AudioQuest - DragonFly Black - USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amplifier

AudioQuest - DragonFly Black - USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amplifier 

AudioQuest's DragonFly Black is a USB digital-to-analog converter (DAC) designed to deliver clearer, more naturally beautiful sound from any computer, smartphone, or tablet. DragonFly Black’s unique design allows for playback of any file type regardless of resolution. Natively, DragonFly Black is capable of decoding 24-bit/96kHz data. 

Working closely with Microchip®, a leading provider of microcontrollers and analog semiconductors, AudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin developed sophisticated software that enabled the implementation of a new, high-performance class of USB microcontroller. Thanks to their exceedingly low power consumption and extremely low-noise power supplies, the Microchip® microcontrollers achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio, regardless of bit- or sample-rate. The initial results of this collaboration were the critically acclaimed.

The DragonFly Black uses Gordon Rankin’s monoClock® technology and the StreamLength® asynchronous USB code. With monoClock® technology, a single ultra-low-jitter clock generated from the DAC chip runs the headphone amplifier as well as all microcontroller functionalities. This single ultra-low-jitter clock enables the DragonFly Black to produce greater resolution and clarity than DACs that employ multiple clocks. StreamLength® asynchronous USB code ensures improved delivery of the audio samples to the DAC chip. It produces low jitter, low resource load, minimal packet errors, world-class audio playback, and reliable connectivity between our DAC and any computing device compliant with USB Host Mode. StreamLength® is compatible with the USB Audio Class (UAC) and requires no additional drivers.

Additionally, the DragonFly Black is software upgradable. In today’s fast-paced digital world, longevity in a hi-fi component is increasingly rare—at any price. AudioQuest believes that today’s digital devices should evolve as technology itself evolves, thereby delivering musical pleasure for many years to come. With AudioQuest's free Desktop Device Manager application and a few simple clicks, when new software is available, the DragonFly Black can be upgraded at no additional cost.