Audioquest Dragonfly Black v1.5 review

[Dilettante]

Measured as following:

USB2 port --> Dragonfly Black v1.5 --> 3.5-to-TRS adapter --> ID4 mk. II

Software gain was set to 100% via Windows volume control. Do note the ID4 impedances: 2.8 KOhm for the mic and >8 KOhm for the line inputs.

Whenever you see "preamp on", it means that microphone preamplifier was activated and its knob set to ~10:30. This gives us +8.4 dBFS.

1 kHz sine

Line input	Preamp on

Sweep
I have repeated these measurements several times. The curves look almost identical indeed.

Line input	Preamp on

Multitone 32

Line input	Preamp on

RMAA measurements were consistently failing. Even with the ID4 preamp set to maximum, the output level of Dragonfly were insufficient:

Well, unsurprisingly so.

 

[pkane]

Measured as following:

USB2 port --> Dragonfly Black v1.5 --> 3.5-to-TRS adapter --> ID4 mk. II

Software gain was set to 100% via Windows volume control. Do note the ID4 impedances: 2.8 KOhm for the mic and >8 KOhm for the line inputs.

Whenever you see "preamp on", it means that microphone preamplifier was activated and its knob set to ~10:30. This gives us +8.4 dBFS.

1 kHz sine

Line input	Preamp on
View attachment 213431	View attachment 213433

Sweep
I have repeated these measurements several times. The curves look almost identical indeed.

Line input	Preamp on
View attachment 213444	View attachment 213437

Multitone 32

Line input	Preamp on
View attachment 213440	View attachment 213439

RMAA measurements were consistently failing. Even with the ID4 preamp set to maximum, the output level of Dragonfly were insufficient:

View attachment 213443

Well, unsurprisingly so.

Try some averages with Multitone measurements. Say, 16 or 32 averages, 87.5% overlap, Amplitude or Hybrid. This will help bring out some more details in the noise, while shrinking the noise band to make the display cleaner. In the new version of Multitone, this will not take much longer to do this.

 

[Gradius]

Pretty bad for $120.

 

[Dilettante]

Pretty bad for $120.

If one has paid 120 USD for it, then yes. Reduce the price and it comes handy.

 

[Chrispy]

If one provides any revenue to the charlatans at fraudioquest you're just shooting yourself in the foot so to speak....

 

[Dilettante]

If one provides any revenue to the charlatans at fraudioquest you're just shooting yourself in the foot so to speak....

I wouldn't be sad if Audioquest are charged with fraud for what they do with their cables, etc.

However, let's stick to the facts. This product, while not a benchmark, delivers better audio than many of the in-built ALC***, can be used via USB OTG and has enough of power to drive headphones typically used with such plugs. In other words - it's not a scam.

 

[Chrispy]

I wouldn't be sad if Audioquest are charged with fraud for what they do with their cables, etc.

However, let's stick to the facts. This product, while not a benchmark, delivers better audio than many of the in-built ALC***, can be used via USB OTG and has enough of power to drive headphones typically used with such plugs. In other words - it's not a scam.

LOL of course I couldn't agree to that. I've not seen/experienced any fraudioquest product that actually did something better than something suited to the purpose.

 

[Dilettante]

@Chrispy , I am here not to defend Audioquest or make their products sound better than they are. However, at minimum, please make an effort to use the correct spelling and rely on facts (e.g. numbers) rather than emotions. Otherwise, your "something better than something suited" sounds like a vague bigotry.

 

[Chrispy]

Did I not say fraudioquest? Fuck Bill Low.

 

[Chrispy]

Dilettante sounds about right, tho

 

[mansr]

I wouldn't be sad if Audioquest are charged with fraud for what they do with their cables, etc.

However, let's stick to the facts. This product, while not a benchmark, delivers better audio than many of the in-built ALC***, can be used via USB OTG and has enough of power to drive headphones typically used with such plugs. In other words - it's not a scam.

Then again, a $9 Apple dongle gives you better performance still. How overpriced does something need to be before it becomes a scam?

 

[Chrispy]

Then again, a $9 Apple dongle gives you better performance still. How overpriced does something need to be before it becomes a scam?

It ain't called Fraudioquest on the side for no reason....

 

[Chrispy]

@Dilettante have I been too direct and to the point or ?

 

[Dilettante]

Then again, a $9 Apple dongle gives you better performance still. How overpriced does something need to be before it becomes a scam?

Hmm... Does it?

@Dilettante have I been too direct and to the point or ?

No, all good.

 

[Chrispy]

Fraudioquest is excellent at overpriced pretty much everything....good marketing, good for audio not so much.