[bb rodriquez]

Hi everybody!

Today I have the opportunity to make some A/B/C test between Audioquest dragonfly black, red and Mojo

For that purpose I have used:
+ European iPhone 6+ with camera connector
+ Last generation Macbook pro.
+ Jh Audio Angie IEMs (17 ohms)
+ TIDAL HI-FI
+ 24/96 FLAC files

First of all, please do not compare both drangonfly with Mojo.
It is no fear in both ways becuase Mojo is extremely better in sound quality, and dragonflies in portability.
And in my opinion neither of them are a one-device-for-all.

Second, if I have to choose between black and red, I pull the trigger on black without any doubt.

Here you have my summary.
+ Black offers a little bit warmer sound than red.
+ Black offers higher output volumen than red. Huge differences at this point.
+ Black offers more space than red.
+ iOS plug and play experience is superb in both cases.
+ Portability is awesome. They offer a true portable rig (no battery, compact and almost invisible)

Hope this would be useful for other head-fiers

+1 on Mike's findings. This is how I found the red to black comparison to be. Also on my iPhone the black had a much higher volume output vs the red. But as another mentioned that may because the output is analog instead of digital.

Both Dragonflies are great little units for portable use. If you have the money for the red I would say go for it, it is really nice. But I will have to say that the law of diminishing returns applies to the Red. You will not get 2x the performance out of it compared to the black. Either one you choose will perform extremely well

 

[MikeRight]

Thanks for your answer.
But in iOS is not possible to do that because there is only one volume accessible.

Changing TIDAL or iTunes Volume you change the whole system volume.

 

[bb rodriquez]

I was actually just confirming that the black had a higher output volume than the red for others who were still making the decision to buy. In case some thought that it might be a setting or a fluke, coming from an iPhone that is.

 

[Dadracer]

 

  Just to throw another question onto the pile. Has anyone else tried the AQ Red or Black with the AQ Jitterbug in the chain? I have tried it with the Black but not hearing any significant difference.  

I'm using a Jitterbug with the Red, a Schiit Magni 2 Uber with a macbook air & audioquest nighthawks. The red definitely benefits more from the jitterbug than the Mojo. For me you could throw a hat over the performance of the red with JB vs the Mojo.
 
For info. I added a second JB into the other USB port on my mac (same bus); the effect is much (much), more subtle than the one direct in the chain. 

Ah ok and thanks for the feedback. I was mostly thinking about the JB in a mobile system with CCK or OTG. Perhaps there is less for the JB to do in a mobile system with battery power and so much going on in a laptop that in makes more of a difference but that is conjecture on my part  

 

[drykoke]

Just received my Dragonfly Red today. My existing portable amp/DAC is Cambridge Audio DAC Magic XS.
 
Pros: This is the first time I have heard my Sennheiser HD 600 sound so good! I know it is a difficult headphone (and can sound lethargic and undynamic), but the Red just infuses it with rhythmic energy, awash with treble detail and huge, vivid soundstage.
 
Cons: There are some big problems with Android compatibility. I have only tested extensively with Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (Lollipop 5.1.1) but have some other Android phones that I will get round to testing next week.
Spotify, Google Play music, etc. do not work at all.
Onkyo HF Music Player has great sound quality, but there are frequent crackles, drop outs, and other interruptions.
 
Shame about the Android issues, otherwise I love the Red!

 

[tommo21]

Yep...unfortunatly this is not the solution for androidusers as advertised. Not working on Nexus 6p as stated earlier in the thread. They need to change what they advertise from working on most Android phones to working on just a few. Ok, it works....but it really should work on the whole platform, not via certain apps.

It works like a charm on Windows though, but I wanted an all platform solution. Especially for phones.

 

[MikeRight]

Yep...unfortunatly this is not the solution for androidusers as advertised. Not working on Nexus 6p as stated earlier in the thread. They need to change what they advertise from working on most Android phones to working on just a few. Ok, it works....but it really should work on the whole platform, not via certain apps.

It works like a charm on Windows though, but I wanted an all platform solution. Especially for phones.

I think today it s is quite impossible to perform a high quality audio solution compatible with all android ecosystem.

Recently I asked Audeze regarding future versions of his cipher cable for Android and they answer the same I mentioned before

 

[brent75]

@bb rodriquez -- great to see another KCer on the board. We need a DragonFly Royal Blue!

 

[tommo21]

I think today it s is quite impossible to perform a high quality audio solution compatible with all android ecosystem.

Recently I asked Audeze regarding future versions of his cipher cable for Android and they answer the same I mentioned before

Well, if they can't manage it to work with "barebones" android like in the Nexus phones, then why say they have managed to get it working on most android phones?
 
What I get now is barely enough to use for line-out.
 
But I guess it's the same problem as with windows driver for UAC2 Microsoft and Google both sit with the solution, but don't bother doing anything about it.
 
Fortunately I've got an Ipod Touch 6 for music use.....but my CCK- cable didn't work(cheap ebay type), so need to get a new original one.

 

[YtseJamer]

 
Fortunately I've got an Ipod Touch 6 for music use.....but my CCK- cable didn't work(cheap ebay type), so need to get a new original one.

 
Do you know if the new apple lightning to usb camera adapter is compatible with the iPod Touch 5G or 6G ?
 
The new model number is : MD821AM/A
 
http://9to5mac.com/2015/12/22/iphone-lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter/

 

[bb rodriquez]

@bb rodriquez
-- great to see another KCer on the board. We need a DragonFly Royal Blue! :wink_face:

Lol I would buy that in a heartbeat!

 

[leaky74]

Ah ok and thanks for the feedback. I was mostly thinking about the JB in a mobile system with CCK or OTG. Perhaps there is less for the JB to do in a mobile system with battery power and so much going on in a laptop that in makes more of a difference but that is conjecture on my part  

Never really thought to try to be honest as I assumed the phones lightning port is subject to much less noise than a laptop USB?

I've just quickly tried the JB with the CCK, red & iPhone 6s Plus. I'd need to spend a bit more time but immediate impressions are that the JB makes minimal difference in that set up.

 

[Dadracer]

I was trying out the JB as it was just sitting spare on my desk after I got an ifi iP2 for my ifi micro stack. I think that there must be fewer artefacts coming from an iPhone lightning port than a laptop USB for certain. Its just I don't have any data to confirm it. 

 

[tommo21]

   
Do you know if the new apple lightning to usb camera adapter is compatible with the iPod Touch 5G or 6G ?
 
The new model number is : MD821AM/A
 
http://9to5mac.com/2015/12/22/iphone-lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter/

It looks like you're right. No lighning cck- support for Ipod Touch 5 and 6.
 
Then I have no need for the Dragonfly it looks like, so back it goes......what a bummer..

 

[YtseJamer]

 
It looks like you're right. No lighning cck- support for Ipod Touch 5 and 6.
 
Then I have no need for the Dragonfly it looks like, so back it goes......what a bummer..

 
I saw a review on Amazon and the person said that he's using the Red with his iPod Touch.
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1OIQ7Q1QPLXRP/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01DFMV4NQ
 
Maybe Apple is not supporting the new cable with the iPod Touch for the storage features but it seems to work for streaming audio.