It is as a mobile DAC that the Cobalt really shines, though. It manages to do this without any subjective loss of dynamics or punch and it is a very elegant balancing act. While I would hesitate to describe either the Black or the Red as fatiguing, there is a more natural feeling to the way the Cobalt handles the unplugged version of Emily King’s Can’t Hold Me that makes it easier and more enjoyable to listen to for extended periods. There is a spaciousness and order to the music that the more affordable DAC cannot achieve as reliably. Listening to the entirely instrumental Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards by Joe Satriani, reveals subtle details and microdynamics in Satriani’s playing that elude the DragonFly Red. Listening to the Cobalt attached directly to a Roon Nucleus+ (HFC 439) shows that the new decoding and filter arrangements offer significant advantages over the Red. As so many rivals lack any form of driverless operation at all, this is a significant plus point for the AudioQuest. Doing so means that it doesn’t require any USB driver so you can use it on any computer. There is a method in the madness as to why the maximum sample rate of 96kHz has been selected. Volume is adjusted on the connecting device, and the sole indicator is the DragonFly logo that lights and changes colour to indicate different sample rates. A male USB-A connection is fitted at one end and AudioQuest supplies a USB-C adapter in the box. The Cobalt uses sufficiently little power that it can be connected to a mobile phone or tablet via a relevant adapter. These refinements are partnered with a range of measures to reduce its susceptibility to noise and interference. ![]() There’s also a new filter arrangement that uses a minimum phase, slow roll off filter claimed to make it more satisfying to listen to long term. It is still built around an ESS Sabre DAC, but the higher spec ES9038Q2M is used with an ESS 9601 volume controller. ![]() Where the Cobalt differs, however, is internally. Plus the maximum sample rate supported is a relatively low 24-bit/96kHz, although native MQA decoding is supported. And it must be said, it is a bit of a head scratcher at first as there appears to be no difference between it and the Black, which is £180 cheaper. The Cobalt is designed to augment the existing Black and Red (HFC 414) members of AudioQuest’s DragonFly family of DACs.
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