Audioquest DragonFly COBALT, DAC/Headphone Amplifier

The AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt is a very special portable or at home DAC for only $299. If you have a DragonFly Red or Black or the original DragonFly, you will love the improvements. Don’t get us wrong — the Red and Black are great products, but once you hear the difference with DragonFly Cobalt, it’s hard going back.

Important ingredients in Cobalt’s precedent-setting audiophile performance:

• ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip — slow roll-off filter for the most natural detailed sound.
• Microchip PIC32MX274 microprocessor — reduces current draw and increases processing speed by 33% over DragonFlys Black and Red.
• ESS Sabre 9601 provides 2.1 volts of output — drives any pair of headphones on the market without breaking a sweat. Two volts are also plenty to drive any power amplifier, enabling you to use the Cobalt as a preamp to a power amp or a pair of powered speakers. 
• Improved power-supply filtering — designed to reduce WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular noise.

Out of all the DragonFlys, Cobalt is the smallest “bug” that offers the most natural and immersive holographic sound. The difference you’ll hear will make you want to start playing all of your favorite songs just to hear them like it’s the very first time. We think Cobalt is the best sounding little bug yet! 

• ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip
• PIC32MX274 microprocessor
• ESS Sabre 9601 provides 2.1 volts of output
• Improved power-supply