Audioquest DragonFly Red USB DAC/Amp

USB Stick-Sized Digital-to-Analog Converter

Plays all music files: MP3 to high-res

Compatible with Apple and Windows PCs, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices (requires Apple Camera Adapter or Made for Android/OTG adaptor)

Drives headphones directly

Fixed output feeds preamp or AV receiver

Asynchronous transfer ensures digital timing integrity

High output (2.1 volts) drives almost all headphones, including power-hungry models

32-bit ESS 9016 DAC with minimum-phase filter Bit-perfect digital volume control

Compared to the DragonFly Black, the Audioquest DragonFly Red employs a 64-bit, bit-perfect digital volume control that resides inside the DAC chip itself—an elegant and sophisticated implementation that ensures maximum fidelity, dynamic contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio. With DragonFly Red connected to a PC or mobile device, adjusting the host’s system volume control will, through proxy, control the DragonFly Red’s onboard volume.

Improved 32-Bit Digital Performance

For greater overall performance, the new DragonFly models also incorporate improved 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chips—the 9010 in Black and the higher-performance 9016 in Red—both of which employ minimum-phase filtering for naturally detailed, more authentic sound. While DragonFly Black uses the same high-quality headphone amp and analog volume control found in DragonFly v1.2, DragonFly Red includes the latest ESS headphone amp and a bit-perfect digital volume control that resides on the 9016 DAC chip itself—a sophisticated implementation that ensures maximum fidelity, dynamic contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio.

DragonFly Black will output 1.2 volts—enough power to successfully drive all preamplifier input circuits and a wide range of today’s efficient headphones. Meanwhile, with its higher 2.1-volt output, DragonFly Red will be compatible with a wider range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models.

While the DAC chips we’ve selected are remarkably powerful and sophisticated, we’ve intentionally limited DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red’s processing capabilities to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. This makes using the DragonFlys as simple as it’s always been: they’re fully compatible with PCs without having to download and install new drivers.

Most importantly, DragonFly is designed to honour the music you already own and love. Whether you’re listening to Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, ripped CDs, or state-of-the-art high-resolution files, DragonFly will deliver a more emotionally compelling and enjoyable experience.

Innovative Design Showcasing great performance, the new Dragonfly Red integrates the improved 9016, 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip employing minimum-phase filtering to get naturally detailed, more genuine sound. It includes the modern ESS headphone amp and a quite perfect digital volume control that exist in the DAC chip itself. It is a refined implementation, promising dynamic contrast, maximum fidelity, and signal-to-noise ratio. Compatibility Comes with higher 2.1-volt output, this model is compatible with an even varied array of headphones, which includes power-hungry, low-efficiency models as well. For instance, DragonFly 1.0 and 1.2 included 1.8-volt output. Also, the DF Red model performs well and has much more grip, spin and muscle that any other DF model. Red simply sounds best. It produces a cleaner and clearer sound, enabling a greater soundstage with each and every instrument or voice more virtually in its own space.