AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC

Robert Harley has posted a review of the AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC ($249) at The Absolute Sound. His conclusion:

“AudioQuest’s $249 DragonFly USB DAC is brilliant in every respect: form factor, cool factor, versatility, value, and sound quality. I can’t think of a product that makes high-end sound more accessible to more people. Want better sound? Here, plug this into your computer. Done.

I don’t know if this was by accident or design, but the DragonFly hits just the right sonic buttons for fostering musical engagement. It’s not the last word in timbral liquidity or soundstage depth, but it has a remarkable sense of ease and engagement. In addition, the DragonFly’s exceptional ability to convey music’s rhythm, pulse, and flow is key to its powerful musical appeal.

Although you wouldn’t mistake the DragonFly’s sound for that of a Berkeley Alpha DAC, that’s not the point; most DragonFly customers would think that spending $5000 for a DAC is completely insane. The DragonFly’s genius is bringing the technologies, musical passion, and aesthetic of high-end audio to a product that all who love music can afford—and one that easily fits into the way they already access music.”

You can read the full review here.