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AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt (Cobalt)
USB DAC/Headphone Amp
In stock
£269
”This tiny USB DAC justifies its price tag”. ’What Hi-Fi?’ 2020 award-winner.
USB DAC for the best sound on the move
With HiRes music files and streaming services sounding better than ever, it pays to get a DAC and headphone amp that does justice to them. Rather than using your smartphone or laptop’s headphone output, the DragonFly Cobalt plugs into the USB output, bypassing the built-in (and usually average quality) sound processing and headphone amp. Specifically designed for the purpose, a quality USB DAC gives a stunning upgrade in sound and makes the most of your music files and headphones.
An award-winner made better
The AudioQuest DragonFlies have been winning awards and leading the field for many years now. With a list of technical improvements, the DragonFly Cobalt is now better than ever. Thanks to the included DragonTail USB adaptor, it’s also more versatile – straight out of the box.
Advanced new DAC
Key to the Cobalt’s stunning sound is an advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC (Digital to Analogue Convertor). Highly regarded within the hi-fi world, this DAC uses precise filtering to deliver a smooth and natural sound. Simply put, you’ll hear subtle details in the music that your regular headphone output misses out on or glosses over.
Enhanced processor
At the heart of this tiny DAC is a powerful processor that’s 33% faster than before. Faster processing means more accuracy and less distortion. It also draws less current, helping to preserve your smartphone or laptop’s battery life.
Resists noise for reduced distortion
Revisions to the power-supply filter help the Cobalt resist interference from wi-fi, Bluetooth and mobile phone signal noise. Improved filtering reduces background noise, meaning you hear every tiny detail in the music.
Powers a wider range of headphones
Just like the award-winning DragonFly Red, the Cobalt benefits from a powerful 2.1 volt output. If you use larger headphones, with more powerful magnets, such as the Grado range or larger Beyers/Sennheisers/AKGs, then this USB DAC model is ideal. The higher output gives effortless dynamics, a powerful bass and ability to make the music 'come to life'.
Upgrade the sound from your Android smartphone
With a DragonTail (USB A – C adaptor) supplied, you can now take advantage of using the DragonFly with your Android smartphone. Simply plug the DragonTail between the phone's USB and the DragonFly DAC and you're good to go - audiophile quality sound from your smartphone!
If you want the best from your music on the move, you’ll love the AudioQuest DragonTail Cobalt.
USB DAC for the best sound on the move
With HiRes music files and streaming services sounding better than ever, it pays to get a DAC and headphone amp that does justice to them. Rather than using your smartphone or laptop’s headphone output, the DragonFly Cobalt plugs into the USB output, bypassing the built-in (and usually average quality) sound processing and headphone amp. Specifically designed for the purpose, a quality USB DAC gives a stunning upgrade in sound and makes the most of your music files and headphones.
An award-winner made better
The AudioQuest DragonFlies have been winning awards and leading the field for many years now. With a list of technical improvements, the DragonFly Cobalt is now better than ever. Thanks to the included DragonTail USB adaptor, it’s also more versatile – straight out of the box.
Advanced new DAC
Key to the Cobalt’s stunning sound is an advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC (Digital to Analogue Convertor). Highly regarded within the hi-fi world, this DAC uses precise filtering to deliver a smooth and natural sound. Simply put, you’ll hear subtle details in the music that your regular headphone output misses out on or glosses over.
Enhanced processor
At the heart of this tiny DAC is a powerful processor that’s 33% faster than before. Faster processing means more accuracy and less distortion. It also draws less current, helping to preserve your smartphone or laptop’s battery life.
Resists noise for reduced distortion
Revisions to the power-supply filter help the Cobalt resist interference from wi-fi, Bluetooth and mobile phone signal noise. Improved filtering reduces background noise, meaning you hear every tiny detail in the music.
Powers a wider range of headphones
Just like the award-winning DragonFly Red, the Cobalt benefits from a powerful 2.1 volt output. If you use larger headphones, with more powerful magnets, such as the Grado range or larger Beyers/Sennheisers/AKGs, then this USB DAC model is ideal. The higher output gives effortless dynamics, a powerful bass and ability to make the music 'come to life'.
Upgrade the sound from your Android smartphone
With a DragonTail (USB A – C adaptor) supplied, you can now take advantage of using the DragonFly with your Android smartphone. Simply plug the DragonTail between the phone's USB and the DragonFly DAC and you're good to go - audiophile quality sound from your smartphone!
If you want the best from your music on the move, you’ll love the AudioQuest DragonTail Cobalt.
6 Year Guarantee
£26.85 Fully refundable if unused
Add our 6 Year Guarantee to your basket when you check out. We'll cover your items for 6 years and give you your money back if unused.
Lowest price guaranteed!
We’ll beat any genuine advertised price, even from the web & give you up to £100!
We're confident that our prices are amongst the very keenest out there, so we've made it as easy as pie to qualify for our Price Beat. Richer Sounds also guarantees to beat web prices, and Price Beat is even valid for 14 days after purchase, so if you've seen a cheaper price, let us know, and we'll happily beat that price by up to £100!
Products must be brand new, boxed, carry a comparable guarantee and be in stock at time of purchase. Richer Sounds price used to compare will be net of any voucher / trade in discounts.
T&Cs apply
Products must be brand new, boxed, carry a comparable guarantee and be in stock at time of purchase. Richer Sounds price used to compare will be net of any voucher / trade in discounts.
T&Cs apply
Free UK delivery on orders over £50
Next working day delivery and timed options available. Please see checkout for further details.
Buy now, pay later available
by phone, on items over £500
We offer 6 month interest free options. Call your local store or our Telesales team for details
For purchases over £500, pay a 10% deposit now and the balance in 6 months. Pay the balance in full before the end of the 6 months and there is no interest to pay whatsoever, just a one-off settlement fee of £29. Subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Ts&Cs apply. 19.9% APR representative. Find out more
Disabled assistance
All products that are available to purchase on the Richer Sounds website can be delivered free to blind, partially sighted or those with a disability.
Please contact web after sales for more info.
For delivery of in-store only deals, please contact your local store for more details.
T&Cs apply - see our delivery page.
For delivery of in-store only deals, please contact your local store for more details.
T&Cs apply - see our delivery page.
Make the most of your DAC. View our hottest deals on interconnects.
USB DAC for the best sound on the move
With HiRes music files and streaming services sounding better than ever, it pays to get a DAC and headphone amp that does justice to them. Rather than using your smartphone or laptop’s headphone output, the DragonFly Cobalt plugs into the USB output, bypassing the built-in (and usually average quality) sound processing and headphone amp. Specifically designed for the purpose, a quality USB DAC gives a stunning upgrade in sound and makes the most of your music files and headphones.
An award-winner made better
The AudioQuest DragonFlies have been winning awards and leading the field for many years now. With a list of technical improvements, the DragonFly Cobalt is now better than ever. Thanks to the included DragonTail USB adaptor, it’s also more versatile – straight out of the box.
Advanced new DAC
Key to the Cobalt’s stunning sound is an advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC (Digital to Analogue Convertor). Highly regarded within the hi-fi world, this DAC uses precise filtering to deliver a smooth and natural sound. Simply put, you’ll hear subtle details in the music that your regular headphone output misses out on or glosses over.
Enhanced processor
At the heart of this tiny DAC is a powerful processor that’s 33% faster than before. Faster processing means more accuracy and less distortion. It also draws less current, helping to preserve your smartphone or laptop’s battery life.
Resists noise for reduced distortion
Revisions to the power-supply filter help the Cobalt resist interference from wi-fi, Bluetooth and mobile phone signal noise. Improved filtering reduces background noise, meaning you hear every tiny detail in the music.
Powers a wider range of headphones
Just like the award-winning DragonFly Red, the Cobalt benefits from a powerful 2.1 volt output. If you use larger headphones, with more powerful magnets, such as the Grado range or larger Beyers/Sennheisers/AKGs, then this USB DAC model is ideal. The higher output gives effortless dynamics, a powerful bass and ability to make the music 'come to life'.
Upgrade the sound from your Android smartphone
With a DragonTail (USB A – C adaptor) supplied, you can now take advantage of using the DragonFly with your Android smartphone. Simply plug the DragonTail between the phone's USB and the DragonFly DAC and you're good to go - audiophile quality sound from your smartphone!
If you want the best from your music on the move, you’ll love the AudioQuest DragonTail Cobalt.
Brand
Audioquest
Colour
Cobalt
Optical Digital Inputs
No
USB Input
1 x Type A for PC/MAC
Headphone Output
Yes - 3.5mm
Bluetooth
No
DAC
ESS ES9038Q2M
Included Cables
DragonTail USB C - USB A Convertor
Dimensions WxDxH (mm)
58 x 12 x 19
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Rob D from
Fallen in love with music on a different level.
I had seen reviews on how good this portable DAC was, but it just lights my headphones up and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
My music has simply come alive.
Date published: 2021-03-04
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Dibyajyoti Das from
Convenient but price tag is too high.
Great form factor and we’re plenty to power my headphones but the value proposition isn’t there. It is well built though. Service from Richer Sounds has been amazing though and when I had to call them previously and the wait time was very short. Great service.
Date published: 2021-03-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Mattyt1991 from
A great little thing
This just seems like a relative bargain in the weird and wonderful world of audio. I use it with Beyerdynamic Amirons and a big improvement over phone and computers and even over the headphone output on my NAD amp.
Bradley from the Plymouth store was awesome in sorting me out as well. Thanks.
Date published: 2021-03-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Pavel Repin from
Amazing details, high quality sound!
I bough it to pair with my phone for hi fi headphones and it sounds amazing! It's very easy to use with PC and laptop too!
Date published: 2021-03-01
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Mr Sumal from
My world has just changed - again
It's been a big lockdown for in this household.
This summer, we stopped buying milk from the supermarket and started taking home deliveries of creamy "gold top" from a local dairy. Goodness me.
Then last month, we stopped buying eggs from the supermarket, and started getting them from a farm that's a few minutes from home. Wow - they're amazing.
In Autumn, I had an eye test, and was told that I literally needed to stop driving immediately, until my prescription was ready a week or so later. I'd never worn glasses before, so it was a first and a bit of a shock to learn just what I'd been living with.
What's the point I'm making? Well, it's this. Sometimes, you just don't know what you've been missing. Just because you don't know any better. You muddle through. You get your milk, and yes - it's milk. You get your eggs, and yes - there's a shell, and a white, and a yolk. And you walk through life, and yes - there are shapes and there a colours and there is a depth perception.
But it's not until there's excellence to benchmark your existing choices against, that you realise what you've been missing out on for so many years. Am I sorry that I didn't do this earlier? Well I'm a "glass half full" type of chap. I take the view that I now get o revel and gasp at the wonder of this new-found audio clarity with all the benefit of a life's experience of making do. I'm old enough to appreciate my good fortune. And to rediscover much of my favourite music all over again, in a way that it transpires I never had before.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a new Cambridge Audio AXR-100D receiver to use predominantly as a stereo amp, connected to a PC. Lat weekend, I plugged the Dragonfly Cobalt into one of the PC's rear USB port, and connected it to the AXR-100D via a https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/hi-fi-accessories/hi-fi-interconnects/cambridge-aud500-2ph-3-5-2m.html 3.5mm->RCA cable.
Mind. Blown.
Date published: 2021-02-09
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TwatFinch from
Sounds great, is it worth it though?
Bought this as it was on a ridiculously good deal with grado headphones. It's better than the hi-def DAC in my Xiaomi phone, it's probably better than my trainer l raspberry pi with IQaudio pi DAC pro, certainly the internet data it's better, but can I hear the difference of is it placebo? Tidal MQA files used to compare and they don't play at full Res on my pi.... Not sure, it's great but whether it's £260 great depends on your ears and pockets.
Date published: 2021-01-30
Rated 5 out of
5
by
graham20 from
Nifty piece of kit
Superb product drives my Athmsr7b and Grado sr80e with ease,improves the sound quality through iPod touch immensely.Dfficult to describe digs out the finest details in the music not heard before,everything is so clear,I listen to mainly Rock,Metal,prog and symphonic metal,perfect match.love it.
Date published: 2021-01-26
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Nickdales from
Improved detail
There is a sharpness and clarity to the music that makes the earlier experience almost muffled
Date published: 2021-01-21
£269
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt (Cobalt) is rated
out of
5 by
34.
6 Year Guarantee
£26.85 Fully refundable if unused
Add our 6 Year Guarantee to your basket when you check out. We'll cover your items for 6 years and give you your money back if unused.
Fully refundable if unused
6 YEAR GUARANTEE COSTS JUST £9.99 ON ALL ITEMS UNDER £100, OR 10% OF PURCHASE PRICE ON ANYTHING OVER £100.
We think you’ll agree that our 6 Year Guarantee offers fantastic value. What’s more, if you don’t use it in the 6 year period, we’ll refund the cost of it. You really can’t say fairer than that!
Plus, if we can't fix a fault, we will give you a replacement.
Find out full details here.
Lowest price guaranteed!
We’ll beat any genuine advertised price, even from the web & give you up to £100!
We're confident that our prices are amongst the very keenest out there, so we've made it as easy as pie to qualify for our Price Beat. Richer Sounds also guarantees to beat web prices, and Price Beat is even valid for 14 days after purchase, so if you've seen a cheaper price, let us know, and we'll happily beat that price by up to £100!
Products must be brand new, boxed, carry a comparable guarantee and be in stock at time of purchase. Richer Sounds price used to compare will be net of any voucher / trade in discounts.
T&Cs apply
Products must be brand new, boxed, carry a comparable guarantee and be in stock at time of purchase. Richer Sounds price used to compare will be net of any voucher / trade in discounts.
T&Cs apply
Free UK delivery on orders over £50
Next working day delivery and timed options available. Please see checkout for further details.
Buy now, pay later available
by phone, on items over £500
We offer 6 month interest free options. Call your local store or our Telesales team for details
For purchases over £500, pay a 10% deposit now and the balance in 6 months. Pay the balance in full before the end of the 6 months and there is no interest to pay whatsoever, just a one-off settlement fee of £29. Subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Ts&Cs apply. 19.9% APR representative. Find out more
Disabled assistance
All products that are available to purchase on the Richer Sounds website can be delivered free to blind, partially sighted or those with a disability.
Please contact web after sales for more info.
For delivery of in-store only deals, please contact your local store for more details.
T&Cs apply - see our delivery page.
For delivery of in-store only deals, please contact your local store for more details.
T&Cs apply - see our delivery page.