AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt Portable USB DAC Sweepstakes
According to the company:
In 2012, the original AudioQuest DragonFly thoroughly disrupted the DAC market. For so many casual enthusiasts who had never previously considered the possibility of improving their digital-audio experience, DragonFly was nothing short of a revelation. Meanwhile, even the most experienced audiophiles were compelled to reexamine long-held notions of what a DAC could and should be. Stereophile's Art Dudley enthusiastically summarized, “DragonFly is fun: It's a thumb in the eye of those tea-pinky tyrants who would tell the rest of us what is and is not high end. I can think of no more recommendable product in digital audio.”
In the early months of 2015, AudioQuest surpassed its previous achievements with DragonFlys Black and Red—two sensational models that offered improved performance-to-cost ratios with unprecedented sound quality, free firmware updates, and, of course, the biggest news of all, compatibility with Apple® and Android® smartphones.
And now comes DragonFly Cobalt—AudioQuest's new flagship DAC. Cobalt takes what music lovers around the world have come to expect from the multi-award-winning DragonFly family—naturally beautiful, seductive sound—and strips away fuzz and fog that weren't even noticeable until Cobalt removed them.
How is this possible? Like the critically acclaimed DragonFly Red, Cobalt has the robust 2.1-volt output to drive almost any headphone, uses a bit-perfect digital volume control for outstanding signal-to-noise ratio, enables seamless compatibility with Apple and Android devices, and is an exceptionally competent and affordable MQA renderer.
Cobalt's precedent-setting performance is made possible by multiple significant upgrades:
- New, more advanced ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound.
- Microchip's superb PIC32MX274 microprocessor draws less current and increases processing speed by 33%.
- Improved power-supply filtering that specifically increases immunity to WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular noise.
- Includes AudioQuest's new DragonTail USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adaptor to easily accommodate the increasing number of electronic devices that feature USB-C ports.
- Contoured enclosure measures just 2.26” x 0.73” x 0.47” (57.5mm x 18.6mm x 11.9mm), making the latest DragonFly 10% smaller than its predecessors.
Like previous models, Cobalt uses Gordon Rankin's precedent-setting StreamLength® asynchronous-transfer USB code. Further, in Gordon's monoClock® technology, a single ultra-low-jitter clock generated from the ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip runs the ESS chip functions as well as all microcontroller functions. This superior clock enables DragonFly Cobalt to provide greater resolution and clarity than DACs with multiple clocks.
With AudioQuest's DragonFly USB DAC, music appreciation and exploration are limitless: Plug into an Apple or Windows computer or connect to an iOS or Android mobile device. Play YouTube or Vimeo videos. Go hunting on Bandcamp or SoundCloud. Explore playlists on Spotify or Pandora. Stream high-res audio from Tidal or Qobuz. No matter the choice of musical pleasure, DragonFly delivers beautiful sound to earbuds, headphones, desktop speakers, or complete audio systems, unraveling the emotional expression and nuance that makes music and movies so enjoyable. Now, more than ever before, naturally beautiful sound is right at your fingertips—however you want it, whenever you want it.
The first 10,000 units of DragonFly Cobalt will come packaged with vouchers for trial subscriptions to the outstanding Tidal and Qobuz music-streaming services. Cobalt customers can begin their musical journeys with two new AudioQuest playlists—On an AudioQuest and Making Connections—available on Tidal and Qobuz, respectively.
To enter the sweepstakes, all you need is an account on this website. If you don't already have one, click on the link labeled "register" at the bottom of this announcement or "LOG IN/JOIN" in the nav bar at the right. Then, enter a username and a valid e-mail address, and click on the "Create new account" button. A message will be automatically sent to the e-mail address you specified, which will include a link to activate the account.
The final step (and only step for those who already have an account) is to log in and leave a comment right here on this announcement—any comment will do, as long as it's not profane or spam. Then, when the sweepstakes closes, a lucky commenter will be chosen at random to receive the prize. So post a comment, and good luck!
For complete sweepstakes rules, click here.
[This Sweepstakes is now closed]
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Don't have many more years to enjoy the music. Just kidding. I'm only 68, so many more years to go.
Good listening everyone,
Z
Please.
In for the giveaway.
like today
But will go blue!
Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
Put me down. Would love to have it.
For Xmas!
Ummmm. Cobalt.
Gave my Red to a friend in need, so...yeah. It would be nice to have another Dragon Fly hanging on my McBüchen. Vielen Dank.
Thanks for this great opportunity!
To Win It!
Love to win!
That they get so much "stuff" into that little package! And it will work with my iPhone/iPad! Woop!!! Bring it on!
Please?
Winning a Cobalt would really make my month.
Love these DACs and would love to win the Cobalt.
Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks.
I would love to have one fly over to my place!
And I'll say it again; yes, please!
Dragonfly, why not.
a comment
I'll get a new cell phone to drive it.
Have a red and would love to hear this new one
Count me in!
Count me in!
Skeptic - make me a believer!
My turn?
So I may get to upgrade my original Dragonfly? I love cobalt!
Here's hoping I get that lucky algorithmic number... Thanks for sponsoring this BTW.
Blue DragonFly
Count me in!
Love my dragonfly red. Would love to see what this one can do.
Or the previous few thousand weeks for that matter. I believe it's my turn.
Diggin' It!
The black was a significant upgrade from the red.Wonder if we'll hear the same on the blue?
I want one.
Cool Toy!
Please include me in the contest!
Count me in
Maybe it plays the "Blues" even better!
Like it. Megan Rapinoe rules.
These look sweet!
I haven't heard any of these but hope to soon.
Love to use this with Sennheiser 580s
I would be
the new sweepstakes is here!
the new sweepstakes is here!
I'd love to have this to listen to high-res FLACs when I'm at work!
This would be sweet!!
Would love to win this!
I've been wanting one of these since they were introduced but have never pulled the trigger. Fingers crossed!
Yes, please...
Please come flying my way.
want it
I sure could use an upgrade.
Come fly to me.
Need competition for my LGV30+ phone dac
Thanks!
Sounds delicious!!
Thank you!!!
...fingers crossed!
That thing is beautiful!
would like to get a fix on this blue bug.
If I should be so lucky this would go to my audio guru brother. Hoping to pay it forward.
I’ll take it
Pick me pick me
Looks great. Would love to hear one in action.
Would love to have it.
Let's do it.
Paul
Chicken Dinner!
Thank you from Honolulu, Hawaii!
by dragonfly!
Has many high tech features.
I'm in
Here's hoping for good luck!
Here's hoping for good luck!
So this Cobalt thingy changes those crispy little digital bits into smooth, analog audio? I really should look into this. How about a free one to try out?
I'm all in!
Yay me!
Gimme, gimme gimme gimme some more
Don't ask, don't ask don't ask what for
Gimme, gimme gimme gimme some more
Don't ask, don't ask don't ask what for
Gimme, I need some more
Gimme gimme gimme, don't ask what for
I have frequently thought to save enough for one of the earlier models so thank you very much for the potential opportunity! :-)
My portable rig is too big to be practical. This DAC/AMP is just the right size!
I'd love to hear this as my very own!
...please !
sounds like a very engaging DAC
can’t say no to dac!
No profanity.
I own the Audioquest black, but would love to upgrade to the cobalt!
out
Sign me up please
AnalogPlanet giving away a DAC?! Shall the wonders never cease?!
Thank you
I'm in - thanks!
I quit
One for me, please!
Winning this would complete my life.
Would love to try the Cobalt
I would love to her the differance between Analog, Digital and Hi-res.
Thanks for the chance.
No lie.
Wow, I'd love to have one of the cobalts!
...c'mon...please?
I love listening to old 45s on YouTube and jazz MP3s on drummerworld.com.
I'm sure the AQ Cobalt will greatly improve the sound quality.
Thanks,
Chris
Need Dragonfly please.
all eleven of them.
I might win!
And let me sing upon the stars...
Hope I’m glad I waited for this.
I have the Black and enjoy the sound, but wish the output level could be adjusted for different headphones. Is this a firmware issue, or part of the hardware?
I'm down for the upgrade!
Finally, Tidal master quality audio off my Iphone!
Very cool, thanks!
Curious to A-B it with the Black I already have.
Yea I kinda want it.
Rules!
I'd love to win this fabulous dac :)
Would love to try it!
Thx, Mike
Nice upgrade!
Never won anything in my life so would be nice to own this as I don’t have a DAC and would like to see what hi-res audio sounds like. Is it any good?
Would love to win!
I know it is going to make the...
"Sounds like a whole universe - throbbin' with life"
plug my FitEar into this, I'm good
To AudioQuest
Excellent!
Got a DF Black, sure could use a Cobalt!
It will be obsolete within a year. That is why I want the Cobalt.
I'm always up for trying a new DAC.
I bet this sounds great.
Would love to try this bad boy out.
I've got an original. Time for a blue.
Count me in!
Sounds great .....count me in
Atomic Number 27 for me
come on … buzz me with your Atomic #27s
I hope not....have not tried these yet.
stuffed full of goodness...
Send it my way please...
oooo-oooo pick me...
I want it!
Winner winner chicken dinner
Tonight!
I need an upgrade for my DragonFly 1.0, please!
Great to hear that they keep improving a product that was so strong to begin with.
Blue is the warmest color.
Entered
I’d like win one of these!
yes please
Winning.
Always willing to try new audio gear.
Me, me, me!!!!
YES, of course I want one.
Was thinking about the red before the I found out of the Cobalt! Going to have to give the Cobalt a try first!
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