AudioQuest DragonFly® Red v1.0

After receiving the aq dac, I plugged it in to my galaxy note 9 using spotify and a set of audeze lcd2 headphones to find the volume was very low, I found out the was a firmware fix for this problem. I performed the firmware upgrade and it was fixed. I was surprised how great it sounded for such a small unit.Be sure to buy the (audio quest jitterbug). This will clean up the sound a bit.I think its worth every penny! In all I'm a very happy customer. Thanks Crutchfield!

Pros: Small/compact Firmware upgradable

Cons: None

I had the old version and now I bought the new (the red one) and improved one and I'm very happy with it.

Pros: Cannot think of any.

Cons: The cap is extremely hard to remove and put back in place.

Tremendous sound but doesn't quite live up to all the hype. A worthwhile product but has its limitations.

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Fantastic product. Exceptional performance. Really great piece of tech

Pros: Sound is amazing. On par with much larger DACs Portability Price

Cons: Haven't found any yet

Just received this DAC and the Apple USB 3 camera adapter. Now I can listen to my iPhone Xs. It is not the equal of my Oppo DAC, but has the advantage of not needing to be charged, and phone can be charged while listening. It is also not the equal of my Cowan Plenue lossless player. I have 3 listening modes: critical listening with Oppo DAC and Oppo over-ear headphones and lossless music; on-the-go listening where I want good music, Etymotic Research ER4 with Dragonfly Red, Vox player and ALAC files; and in-the-car (BMW M3) with usb connection to Kenwood head end and standard iTunes. Highly recommended for option 2. Will work for option 3, but noise level with M3 is high enough that it doesn't make a difference.

Pros: Best for on-the-go listening with iPhone and Vox

Cons: None, for the price

This versatile little DragonFly packs a big punch. I can plug it into my MacBook Pro and listen to ALAC files or use a camera adapter and listen to AAC files on my iPhone X. The improved sound quality over the DACs in both devices is instantly apparent. Most notable is the separation. Instruments are no longer stepping on each other and have a clear place in the song. Bass is fuller and tighter. Overall clarity has improved as well. The amp has no problem driving my NAD closed-back headphones. This is a great portable DAC.

Pros: Improved detail and separation. Fuller and tighter bass. Easy to set up.

Cons: None

Very happy with the quality and sound. Only disappointment is I can't find a cable to play music from an IPod Classic

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This is a truly fantastic product. Updating it was fast and straightforward. I ordered it to power Bowers & Wilkins P9. The headphones were taking some time to arrive so I used it with Bose QC25. The sound was amazing, especially on Master quality albums on Tidal. The highs were crisp and clear, mid range full bodied. The bass was considerably stronger but not overpowering. When I looked up at the clock, 4 hours went by. You can really lose track of time using this with a proper pair of headphones. Pairing it with the above mentioned Bowers & Wilkins P9 makes for a truly addictive experience.

Pros: Great amp/dac Enough power to drive even the most demanding headphones Gets rid of noise on computers and phones Very portable Cheap compared to other similar products

Cons: None

Didn't work out for me. Hoped to use it on my Android Galaxy S6 and Windows 10 laptop. On the PC it did boost the volume (and clarity?...hard to say with free streaming music). But it sounded much weaker from USB on the phone than just headphones directly plugged into the 3.5mm jack. I had read that was normal for these phones and would probably need a USB EQ app. Well, I thought that I would also check the driver update. Mistake. I downloaded the Audioquest update page and started it. It did not recognize the Dragonfly (several tries). Digging into the Windows sound setup revealed that the PC no longer recognized it. It said that it had a bad (0r no) driver. ?? Well, it would no longer work at all. I suppose that much more trouble shooting may have fixed it, but I was not willing to do that, given the hype about "plug and play" and such improvement in clarity and sound and volume that was promised. That was enough to make me return it, and start over on my shopping and evaluating and trying to decide just what I want. (including perhaps a new, better phone!) BTW, I used 1More Quad Driver IEM's and Sony MDR-1AM2 headphones.

Pros: slick and small

Cons: expensive and problematic

It seems to do what it is supposed to and the amp part works well as it powers audio headphones nicely. I was expecting a bigger improvement in audio quality on my S7 edge smartphone and tab s tablet though, especially for the price. The black version may have been a better bang for buck.

Pros: Amp boost power headphone nicely.

Cons: Audio improvement not as significant as hoped for the price.

Excellent! And now with h/w MQA decoding.

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Highly recommend for I-phone use. I use with Bose MQ-25 noise cancelling headphones and the music detail boost is noticeable.

Pros: Easy set up and use. Great sound for audiophiles

Cons: so far none

I've had a Dragon Fly Black for several years. I think the red is significantly better. My HiFiMan HE400 headphones are producing better bass than I thought they were capable of. Soundstage and Clarity also excellent.

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Definitely amplifies the sound from my PC and makes it sound a little better on B&W P7 headphones.

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This is an excellent way to improve audio. I listen to anything from rock to metal to jazz to classical. The sound quality is great is easy to use since no software driver is needed. The LED light shows the sample rate by color so you know you are receiving the proper signal. Compared to 2 desktop DAC's, this had the warmest and fullest sound with the best low end as well. All of the frequencies are really nice. I'm using it 2 ways for lossless AIFF and FLAC: JRiver via laptop and MyuRa Hi-res player app on the iPhone with Apple USB 3 Camera Adapter. DAC goes up to 96kHz so my 192 files get processed at 96 but still sound great. Even though the 2 desktop DAC's went to 192, the Dragonfly actually sounds better. The cap was very difficult to take on/off but that worked itself out with use and is now snug without being too tight. It's best to check and update to the latest firmware for the DAC to avoid iPhone playback issues.

Pros: Sound quality, warmth, all frequencies are nice, ease of use, LED colors confirming sample rates, attractive and nicely built.

Cons: Max output is 96kHz but still sounds excellent and actually better than 2 192 desktop DAC's.

Absolutely a game changer! I can finally enjoy music on my iPhone. This Dragonfly Red really opens up compressed music from Spotify creating a huge musical experience while providing a great amplifier to drive your headphones.

Pros: Easy, High Quality

Cons: The iPhone adaptor from Apple is large

Small and works very well.

Pros: Size and performance

Cons: None

Very happy with the fidelity of the music (classical, rock, jazz). Using it to play 256kbps mp3's or CDs via iTunes to my Bose Lifestyle system using RCA inputs. Also using it to play Spotify Premium 320kbps streams from my iPhone 6S Plus (via the Apple lightning-to-USB camera adapter), output to my Bose Revolve+ Soundlink (mini-to-mini cable to the Aux In) and to my Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones. Unfortunately, although I can control Pause/Play and Vol+/- from the controls on the Revovle+, AudioQuest has confirmed that the headphone controls on the Quiet Comfort 3's do not work. That makes the Dragonfly less useful when the phone is in your pocket while walking, doing chores, etc. In that situation, I'm foregoing the Dragonfly and doing what I've always done (plugging the headphones into the headphone jack on my iPhone 6S Plus.

Pros: Works well for all music genres

Cons: Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphone controls don't work when the Dragonfly is in line (via the Apple lightning-to-USB camera adapter) to my iPhone 6S Plus.

Improved the high end of my ear bud phones.

Pros: Crisp sounds are crisper

Cons: Bulky at connection but can live with it

I have Bose Bluetooth headphones. They sound, but they lack volume. Even when I linked them hard wire, they still lacked volume. I saw a device called the Dragonfly. I called Crutchfield to inquire how they worked. An audio expert named Kay informed me she could answer my questions. I explained my problem with the lack of volume with my Bluetooth headphones and she informed me the output jacks on newer devices such as iPads etc. lack impedance . She informed me the Dragonfly would enhance the volume by 10 or 15 percent . She also mentioned it would enhance the sound quality. I didn't expect much but after hooking it up I was wowed. Kay was spot on. The volume was about she said it would be, and the sound quality was awesome. If the volume were any louder, it would be distorted. The only downside is listening to Bluetooth headphones wired to my iPad. The upside is rocking to the musicinstead of just listening to the music. Thanks Crutchfield and your great audio experts like Kay for coming through again.

Pros: Enhanced volume. Enhanced sound quality.

Cons: Must use hard wired. Expensive

Works great and easy to use. Converted my iTunes library to lossless and with the Dragonfy I'm experiencing much higher quality sound through my Seinhieser in ear buds and my Sony overhear noisecancelling headset. The Dragonfly is a great way to start experimenting with upgrading your listening experiment on mobile devices.

Pros: Small profile, color changing Dragonfly shaped light indicts sound definition levels.

Cons: Lightning to usb camera adapters for connecting to Apple devices can be fragile.

Puts music back to how it was recorded, like I remember in the old days - before digital. Subtleties in the tone of each instrument come alive. And my ears don't hurt anymore after hours of listening!

Pros: Portable, can take to the office or use while doing yard work.

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I was up in the air over using my Iphone 6S Plus with the Dragonfly Red or purchasing a Hi Rez Player like the Sony Walkman. I spoke with a Crutchfield Rep and she told me that many of the people at Crutchfield are using the Dragonfly and love it. I have a very critical ear when it comes to distortion or clarity and sound stage. I decided to go with the Dragon fly and I did not have a problem that if I got a DSD it would only play back at 24/96 output to my Headphones no matter if the input was 24/92 or a DSD 2.5mhz. If I did not like it I was told that I could return it. So I loaded the Onkyo HF App on my Iphone and paid the $10 fee to be able to use Hi Rez files. I tent to HD Tracks and Sound Accoustics and found a few albums that I owned on CD but was not crazy with the sound. He HF Player App has an equalizer and I purchased a High Rez Album with test tones and calibrated my sound so that all frequencies were basically the same volume in my head. I found this worked better with my Vmoda Headphones than setting up a custom equalization for each album. The results are amazing. I never heard music that the instruments were so clearly defined and it seemed that the music stage was not only wide but it had depth to it also. This thing not only made Hi Rez music sound good but regular Itune music was greatly improved. The bass on Michael Jackson's Thriller is very tight and punchy. I love this little DAC and it can play my Vmoda headphones louder than I can stand.

Pros: Sounds great on all types of music from Rock to Classical Excellent amp that can really drive my Vmoda M100 Headphones Works great on my Iphone with the Onkyo HF Player App.

Cons: Have to purchase the Apple Lightning 3.0 Camera Adapter. It is the more expensive adapter but the 2.0 adapter will not work with the Dragonfly. Good thing is you can charge and listen at the same time with the adapter.

Spotify > IPhone 6s + Lighting adapter USB + DragonFly Red connected to my Integrated Amp = awesome listening experience. This little device is just great. Not only when listening via headphones, but also when connected to any other device.

Pros: Makes portable and stationary music sound better.

Cons: Expensive

So I've only had this a week and is my first foray into standalone DACs. It definitely makes my music sound better; the bass is less muddy, the instruments are more distinct and further apart, and the vocals are clear. I am undecided whether the enhancement was worth the price.

Pros: Makes music off my computer sound better

Cons: Expensive

This Pocket Dac takes headphones to a different dimension. It amplifies and broaden the sound stage

Pros: Great Product.

Cons: Cost

A tremendous upgrade from the IPhone 7 DAC in the Apple headphones or the adaptor that comes with the phone. Give it some well recorded and uncompressed tracks and enjoy.

Pros: Great sound quality Great form factor

Cons: Uses IPhone power a little quickly. Have extra power pack for long trips.

Beautiful device. Took 5 seconds to set up, literally. Red takes the harsh edges off my music from my iPhone 6. Forcing me to switch from wireless Klipsch headphones to corded ones, but no big deal there. From the second Red lights up, you will love it.

Pros: Elegant, magnificent sound, rich and mellow

Cons: Different connections for car, headphones

I purchased this product based on the reviews and feedback. I was extremely pleased with the sound right out of the box. However, when playing iTunes music via a MAC PRO (2014) static starts to creep up and then disappear. If I am working the mac do low level work loads this seems to happen a few times within the hour. When playing youtube music or amazon.com music - it will get very static or digitalized robin sounds more often than not, so much so I need to by pass. I reached out to Audio Quest and then did send me a new Dragon Fly, but it still happens. All in all it has a great sound, but gets annoying with the static. I don't have another type of computer but I can't believe it's processing power on a MAC PRO.

Pros: Great Sound!

Cons: Not consistent

I purchased a Dragonfly Red to see if it would improve the sound of my Definitive Technology Incline active computer speakers and to see if an MQA capably DAC would make a difference in streaming from Tidal. The Incline speakers have a built in DAC and I thought that they sounded pretty good on their own. The Dragonfly Red made a significant improvement. Every source that I play from my iMac sounds much more clear. I listen to Folkalley.com a lot while I work, and I am hearing detail in from that low resolution stream that I never heard before. With the Dragonfly Red, I can hear more detail at lower volume levels from any source, which is great for when I am working. The clarity that I get from the Dragonfly Red also makes it much more pleasant to play the speakers at higher volume. The sound quality while listening music streamed from Tidal is also much improved. The Dragonfly Red really makes well recorded MQA master recordings shine. Some MQA master recordings, however, don't sound any better than the CD quality HIFI recordings. From my short time listening to streamed MQA music, I think that MQA is a worthwhile technology. It would be nice if there were more high quality music available.

Pros: Sounds great Great bang for the buck

Cons: None

For plug n' play ease, there's no better choice.

Pros: ease of use, clear sound. Great through all ranges.

Cons: I'm thinking,....

Major fidelity improvement when listening to the likes of Amazon music on my I-Phone. Sound goes from tinny to almost as good as my CD to I-Phone music. The Dragonfly also allows me to listen to XM radio on my old Tivoli Model 2 radio system. The Dragonfly improves the quality I-Phone XM music delivery delivered though my vintage stereo, but on that large sound stage the tiny DAC's limits are clear

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I recently wrote a review stating I liked the Audioquest Black better than the Red. I have to admit, I take it back. Running the Red on an S5 with kit Kat required downloading the USB player pro app from the play store. No problem, but it wasn'the very loud at all. Disappointed, I thought the Black was better because of volume level (it played much louder). Then I discovered you could turn up the hardware volume in settings on the USB player pro.....what a difference! Wide Soundstage, excellent midrange depth, deep bass, clear and accurate highs. I used a pair of Sennheiser HD598's, whose impedance isn't very high, and I got to truly hear what these headphones could do. I was astounded at the sound quality when paired with the Dragonfly Red on my Galaxy S5. Now, I have an S7, too. It is plug and play with most USB DACS. Unfortunately, there is no way I could find to turn the volume up using the Samsung music player, so I will no doubt be buying the USB player pro for my S7 to be able to turn the volume up past what the Android software allows you to do. Also, the USB player pro app doesn't update your Playlist if you make changes, just whatever you have for Playlists when you first install the app. Now there may be a way around that, but I don't know how. And the Red sounds great on a PC, but I prefer the sound on my phone to that of my laptop. I hope this review helps people as this product is a wonderful upgrade in sound. Thanks, Crutchfield!

Pros: Excellent sound quality, works well with cell phones and computers, strong headphone amplifier when you are able to tap into it's full potential, great build quality.

Cons: Requires the USB player pro for Android to really put the headphone amplifier to good use, USB on the go adapter (required for playback through Android phones) can be a little cumbersome at times, otherwise an amazing product!

Got the Dragonfly Red today and tested it on my I-pad Air and I-Phone SE. The reviews are correct, huge improvement. Much more detail. I connected it to my reference system, Martin Logan SL3 electrostats and a fully restored Harman Kardon Citation II tube amp built by the master Jim McShane. Wow, this thing images and presents a soundstage that competes with my vinyl library. I'm stunned. OK, I have one complaint, which I've forwarded to Crutchfield. Their website recommends the Apple lightening to USB camera connector, which they show on the website with a link, so I ordered it. My unit was defected, the connector crackled when it moved. No problem, making arrangements to refund as Crutchfield has great customer service. Thats not the big problem: when I opened the Dragonfly there is a pamplet supplied by Audioquest that carefully explains their recommendation for the connecting adaptor. It says, "To connect DragonFly Black or DragonFly Red to any Applie iOS device, we highly recommend Apple's Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Adaptor. This device sounds better and is more reliable in this application than Apple's slightly less expensive LIghtning to USB 2.0 Camera Adaptor, while it also adds the ability to charge your iOS device during playback." So I don't understand why Crutchfield recommends and links to the old adaptor no longer recommended by Audioquest. They don't offer the USB-3 so I've ordered one direct from Apple, its only $10 more and allows charging.

Pros: Audiophile detail, ability to drive my larger Sennheiser HD 600 headphones with authority, simplicity, and I can now use my Apple products to feed my reference system.

Cons: Crutchfield is recommending an older Apple Lightening to USB Camera adaptor that Audioquest (Dragonfly parent co) no longer recommends using. The send a pamplet with the DragonFly that strongly recommends using the Apple LIghtening-to USB-3 Camera Adaptor, indicating is sounds better and is more reliable and allows charging while in use. Crutchfield does not offer this. They need to offer it and update their website description to reflect the better adaptor recommended by the manufacturer.

I'm impressed. Seems well made (metal), made mostly in America, manufacturer's website is packed with info, and I did notice a fairly decent deference when using on my ipod touch. Previously to using DragonFly Red, I just used the 3.5mm headphone out to a Monster Cable rca adapter and it was OK, nothing great. Now I use the Red from the lightning jack out directly into rca terminals on the amp. There is a nice improvement in the music quality. But, dont forget its still an ipod. Nothing beats a traditional stereo system set-up. I get my best sound with my awesome CD player hooked up to my awesome preamp/amp set-up. So in conclusion, I would recommend DragonFly Red for all you ipod touch users. That one guy who gave Red 1 star because it wouldn't work with his android? Why aren't you using Apple? There is no reason not to. Androids should only be found in Star Wars movies.

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Amazing! You really need to hear it to appreciate it. Its similar to explaining how incredible Bose speakers are and the sound quality from a tiny little box. Its hard to write and speaks for itself in person.

Pros: Quality is amazing Compact Simple

Cons: none

Great product, makes a world of difference for nearly all music resources. Simple to use, great form factor.

Pros: Sounds great, great form factor, easy to use.

Cons: Easy to lose if you are not careful, not really a con but would stink to lose!

Unable to use dragonfly red with android 4.4.2 and 6.0.1

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Crutchfield response on 12/8/2016 One of our Tech Support Specialists reached out to diagnose the problem with the DragonFly and this customer's Android phone. It's part of the lifetime tech support you get when you purchase from Crutchfield.

A noticeable difference in audio quality with the dragonfly. It's nice to have the extra c;clarity of sound with this device. I could pick out some bass notes I'd never heard before. Also vocals were clearer.

Pros: Small, Simple to use. Performs as advertised.

Cons: The cables or devices to connect it to a Mac, iPad and iPhone make the setup a bit messy.

I don't usually give a product review, but the enjoyment that this particular item has been giving me, made me do it. For the size, it gives out a phenomenal sound quality that you would expect from a more bigger DAC box. Overall quality is amazing, solidly built & a very nice glossy finish. Amazing clarity & the bass is awesome. I would definitely recommend this product!

Pros: Phenomenal sound for its size.

Cons: None.

The difference this little device makes is amazing. Used it on both my PC and laptop, with my Klipsch computer speakers and with my HiFiMan headphones. The clarity, detail and richness is stunning. Great device at a great price.

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Definitely improves the sound of my iTunes music!

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I just love this DAC! I had been using the DragonFly Black version 1.2 since December 2015. The DragonFly Black is also a great product. But the new Red version has a capability the Black version 1.2 does not: it works with mobile devices. For me this is huge! Now I can enjoy my HD music on my iPhone 6. I am using the Onkyo HF player app on my iPhone to play my HD music. And all DragonFlys also work great on laptops. On my MacBook Pro, I use Audirvana Plus app to play my HD music. And either way you use the DragonFly, smart phone or computer, you can play your digital music on an amplified speaker setup. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a DAC...the DragonFly is an excellent way to enjoy HD music.

Pros: Cost, easy installation, plug and play use

Cons: None...this is a really great product.

but the difference is stunning. This thing just opens up the sound, separation and overall quality of the music coming out of the computer. Hard to pinpoint it exactly, but it adds depth, warmth and makes the music so much more listenable. I was using a pair of Grado 80s plugged into a MacBook Pro, and was really having a hard time listening to anything -mostly streaming radio, but some mp3s- for any length of time. This gadget has completely changed that- It's amazing how lame the built in DACs in devices are, and we just forget how music is supposed to sound.....Road testing in with The Jayhawks new album, and Bombino's new album "Azul"- Can't wait to also try this on some music mixes with a pair of Audio Technica 50s- headphones I use for recording and mixing- I'm sure this will help. Worth taking the risk -even though it was a little pricey, can't see myself returning it........and I can't see listening to music through the computer's stock DAC again..... Thanks Brit for nudging me over the edge.

Pros: Really great sound- depth, detail, warmth, and overall tone. Very portable- can even be used on an iPhone with an adapter-

Cons: Small, probably easy to lose, but worth the risk.

Great small Headphone amp and DAC for portable use. I'm using this with my iphone 6 and mid level Sony ear buds as well as a higher end pair of over the ear Sony cans. It's made an improvement on Pandora/Apple Music/downloaded music from itunes/ripped CD's/HDTRACKS. The sound is clearer and better defined. Bass is tight. Mids are sharper. Highs sound real. I also bought and downloaded the Onkyo HF player from the App store to mainly try out hires music. Got sample tracks from HDTRACKS. The sound is amazing. Love how small it is for portability. Highly recommended. If you don't want to spend as much, the Black version should sound nearly the same, but it may have trouble driving less efficient headphones. It's a steal at it's price. No problem with volume on the iphone.

Pros: Sounds fantastic. Big improvement over the built in dAC and headphone amp on the iphone 6 Great portability factor.

Cons: Small footprint could result in misplacement.

I purchased this and I couldn't use the dragonfly tail that I purchased with it. The only way I could rig this was to remove the cellphone case from my phone. Once removed and all rigged up...the volume was lower then just plugging directly into the 3.5mm headphone jack that's built into the phone. Volume would only increase to 1/2 of what it is using the 3.5mm headphone jack, in fact the Bluetooth volume was louder then this.

Pros: none.

Cons: all

I previously utilized the DragonFly 1.2 with the Audioquest Jitterbug with my MacBook Pro. I connected the Dragonfly 1.2 using an Audioquest Golden Gate analog interconnect and running it into a pair of Audioengine A5+'s and a Audioengine S8 sub. I was very happy with this setup. When I purchased the DragonFly Red v1.0 and replaced the 1.2 DAC with the Red, I noticed an audible difference that was more analog in nature. This reminded me of listening to analog recordings that I listened to growing up. I definitely recommend this product if you are looking to upgrade your computer audio experience.

Pros: More cohesive sound in music listening; more details in the overall sound production.

Cons: Price