[foreverzer0]

I have to admit that the DFR has some glare in the treble regions which does detract from treble detail, but then again the dynamic presentation of the DFR more than makes up for it (I use mine mostly with the DT1770 Pro)

Personally I think that a lot of people miss the point of the Dragonflys. Its a USB stick that's powered purely by it's host, and in the red form can drive some reasonably demanding headphones. It really is what I would consider to be the ultimate portable DAC/amp at the moment, due it's form factor. However to deliver a product in that form factor is going to require some compromises along the way.

This isn't a be all and end all DAC/amp, and it's certainly no Mojo, but what it is, is a highly portable and effective device for listening to music on the go. It's not something you would buy as an only DAC/amp solution, but more something you would buy as an "on the go" alternative compliment your main system, or if you choose to run high impedence headphones as a portable solution.

I'm actually thinking about picking up 2 or 3 more of these so that I can have one in my bag at all times and the other two connected permanently to headphones that I use for portable duties - that way the DFR and the CCK cable simply become part of the headphone cable. I'm that impressed with it, despite the slight failings in the treble that I've found.

 
Actually, I think it would be good enough to be an all-around dac for many folks that aren't constantly comparing gear. I have an Opus #11 that some claim sounds indistinguishable to the Mojo for IEMs (driving power isn't the same) up for sale because my preference still leans toward the Red for my iPhone (also, because I don't want to charge 2 devices or have it ever run out of juice).

 

[drykoke]

Sorry you don't like my opinion but the dfr is no way neutral sounding, it's bright and thin with a metallic sound, my chord Dave is neutral sounding. The mojo is closer to neutral but still a hair warm, for its price the dfr is detailed but not refined sounding and has many manufacturers defects and usability issues with many phones.

Actually, it's not for me to like or dislike your opinion. You are entitled to your opinion that the DFR is harsh and bright (and that Chord Mojo is far superior), and I am not here to change your mind. I just wanted to see the evidence behind the claims that you make because you have made your views obvious on this forum many times:
 
1) You recommend using the DFR only with warm-sounding headphones and IEMs. Which warm sounding phones have you tried your DFR with, and did the results support your conclusion that DFR is better with that type of headphone?
2) You make a statement above that DFR has many manufacturer's defects. From your previous posts, you found crackling when using two separate DFRs with your IPhone. How do you know that this is not a problem specific to the interaction between your IPhone and the DFR? Did you use a Windows PC, or Mac, or Android phone and find the same crackling with both DFR?
Unless you have carried out the full investigation, I think it is difficult to justify a conclusion of many manufacturer's defects. For instance, I have crackling between DFR and a particular Samsung tablet, but DFR works perfectly for me with Windows 10, IPad, and other Android phones. This is an example of specific problem interaction between two components, and not necessarily conclusive of many defects.

 

[pkcpga]

Actually, it's not for me to like or dislike your opinion. You are entitled to your opinion that the DFR is harsh and bright (and that Chord Mojo is far superior), and I am not here to change your mind. I just wanted to see the evidence behind the claims that you make because you have made your views obvious on this forum many times:

1) You recommend using the DFR only with warm-sounding headphones and IEMs. Which warm sounding phones have you tried your DFR with, and did the results support your conclusion that DFR is better with that type of headphone?
2) You make a statement above that DFR has many manufacturer's defects. From your previous posts, you found crackling when using two separate DFRs with your IPhone. How do you know that this is not a problem specific to the interaction between your IPhone and the DFR? Did you use a Windows PC, or Mac, or Android phone and find the same crackling with both DFR?
Unless you have carried out the full investigation, I think it is difficult to justify a conclusion of many manufacturer's defects. For instance, I have crackling between DFR and a particular Samsung tablet, but DFR works perfectly for me with Windows 10, IPad, and other Android phones. This is an example of specific problem interaction between two components, and not necessarily conclusive of many defects.

The manufactures defects were claimed by the hifi shop I purchased them from, two were tried by myself than tried by them before stating they will be returned with 4 others to audioquest. Some of the returned were for similar as mine some were for rattling noises or lose compents inside. I've purchased a lot through them and they were very apologetic about recent issues since my old df had no issues but sounded nothing special compared to the mojo. Both new dfr's were defective, deemed by dealer.

 

[brent75]

  I think this sort of statement needs to be much more cautious i.e. you are free to speak for yourself, but please don't claim that 'people' generally share the same opinion as you do.
I have read DFR evaluations by professional reviewers in What HiFi; Stereophile; Hifi News & Record Review.
Not a single reviewer mentioned bright or harsh. Not a single reviewer recommended pairing only with warm headphones or IEMs.
 
.......
 
So, I don't think it is justifiable to make blanket recommendations that DFR should only be used with warm headphones. Every person has their own choice of meat (or poison).

 
 Totally agree. He's become a fly in the ointment of this discussion. I'm personally not sure why he keeps hanging around on the DFR thread anyway as he apparently has so many problems with it:

1. WITHOUT FAIL brings up the Mojo, even though no one is talking about the Mojo
2. Calls it bright/thin/harsh/unrefined/metallic sounding
3. Claims people "only" recommend it with certain IEMs and headphones
4. Says there are "many" manufacturers defects
5. Proclaims there are usability issues with "many" phones
6. Did I mention the Mojo? Because if I don't, he certainly will

 
All in all, it's fine to hold your own opinion -- we all do. But as you pointed out, one can't just throw blanket statements out there and treat them as gospel. It doesn't personally sway me because I know better --- but it sucks for potential newcomers who are doing their due diligence and researching...stumbling across this thread...find his posts...and mistakenly think the DFR is the devil incarnate.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Sorry you don't like my opinion but the dfr is no way neutral sounding, it's bright and thin with a metallic sound, my chord Dave is neutral sounding. The mojo is closer to neutral but still a hair warm, for its price the dfr is detailed but not refined sounding and has many manufacturers defects and usability issues with many phones.

 
Are you seriously comparing a $250 USB dongle to a $10,000 DAC??
 
This is the problem I'm having with this thread. Everyone's slagging on the DFR and comparing it to far more expensive product (peculiarly, always Chord products...) rather than anything in its relative price range. *** if I'm shopping for a DFR I'm probably not gonna be dropping four digits on a Hugo. 
 
I mean good lord y'all might as well pop into mid-fi headphone threads and tell them they should be buying HE1000's and Focal Utopias. 

 

[foreverzer0]

I wonder if they could be paid or have some undisclosed agenda

 

[pkcpga]

I wonder if they could be paid or have some undisclosed agenda

No just some one who liked my original df but felt I wasted my time with two defective ones and think the df was a bit over hyped based on paid web/magazine reviews. I'm not alone on defects the past pages alone have at least one person a page stating some sort of defect or usability issue and wether they should keep it or return it.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

No just some one who liked my original df but felt I wasted my time with two defective ones and think the df was a bit over hyped based on payed web/magazine reviews. I'm not alone on defects the past pages alone have at least one person a page stating some sort of defect or usability issue and wether they should keep it or return it.

I'm gonna need a source on "payed reviews" buddy.

 

[Smileyko]

I love both the Dragonfly 1.2 and the newer RED. I am new to Head Fi, bought all my gear this year from reading Head Fi. I just got the Violectric V220 amp two days ago and I am burning in 24 hours a day with the RED. I can tell you after 40 hours none stop this morning the sound is just outstanding. I know, it's NOT the right dac for such an amp but it sounds like heaven to me. Now when I travel this RED is all I take on the road. The RED and the PM2 travels well together. For just $200, what a great deal.

 

[estreeter]

I'm gonna need a source on "payed reviews" buddy.

 
And I'm gonna need the address of his English teacher - that man (my assumption - most female academics can spell) really needs to be stopped. If English is his second language, as it is for many Head-Fiers, then I'd suggest that he needs to spend a little more time composing his posts than that effort.
 
FWIW, I did object to constant OT discussion re 'Mojo vs everything else' a few pages back, but my objections seem to have been ignored. 6 months in and my DFB just does what its meant to be doing, day in and day out, but I wont compare it with other DACs I've owned/own simply because it's a niche product as pointed out earlier. AQ have delivered two exceptional budget components and all we seem to want to do is tear them down - I'm all for constructive criticism, but we're not talking about 2K+ electronics here.
 
Edit : for those wondering what else you can get under 100USD, I can recommend the Topping NX2, but as a DAC it's little better than the chip in my laptop. You are very unlikely to get DFB-level sonics from anything else at this pricepoint - always happy to hear otherwise.

 

[SearchOfSub]

I love both the Dragonfly 1.2 and the newer RED. I am new to Head Fi, bought all my gear this year from reading Head Fi. I just got the Violectric V220 amp two days ago and I am burning in 24 hours a day with the RED. I can tell you after 40 hours none stop this morning the sound is just outstanding. I know, it's NOT the right dac for such an amp but it sounds like heaven to me. Now when I travel this RED is all I take on the road. The RED and the PM2 travels well together. For just $200, what a great deal.

Hello SmileyKo, what do you think of the sound differences between DFR vs. Mojo and which do you prefer?

 

[canali]

Are you seriously comparing a $250 USB dongle to a $10,000 DAC??

This is the problem I'm having with this thread. Everyone's slagging on the DFR and comparing it to far more expensive product (peculiarly, always Chord products...) rather than anything in its relative price range. *** if I'm shopping for a DFR I'm probably not gonna be dropping four digits on a Hugo. 

I mean good lord y'all might as well pop into mid-fi headphone threads and tell them they should be buying HE1000's and Focal Utopias. 

good catch...much akin to comparing a honda civic Sir or even type R to a Ferrari or Lambo (What!)
while  honda both civic series get fab reviews as being very fun to drive, sports tuned cars,  and offering great bang for the buck (etc) it's hardly fair comparisons against a ferrari or lambo.
 
anyway, I love my little df red for what it does...use it all the time out and about...keeps me fit by being truly portable for walking around, hooked up to my ipod touch 6.
once I get the mojo extender (and a small pocket camera carrying case) I'll be swapping things around to experiment.

 

[Smileyko]

Hello SmileyKo, what do you think of the sound differences between DFR vs. Mojo and which do you prefer?

I and many here do love the RED since it's got great bang for the bucks. Travels well never needs charging! Now of course at 3 times the price comes the Mojo. Now that's a all together different sounding world out there with the Mojo. They both will do different things for different folks. Now the sound? Hmmmmmmmm........ It's the MOJO baby. Cheers.

 

[estreeter]

 
Having spent enough time with the DFB hooked up to the Pi3, I came to the conclusion that I do get better sound from the USB ports on my laptop - the Pi is about the same as the SQ from my Lenovo tablet via OTG. As much as I hate to admit it, Roon has the best SQ of any playback software I've used - the 'bits is bits' argument just goes out the window IME. The prospect of being able to use the Pi as a Roon endpoint is tempting - I'm just wary of spending money on the HiFiBerry i2S DAC when I doubt that the chip will give me a better result than the DFB from my laptop.
 
Hans Beekhuyzen has spent a lot of time looking at different options - hardware and software - but as this isnt a thread about the Pi I'll leave you with his thoughts on the DF Black and Red. Those interested in his Pi music player vids can find them on his channel.
 
 

 

[brent75]

Totally agree - I love the sound of Roon.