range of great DACs in the $1,000 range, I can tell you that the DragonFly easily competes.* It has a decidedly “un-digital” sound, with an ease that should appeal to even the most hardcore analog lovers.* At the risk of offending the analog loyalists, I will say that if I were putting together a system on a modest budget, I’d much rather listen to even Red Book CD files through the DragonFly than cobble together a $249 analog solution and play gnarly records found in the budget bins.</p>
<p>Eliminating the casework and power supply from the parts count (and no doubt some profit margin) goes a long way at getting the price down.* Bravo to AQ for delivering this product for such a down-to-Earth price.</p>
<p><strong>Anchor Your Audio System</strong></p>
<p>If the DragonFly were only a headphone amp, it would be a major bargain at $249, but it’s equally exciting used just as a DAC. *Mated to the Sansui receiver and JBL speakers (covered on page 77), and an earlier-generation Mac mini purchased on eBay for about $100 bucks, I managed to create an amazingly musical system for just under $1,000 total.* In this case, the fixed analog output of the DragonFly works well, taking the digital volume control out of the equation.</p>
<p>Picking out the ethereal Fairlight sounds on the Tubes’ <em>Completion Backwards Principle </em>is an exercise in trippiness.* Things were floating all around the imaginary soundstage in my head.* Not able to stop there, Eno’s <em>Ambient 4: On Land</em> dragged me further into the world inside my head—one that is typically only provided by listening to headphones.</p>
<p>Moving further upscale, to the system in room two, which is now configured with a Conrad-Johnson PV-12 preamplifier, Krell KSA-50 power amplifier and a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C1 II speakers, the DragonFly still cuts the mustard.* On a recent visit to the KEF factory in the UK, I had the pleasure of experiencing the DragonFly in KEF’s reference system with a pair of its flagship Blade speakers ($30,000/pair). Impressive!</p>
<p><strong>No Longer Outside Looking In</strong></p>
<p>There’s no better gateway drug for the world of high-quality sound reproduction than the AudioQuest DragonFly: *Just add the laptop and the headphones you already own and prepare to be blown away. *Or plug it into your current hi-fi system and use it as a high-resolution DAC—it’s all good.</p>
<p>If you spend as much time on a plane as George Clooney and I do, or if you are just an avid headphone listener, you need a DragonFly.* If you aren’t an avid headphone listener, I’ll bet you quickly become one with the DragonFly on hand.* And playing Angry Birds has never been more fun.* <em>Bahooonga!</em></p>
<p>I am very happy to announce that the DragonFly is our Product of the Year in the digital category. * *<em>-Jeff Dorgay</em></p>
<p><strong>The AudioQuest DragonFly</strong></p>
<p>MSRP: $249</p>
<p><a href="http://www.audioquest.com/">www.audioquest.com</a></p>


[Source: http://www.tonepublications.com/review/audioquest-dragonfly/]
 
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