[WoodyLuvr]

Has anyone been able to find the specs for the amplifier in the Dragonfly Red? The only info I've been able to find is the 2.1v output and that it is ESS's latest amp.

I'm mainly wondering about the other specs of the amplifier so I can calculate how well the DFR is driving my AKG K7xx, which is 62 ohm with a sensitivity level of 105 db @ 1v. I'm new to this, but I believe I need more info about the DFR amp to calculate damping factor and other things.

The DFR should/will provide your AKGs a dampening factor of 62+ and should/will easily drive your AKG K7XX to ~111 peak dB SPL. A good rule of thumb regarding dampening factor (amp output impedance vs headphone impedance) is striving for a damping factor of at least 8 (commonly referred to as the 1/8th rule). A damping factor of 20+ provides an excellent margin of safety in regards to dampening so you are well covered with 62+!

AQ DragonFly Red (DFR) - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 2.1 Vrms (5.94 Vp-p) @ <1 ohm
AKG K7XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 62 ohms @ 92.9 db/mW SPL (105 dB/V SPL)

I.) DFR Power Output with K7XX: (2.1 Vrms * 2.1 Vrms)/62 ohms = 71.13 mW

II.) SPL from Power for K7XX & DFR: 92.9 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (71.13 mW) = 111.4 peak dB SPL

III.) SPL from Voltage for K7XX & DFR: 105 dB/V + 20 * LOG (2.1 Vrms) = 111.4 peak dB SPL

 

[HerrWallen]

Has any pixel/nexus-owners had the chance to try out their DFR with Oreo yet?
Wondering if UAPP is still necessary for volume-fix.

 

[lovinghart]

Anyone willing to compare the dragonfly red with a nextdrive spectra? Which would better drive the sennheiser hd650/6xx? Thanks!

 

[Mightygrey]

Does anyone here use Dragonfly Red with USB Audio Player Pro and Tidal hifi? I've discovered an odd little quirk. When I'm playing Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro, the light on the DFR is green. Then, when I play Tidal using the regular Android app, the light on the DFR is blue. It bugs me because the tracks are 16/41 meaning the light should be green for both. It seems Android is resampling the tidal tracks to 16/48 when I use the regular tidal app, making the light blue. Does anyone know why this would be happen and/or how I could fix it? Resampling is bad for sound quality so I want to avoid it when possible.

This is because the album/track you're playing is in MQA format, which is 48khz vs 44.1

 

[Basshead Paul]

This is because the album/track you're playing is in MQA format, which is 48khz vs 44.1

I understand it differently. I thought Tidal only uses MQA for the songs under the Masters tab. Plus, the Masters tab is only available in the desktop application, so it wouldn't effect use on my Android device. Another thing - the Dragonfly light turns a specific color for MQA, and it isn't blue. It's some sort of dark pink/purple (similar to the color for 96khz but noticeably darker).

 

[Basshead Paul]

The DFR should/will provide your AKGs a dampening factor of 62+ and should/will easily drive your AKG K7XX to ~111 peak dB SPL. A good rule of thumb regarding dampening factor (amp output impedance vs headphone impedance) is striving for a damping factor of at least 8 (commonly referred to as the 1/8th rule). A damping factor of 20+ provides an excellent margin of safety in regards to dampening so you are well covered with 62+!

AQ DragonFly Red (DFR) - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 2.1 Vrms (5.94 Vp-p) @ <1 ohm
AKG K7XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 62 ohms @ 92.9 db/mW SPL (105 dB/V SPL)

I.) DFR Power Output with K7XX: (2.1 Vrms * 2.1 Vrms)/62 ohms = 71.13 mW

II.) SPL from Power for K7XX & DFR: 92.9 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (71.13 mW) = 111.4 peak dB SPL

III.) SPL from Voltage for K7XX & DFR: 105 dB/V + 20 * LOG (2.1 Vrms) = 111.4 peak dB SPL

Wow thanks! That was very useful.

 

[Mightygrey]

I understand it differently. I thought Tidal only uses MQA for the songs under the Masters tab. Plus, the Masters tab is only available in the desktop application, so it wouldn't effect use on my Android device. Another thing - the Dragonfly light turns a specific color for MQA, and it isn't blue. It's some sort of dark pink/purple (similar to the color for 96khz but noticeably darker).

Here's what I've found using Tidal, MQA and DFR so far:

- MQA on the Tidal desktop app makes the DFR turn purple, i.e. 96khz sample rate
- MQA playing Tidal integrated via Roon makes it glow blue, and informs me the sample rate is 48khz
- Tidal integrated into UAPP on Android is able to play MQA, and it glows blue, i.e. 48khz

It seems the Tidal desktop app doubles the sample-rate to 96khz, but plays 48khz through everything else. I'm not sure what's happening with your Tidal app...

 

[Basshead Paul]

Here's what I've found using Tidal, MQA and DFR so far:

- MQA on the Tidal desktop app makes the DFR turn purple, i.e. 96khz sample rate
- MQA playing Tidal integrated via Roon makes it glow blue, and informs me the sample rate is 48khz
- Tidal integrated into UAPP on Android is able to play MQA, and it glows blue, i.e. 48khz

It seems the Tidal desktop app doubles the sample-rate to 96khz, but plays 48khz through everything else. I'm not sure what's happening with your Tidal app...

Here's what I've found using Tidal, MQA and DFR so far:

- MQA on the Tidal desktop app makes the DFR turn purple, i.e. 96khz sample rate
- MQA playing Tidal integrated via Roon makes it glow blue, and informs me the sample rate is 48khz
- Tidal integrated into UAPP on Android is able to play MQA, and it glows blue, i.e. 48khz

It seems the Tidal desktop app doubles the sample-rate to 96khz, but plays 48khz through everything else. I'm not sure what's happening with your Tidal app...

Ah, that's interesting. I noticed a few of the albums on my Android Tidal app are higher bit, 24 bit, instead of the normal 16 bit for most files. They aren't listed under a Masters tab, because there isn't one on Android, but are those MQA files? Or just higher bitrate files?

This is where it gets complicated for me, because they could just be normal 24 bit 48khz files which is why they make the Dragonfly light blue. Or, they could be MQA files and the Dragonfly turns blue when MQA files are played on Android.

I've noticed that when I play songs through UAPP on my Android, the light is green for all 16/41 files and blue for all 24/48 files. Those are the only results on UAPP for me. But, when I use the regular Android Tidal app, all songs make the Dragonfly light blue, regardless of resolution.

This could be happening as a result of Android resampling all songs to 48 khz. The light would still be blue then, for all songs, even if they aren't MQA. That would make sense to me, and would explain why the light is blue even if MQA isn't available through Tidal at all unless it's the desktop app.

Haha this feels a bit like figuring out a riddle at this point!

 

[riderx1]

Have the black and it's pretty good.

 

[micksaddress]

Hi folk's,
Got my red today. Partnered with One plus 5 and Anker otg cable.

Tried using and couldn't get volume in Spotify even using USB audio pro. Installed firmware update and working fine now. Noticed some crackle's in Spotify but turning off the normalise volume setting in Spotify sorted it. Have to say it's a night and day improvement over the one plus dac over headphone jack.

Thanks
Mixk

 

[micksaddress]

Actually crackling with Spotify might be still there.
Anyone else experience?
Thanks,
Mick

 

[BillK]

I'm glad you figured it out, but this is what was reported after the initial Audioquest update. Most of us have software volume set. That is the volume of the player app. Hardware volume controls the internal volume of the USB DAC. You raise the volume of the DAC using a player that takes full control of it, then you can use Android apps and use the Android system volume to change DAC volume within the 15 steps on Android system side. This is the "fix" that the update gave us, the ability to control DAC volume using third party apps. I'm sorry that you missed out on knowing that, but glad you were able to figure it out. Set software volume at full and set volume slider to hardware volume. 50 steps gives you a good number of steps to fine tune DAC volume and it translates well when it switches back to Android control. You have to do this volume adjustment Everytime you unplug the Dragonfly

I'm still confused by volume setting and how to set for best sound quality - please advise if I'm doing things right in the following set up.

Android phone with UAPP with bit perfect on and using the volume slider within UAPP. Is this correct?

Cheers,

Bill

 

[Devodonaldson]

I'm still confused by volume setting and how to set for best sound quality - please advise if I'm doing things right in the following set up.

Android phone with UAPP with bit perfect on and using the volume slider within UAPP. Is this correct?

Cheers,

Bill

You got most of it correct. The BEST thing to is under settings, Volume control, set it to hardware volume control. Next go to volume steps and choose 40. This gives you the ability to focus be tune DAC nax volume and have the same level Everytime. Now set hardware volume at zero and count out your volume presses to get your desired Max volume. Now you have the number you want the Dec set at. Exit UAPP, now you use Android volume control to control the volume of whatever app you're using, and I the DAC is set at your selected level

 

[BillK]

You got most of it correct. The BEST thing to is under settings, Volume control, set it to hardware volume control. Next go to volume steps and choose 40. This gives you the ability to focus be tune DAC nax volume and have the same level Everytime. Now set hardware volume at zero and count out your volume presses to get your desired Max volume. Now you have the number you want the Dec set at. Exit UAPP, now you use Android volume control to control the volume of whatever app you're using, and I the DAC is set at your selected level

Not sure what you mean by 'count out your volume presses'?

Also, when on 'hardware volume' I can no longer see it's playing bit perfect. When set to 'softwear volume' it is bit perfect and then I use hardware volume within UAPP.

 

[Devodonaldson]

Not sure what you mean by 'count out your volume presses'?

Also, when on 'hardware volume' I can no longer see it's playing bit perfect. When set to 'softwear volume' it is bit perfect and then I use hardware volume within UAPP.

My mistake. I meant you want volume control to be HARDWARE VOLUME. And keep bit-perfect of course. This allows you to use phone buttons to control volume as opposed to using hardware slider. That way you have set volume steps of 20, 40, or 50. Been awhile since I set it up, had my message mixed up