AudioQuest Dragonfly Review : Affordable, Outstanding, Tiny DAC / Amp - Page 7

This may be a bit of sensitive topic here.  However, how would you say this combination compares to the ODA +ODAC combination?  Although he is quite spoken (I am being reserved here), his products have great respect here for his immaculate attention to detail.

 

It sounds like so far the DAC implementation here is on an equal playing field or perhaps a tad better, but the O2 and esp. ODA will be superior amping.

 

I have an O2/ODAC JDS combo unit, Dragonfly should be arriving any moment now (out for delivery :).  I have Thunderpants, Edition 8s, and EPH-100s to test out with...

what opamp chip is it using? if it even has one?

as the reviews have pointed out, it has trouble running the big guys, but seems to shine using the IEM's.

I'm wondering what the power draw is on this thing...My Archos 101 g9 will literally power my iPhone, but that has a rechargeable battery...I use it with my FiiO E17, which has a really high power draw (150mw, I think), but again, the E17 has a battery...

 

Kojaku

Really want one of these now!

 

I didn't see any reviews pointing this about headphones, are you talking about the ones in the Computer Audiophile forum? I'm still waiting for someone with LCD-2 or something really hard to drive to comment, maybe someone did and I didn't notice.

 

I'm still stunned it can drive those full-sized headphones.

 

My initial impression driving Thunderpants is they're a bit underdriven.  I'm pushing the volume near the top of the DragonFly's output to what seems like what would be approx. 3 o' clock on my O2/ODAC on unity gain... bass is a tad weak, and treble is a bit sharp.  It's somewhat collapsed sounding in comparison to the O2/ODAC.

 

Driving my EPH-100s I'm undecided... it's almost in the other direction, the lower end can be bloomy and treble feels smoothed out, but that might also be a lack of digititus.  I think this is something I'm going to have to live with a few days then go back and compare.  I could very well come away falling in love with this pairing, and that's what I primarily bought it for.

Edited by bobeau - 7/10/12 at 3:06pm

I would like to know about your impressions, comparison between these two combos, Dragonfly + C421 and ODAC + C421. I have already known that Jude said the amplifier of Dragonfly is just so so not good or not bad when he compared to some low-end amplifiers. What I am truly interested in is about the quality of the DAC of Dragonfly. Thanks!

 

More like immaculate attention to his penta-digit costing dScope while using Sony EX71 Fontopia IEM's.

 

Some of the first people that built the O2 in Hong Kong put AD797 in it and decided that sounds better, that's all I have to say on that.

Anyone finding burn-in having any impact?  I only have about 4-5 hours on it now.

 

EDIT: Anyone know the output impedance on this thing?  The spec says it will drive 12+ ohms.

Edited by bobeau - 7/11/12 at 10:35am

Definitely interested in this. I know it won't work with iPad, but confirmation on android would be appreciated.

I know thy android devices, even ones without output limits on their USB OTG, usually can't host purely bus-powered devices unless the draw power is exceedingly low. The Dragonfly doesn't have a battery pack...so I don't quite know how this'd work out. That's why I asked if Jude (or anyone else) could bring one by the LAX meet, since I'd be bringing my porta-reference rig and my Archos 101g9 doesn't have hosting limits (I've literally charged my iPhone from it).

Kojaku

Well, I have had a few hours with the Dragonfly and I have been using it with my HP Elite PC using JRiver 17 running hi res .WAV and FLAC files. Fun to watch the magenta color represent 24/96 files vs Green for regular 44.1. I like it and I am anxious to see if there is a burn in effect that is significant.

I have my hopes up since the galaxy s3 can reportedly power the odac.