Audioquest Dragonfly Black DAC: Still A Good Buy in 2022?
If you’ve never used a dedicated DAC before then you’re missing out.
If you listen to digital music through headphones or speakers without a dedicated DAC you’re only getting half the story.
DAC’s, or Digital Analogue Converters, take the digital signal from your source — whether thats your laptop, phone or tablet etc — and convert it into an analogue signal. The better the DAC, the better the converted sound you’ll hear.
There’s a DAC in your laptop, phone or tablet already — it’s just not a very good one. Us audio fans are constantly in search of audible improvement, right? We need to upgrade it, and we can do so without breaking the bank.
The Dragonfly Black is a USB DAC, aka a dongle DAC. It connects your phone (usually via a USB-C or lightning adaptor) to your headphones or amplifier.
The Dragonfly Black runs a 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip and ships with a desktop application through which it can receive future software updates, as well as a plastic cap to protect the USB interface from dust and other detritus and a smart leatherette carry case.
We tested the Audioquest Dragonfly Black with a MacBook and some ALAC CD quality files on Apple Music. We listened using a pair of Grado SR80x’s.
If you hear a song first without the DAC and then with, the first thing you’ll notice is an increase in volume and depth to the sound. Instruments sound more separated and percussion and drums sound more refined. You’ll most likely hear things in songs you’ve heard a million times you’ve not noticed before. Everything sounds boosted and more intricate. Like the song is being unfolded into your ears for the first time.
Listening to Phil Collins ‘In The Air Tonight’ you’ll notice delicate harmonics from Daryl Stuermer’s guitar, the stereo spread from Collins’ tom tom drums and the general hugeness of the sound stage. Listening to music on a dedicated DAC gives you a new found depth.
Vocals are easier to hear and backing vocals are better separated so you can hear the layers of each vocalist.
Since the Dragonfly Black was released in 2016, there have been two new editions; the Red (around 249/279) and the Cobalt (around 279/299) that offer upgraded processors and handling etc.
But is the Dragonfly Black still a good buy in 2022?
Absolutely, yes. It’s a great starter DAC for headphone listening as well as integration in your hifi system, and it holds it’s own over time. If you consider you can pick one up for less than £100/149EUR, you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck (or yield for your euro, or whatever).
If you want to dip your toe into DAC world why not jump straight in with this entry level offering from Audioquest. The only problem you might have is once you’ve listened to music with a dedicated DAC, there’s no going back.
