Digital-audio converters have been around for a while, but none are doing it quite like AudioQuest’s DragonFly. The DragonFly is smaller, sleeker, more affordable, more portable, and easier-to-use than any before it. This gadget will soon be a must-have for advanced audiophiles and beginners alike.
Simply plug it into any Windows or Mac computer through a USB outlet, change a few settings, plug your headphones or computer speakers into it, and voila! In little more than a minute’s time, you have turned your computer into a hi-fi system.
The DragonFly will play any audio file compatible with your computer’s software and transform it to a better sound. This is in part due to the 24-bit ESS Sabre conversion chip, a high-performance solution that’s typically found in better CD and Blu-ray Disc players, which can also be found inside the DragonFly. Digital volume controls too often reduce signal resolution and decrease sound quality, but even when the iTunes volume slider is used, DragonFly’s high-resolution analog volume control carries out the instructions in the analog domain for the best sound quality.
DragonFly uses a very sophisticated “asynchronous” USB audio data transfer protocol. Rather than sharing crucial audio “data clocking” functions with the computer, DragonFly alone commands the timing of the audio data transfer, dramatically reducing digital timing errors. In addition, DragonFly uses two discrete onboard “clocks” so that the math algorithms used to convert the digital audio data to analog are always optimized for the native sample rate of the audio file or stream being played. A smart LED indicator on DragonFly shows the resolution of the incoming signal.
At just the size of a memory stick and a price of $249, the DragonFly is an exciting step in making hi-fi sound more accessible to all. For more information, click here.
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