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AudioQuest Dragonfly Review : Affordable, Outstanding, Tiny DAC / Amp
Aug 10, 2012 at 3:26 PM Post #346 of 2,514
Did a quick comparison last night with the Dragonfly, D1 and E17 all out of USB using the HE400.
My findings: DF > D1 > E17. YMMV. Notice > not >>  Difference are subltle with the DF providing more soundstage andy dynamics. I'd take the Dragonfly over the E17 (for USB out of a PC/laptop) any day. I'll be selling my E17 soon and will keep the DF and D1.
So, it really comes down to the feature set you want and your particular use(es).  I just want a USB dac/amp and have no need of the other E17 features.
Quote:
moonyeol said:
Hey, I'm probably saving up to an amp/dac for my laptop. As I currently don't own anything to improve on my laptop (which has a lot of noise going on and the sq is... poor). I'm not very good at the sound thing. Just started out but I've bought a few iems; Gr07, Se535, Regiant A03, Re0 (however haven't listened to the Re0 or Se535 as they are my motivation for losing weight and running).
So, my question is. How does DF compare to E17 out of a price/performance perspective. Is the 100$ difference worth it? Will I miss anything compared to the features of the E17 or are they just "gimmicks"? Do you feel like you miss any features on the DF or will the sq alone be enough for me? I'm not much of an eq-guy, I want to listen to my iems and not the sound that I created for them (however this may change).
Thanks in advance!
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Aug 10, 2012 at 6:41 PM Post #347 of 2,514
Quote:
mickeyvee said:
Did a quick comparison last night with the Dragonfly, D1 and E17 all out of USB using the HE400.
My findings: DF > D1 > E17. YMMV. Notice > not >>  Difference are subltle with the DF providing more soundstage andy dynamics. I'd take the Dragonfly over the E17 (for USB out of a PC/laptop) any day. I'll be selling my E17 soon and will keep the DF and D1.
So, it really comes down to the feature set you want and your particular use(es).  I just want a USB dac/amp and have no need of the other E17 features.
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as expected, thanks for the impressions.
 
Aug 10, 2012 at 8:05 PM Post #348 of 2,514
OK, DF just arrived, listened to a few CDs out of the box through iTunes and I agree it's a class above the E17.  Did I miss something though?  I'm running a PC with XP here at home, and at work.  The DF works fine with iTunes, but I can't get it to work with Windows Media Player.  At work, I don't have iTunes and would prefer to not install anything other than WMP.  Am I missing a driver, or am I going to have to load a 3rd party player at work?
 
 
Aug 10, 2012 at 9:07 PM Post #349 of 2,514
Hmmm, this is strange. Very strange.
 
DF arrived today and I just set it up in my Dell Mini-10 that is using Windows7 and itunes. Followed install and set up exactly as in the quick start guide. Listening now thru Senn IE7s and something sounds off. Vocals are very VERY subdued and have echos.
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Is this part of the burn-in process? 
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Edit: Problem solved, see 2nd post below this one
 
Aug 10, 2012 at 9:09 PM Post #350 of 2,514
Quote:
revenge said:
Another interesting question for a potential buyer would be, of course, compatibility, synergy. The Dragonfly doesn't seem to perform very well neither with low impedance, sensitive IEM's, nor with anything above HD650 (maybe HD700 reported by someone). I assume then that the "comfort zone" would then be indeed Grado, Ultrasone and probably other reasonably efficient headphones (the HD5XX range from Sennheiser comes to mind as well). A lot of love for the Ultrasone / Dragonfly combo reported so far, how about experiences with other headphones, including Grado?   
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So far, having not tested high-impedance headphones, this sounds about right. I'm thinking of getting some HD-600s again, as it is very clear whether or not an amp works well with them by the soundstage, which sounds compressed if it isn't driving them well.
 
Quote:
wavelength said:
Chefano,
 
Thanks for looking at this again! But your numbers and methods are still not correct. While you can with an oscillator and a DVM come up with a specific impedance at a given frequency, this is not the way to do it. Also that is not the way to do it with a Tube Amplifier either.
 
But really why??? Everyone knows that headphones and speakers vary with frequency. Impedance is just one variable and really with feedback it can be really low and actually not as controlled or good as one without feedback. There are too many variables to pick out one for something that is so personal like headphones are.
 
Try it... yea and not like others for 10 minutes and send it back. Really try it and let it break in easily don't force it.
 
Ok as I stated before the output Z of the DragonFly is 0.8 ohms max. John Atkinson tested it with the Audio Precision and got 0.65 ohms. I use the Prism dScope III, these will test using FFT and therefore get a broadband spectrum of the overall impedance.
 
Again though that is only one variable.... I think we all know we listen with a lot more than that.
 
Thanks
Gordon
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Gordon, thanks for setting us straight.  Since I don't have any fancy measurement gear, I just plug in my Sony XBA3s, which have a very wacky impedance curve, peaking at 90 Ohms somewhere up around 10 kHz. I know if the treble is unusually bright, then the amp isn't linear.
 
Quote:
bobeau said:
Quote:
bobjs said:
I never noticed a change after the first few days.  I can hear what others are calling sibilance, but it doesn't bother me unless it's a very poor recording.
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I figured that much... someone did say they compared a new one vs. one that had been heavily used and barely heard a difference.  I'm pretty dubious about burn-in as a whole past the first 10-20 hours and think it's mostly a mental adjustment (unless we're talking about sizable caps or diaphragms) but I do want to give the DF some more hours as well just to be fair. 
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Informal experimentation I did some time back suggested to me that it was heat affecting the components over the first 350 hours that could cause changes, with some devices exhibiting weird behaviour such as the treble disappearing for 50 hours. I find new amps often have some harshness initially which goes away after some hours of use.
 
Aug 10, 2012 at 10:07 PM Post #351 of 2,514
Quote:
oldskool said:
Hmmm, this is strange. Very strange.
 
DF arrived today and I just set it up in my Dell Mini-10 that is using Windows7 and itunes. Followed install and set up exactly as in the quick start guide. Listening now thru Senn IE7s and something sounds off. Vocals are very VERY subdued and have echos.
eek.gif

 
Is this part of the burn-in process? 
confused_face%281%29.gif

 
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Aha! I didn't have the IEM jack fully inserted into the DF.
 
Carry on. 
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Aug 10, 2012 at 10:57 PM Post #352 of 2,514
Aug 10, 2012 at 11:32 PM Post #353 of 2,514
Quote:
longbowbbs said:
Sometimes it is the simple things...
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Ain't that the truth.
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OK, after having the IE7's 3.5mm jack FULLY inserted for the better part of an hour while listening to some lossless files, I can safely say.....WOW.
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Will give more impressions after 200 hours burn-in.
 
Aug 10, 2012 at 11:34 PM Post #354 of 2,514
Today Ive found  my indestructible Porta Pro in my beadroom mess.
So, why not to try it in DF.
GEEZZ sounded so good!! Ive never heard them like today.. so dynamic so alive.. 
Im so pleased! =D
 
Aug 12, 2012 at 11:41 AM Post #356 of 2,514
DF playing lossless files non-stop for about 40 hours. Barely warm, not even lukewarm. Heat from DF simply not an issue on my fanless Dell.
 
SQ is already amazing. Description? MickeyVee already nailed it...sounds dynamic, terrific soundstage. Still searching for my 1/8 to 1/4 adapter, but so far my Senn IE7s sound great.
 
Can't wait to travel with this little rig.
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Aug 13, 2012 at 7:33 AM Post #359 of 2,514
Quote:
bobjs said:
OK, DF just arrived, listened to a few CDs out of the box through iTunes and I agree it's a class above the E17.  Did I miss something though?  I'm running a PC with XP here at home, and at work.  The DF works fine with iTunes, but I can't get it to work with Windows Media Player.  At work, I don't have iTunes and would prefer to not install anything other than WMP.  Am I missing a driver, or am I going to have to load a 3rd party player at work?
 
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Bump.  Anyone get the DF to work with WMP?
 
Aug 13, 2012 at 7:39 AM Post #360 of 2,514
YES, you can use Windows Media Player with DF.
 
after you insert the DF to your computer, and it's already installed (you said yourself you can use it with other software).
start WMP
go to TOOLS (if you can't find it, then right click on the upper border (next to the arrows), then check the "show menu bar"
now click: OPTIONS
DEVICES
double click on SPEAKERS
and on the "sound playback" choose the DragonFly.
 
that's all.
 
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