AudioQuest Dragonfly Review : Affordable, Outstanding, Tiny DAC / Amp - Page 71

I much prefer the Bifrost into the Lyr than the Dragonfly.  If you have optical and/or coax, the Bifrost without the USB option is a steal. There will be a good benefit to the Bifrost but I wouldn't say night and day. More defined bass and smoother, clearer mids and highs with a little less grain.

What headphones are you using? I can hear a definite difference with my HD700 but when I had the HE400, not so sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobJS 

Hey guys, thought I'd ask a question here since I absolutely adore the dragonfly.  This may have been discussed before but I probably wasn't paying attention.  I just got a new PC which, unlike my last one, has Coax and Optical S/PDIF out.  I love the dragonfly performance into my Lyr.  Question: How does something like a Schiit Bifrost for S/PDIF compare with USB-> Dragonfly?  Will I hear any benefit?  Or perhaps another DAC?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyVee 

I much prefer the Bifrost into the Lyr than the Dragonfly.  If you have optical and/or coax, the Bifrost without the USB option is a steal. There will be a good benefit to the Bifrost but I wouldn't say night and day. More defined bass and smoother, clearer mids and highs with a little less grain.

What headphones are you using? I can hear a definite difference with my HD700 but when I had the HE400, not so sure.

I'm rotating between Beyer T1, HE-500, HD600 and Mad Dogs.  I think you told me what I needed to hear --- Think I'll spring for a USB-less Bifrost

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lace'd Taste 

Quote:

Currawong: Nice one. I'd suggest doing what I did, which is get an Aurorasound Bus Power Pro, USB B-to-A adaptor and powering the Dragonfly that way. You'll get quite a bit of improvement in the sound. There are other, similar devices designed to provide better USB power but that is what I have on hand at the moment.

 

Can't find this "Aurorasound Bus Power Pro, USB B-to-A adaptor" anywhere on the net.  What exactly does it do?  Supply more power to the dragonfly?  Or retains a more constant, reliable voltage?  (not to sure on how these things work although i find with my Macbook Pro i get the odd spark on my port side and my external display will cut out and restart itself - don't want that happening whilst the dragonfly is connected)

 

http://aurorasound.jp/buspower.html

It requires an adaptor though. I saw that there's an iUSB device available too from here:

http://www.ifi-audio.com/en/iUSB.html

which does a similar thing, but an adaptor wouldn't be required. No idea about the price.

All of them supply better USB power than a computer will. However, one might argue that it's simply easier to get a better DAC with a proper power supply in the first place. If driving headphones, Getting something overall better in both regards should be considered.

Sorry if this has already been answered somewhere in the thread but can anyone tell me if this would work with the Microsoft Surface RT?  I'm assuming it would but would hate to find out otherwise the hard way. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxjam 

Sorry if this has already been answered somewhere in the thread but can anyone tell me if this would work with the Microsoft Surface RT?  I'm assuming it would but would hate to find out otherwise the hard way. 

I don't see why not.  It has a full USB port with all the drivers needed.  Some people have had problems with Windows 8 though...

I wanted the Pro and was seriously considering for notes at school and my portable audio device with my Dragonfly until I saw the price.  Way too expensive for something as limited as it is.  The RT is too limited for 500$; I guess I will continue limping along with my Android tablet.

Any idea if the Bus Power will be available in the US?  Looks like the perfect solution for my HiFace.

Well this is disappointing.  The rep at Audio Adviser tested the Dragonfly he was going to send out and it was having the same problem as I am.  No high-rez.  It was the leather case, which someone else had with the same problem.  My bet is they did a revision that isn't so great.

So I've been looking around and about this thread and can't seem to find a clear-cut answer...

Can the Dragonfly be used as a standalone DAC... yes or no?

Quote:

Originally Posted by itshot 

So I've been looking around and about this thread and can't seem to find a clear-cut answer...

 

Can the Dragonfly be used as a standalone DAC... yes or no?

Can you define stand alone.  What is the digital source you hope to convert from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vhobhstr 

If I plug a TRRS headset (like the Sony XBA-3iP) into the DragonFly, will stereo music play through it properly? Or will one of the contacts inside the DragonFly connect with the microphone's part of the plug, thus causing problems?

I'll answer my own question. I got a DragonFly today, and it does work with an iPhone headset.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itshot 

So I've been looking around and about this thread and can't seem to find a clear-cut answer...

 

Can the Dragonfly be used as a standalone DAC... yes or no?

yep, of course it can. it can be used as a head-amp, or as a line out (recommended full volume).

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUMAY408 

Can you define stand alone.  What is the digital source you hope to convert from.

 

Like a laptop... to an desktop amp? Kinda like an ODAC lol

Though wouldn't it technically be double amping, or is there some mechanism by which the onboard amp can be bypassed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAmitchell 

Quote:

Originally Posted by itshot 

So I've been looking around and about this thread and can't seem to find a clear-cut answer...

 

Can the Dragonfly be used as a standalone DAC... yes or no?

 

yep, of course it can. it can be used as a head-amp, or as a line out (recommended full volume).

You just set the computer volume to Max and then let the amp volume control do the job.

Maybe dumb question but need fast answer, is this thingy capable delivering audio @ Android?

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoiL 

Maybe dumb question but need fast answer, is this thingy capable delivering audio @ Android?

I have read in multiple places that you cannot as it pulls too much power.  I have not done any tests myself though.

Tapatalk refused to send this morning or I would have replied sooner...