--- product_id: 260047011 title: "Dragonfly Cobalt USB Digital-to-Analog Converter, Cobalt" brand: "audioquest" price: "345763CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 6 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/260047011-dragonfly-cobalt-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-cobalt store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # 24-bit/96kHz native resolution ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip Universal USB Type-A connectivity Dragonfly Cobalt USB Digital-to-Analog Converter, Cobalt **Brand:** audioquest **Price:** 345763CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🎶 Elevate your audio game — hear what you’ve been missing! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Dragonfly Cobalt USB Digital-to-Analog Converter, Cobalt by audioquest - **How much does it cost?** 345763CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/260047011-dragonfly-cobalt-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-cobalt) ## Best For - audioquest enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted audioquest brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Compact & Portable Design:** Sleek 57mm length fits perfectly in your on-the-go audio setup. - • **Studio-Grade Sound Clarity:** Experience pristine audio with 24-bit/96kHz native resolution for every track. - • **Cutting-Edge DAC Technology:** Powered by the ESS ES9038Q2M chip delivering natural, warm, and detailed sound. - • **Seamless Device Compatibility:** Plug and play with iOS and Android devices using simple USB adapters. - • **Trusted by Audiophiles Worldwide:** Join thousands who upgraded their sound with a top-ranked DAC. ## Overview The AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt is a premium USB digital-to-analog converter featuring a high-performance ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip and native 24-bit/96kHz resolution. Designed for audiophiles and professionals, it delivers warm, natural, and detailed sound across all music formats, including MP3, MQA, and Hi-Res. Compact and compatible with iOS and Android devices via USB adapters, it’s the ultimate portable upgrade for superior sound clarity and depth. ## Description - Review: Awesome - My go to so far was a Helm Audio, which I much preferred over Ifi Hip DAC 2 despite bringing less depth and clarity to the sound, as it was warmer and more natural and pleasant. The Dragonfly Cobalt takes the best of the two. Depth in the sound, details, clarity, while remaining somewhat on the warmer side and providing a very natural sound. Love it! My new go to DAC for good sound on the go. Review: Pour brancher mon vieux (2014) MacBook Pro a mes vieux (2012) Sennheiser HD-700 [j'ecoute musique classique pour la plupart, iTunes via Lossless ou France Musique, desertcart musique, BBC Radio 3 ... ) - sans coussins, ce qui sonne mieux dans le cas de ces Sennheiser - le son du cobalt, details, separation, sound stage, est nettement mieux que celui du 'red' ce qui est quand meme normalement pas mal. J'utiliserai les deux en espérant que les problèmes dont parlent plusieurs critiques ci-dessous n'arrivera pas. Un petit Dragonfly qui se fissure : question de facture ? J'ai la libellule rouge depuis quelques années, mais il est connecte' presque toujours avec le Dragontail, queue du dragon, pour le protéger. Le cobalt parait assez costaud.... jusqu'a present. Attention : la qualité du son depend, manifestement, de ce qu'on écoute (surtout de la qualité' de l'enregistrement). ## Features - Native Resolution up to 24-bit / 96kHz - DAC Chip ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound - Plays All Music Files: MP3 to MQA and Hi-Res - Compatible with iOS Mobile Devices (requires Apple Lightning-to-USB adaptor) and Android Mobile Devices (requires USB adaptor) - Dimensions: 57mm (l) x 19mm (w) x 12mm (h).Connectivity technology: Wired.Connector type: USB Type A ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B07T3HSD9Z | | Best Sellers Rank | #41,346 in Electronics ( See Top 100 in Electronics ) #51 in Digital-Analog Converters | | Brand Name | AudioQuest | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,455) | | Global Trade Identification Number | 00092592098398 | | Included Components | DragonTail | | Interface | USB | | Item Dimensions L x W | 5.7L x 1.2W centimeters | | Item Type Name | DAC | | Item Weight | 4.2 Ounces | | Manufacturer | AudioQuest | | Material Type | default_no_selection_value | | Model | DRAGONFLYCOB | | Mounting Type | Usb | | Number of Channels | 1 | | Number of Pins | 4 | | Part Number | DRAGONFLYCOB | | UPC | 092592098398 | | Unit Count | 1.0 Count | | Warranty Description | 1 Year | ## Product Details - **Brand:** AudioQuest - **Interface type:** USB - **Mounting type:** Usb - **Number of channels:** 1 - **Number of pins:** 4 ## Images ![Dragonfly Cobalt USB Digital-to-Analog Converter, Cobalt - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61egruTjOGL.jpg) ## Questions & Answers **Q: i know these DACs are mainly for high end headphones , but anyone know if it will make a better (or slightly better) audio on $10 -$30 earphones?** A: The answer is that it might make a big difference, but you won't know until you try. I have a $3000 headphone amp coupled to a $15000 DAC. I normally use them with headphones in a price range from $1000 to $4000, for which both components, independently make a huge difference. Now for the surprise: I have a pair a cheap, no-name headphones -- the only name on them is "digital." That speaks volumes. On those cheap headphones, the headphone amp makes a totally unexpected, MONUMENTAL difference. My point is that you never say "never." That said, I recommend that if you're considering investing $300 in this device, you should consider investing in better headphones. Look at the less expensive models from Grado, for example. **Q: What's the difference between red and black?** A: In performance, both models incorporate the 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip, the 9010 in Black and the higher-performance 9016 in Red. While the Black uses the same headphone amp and analog volume control found in previous version, the new Red includes the latest ESS headphone amp and a bit-perfect digital volume control that resides on the 9016 DAC chip itself. In power the Black puts out 1.2 volts: enough power to drive all preamplifier input circuits and a wide range of efficient headphones. The red with its higher 2.1-volt output will be compatible with a wider range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency model. **Q: Can you still use inline headphone controls when using the dac with an iPhone?** A: No you cannot nor can you use the mic in the headphones for making or recieving calls ...luckily you do get notification ...and you can just pull the lightning connector to answer the call ..using iphone in normal manner ..i had this exact Q after recieving my unit .. **Q: I have powered speakers that I plug into my laptop 3mm headphone jack. Can I use this product to get more volume & better audio quality** A: That's what I use the Dragonfly (Black) for. I expected a subtle improvement, but found it to be night and day! The cheapo DAC and output stage circuitry that's built into the laptop was really limiting the sound quality. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome *by Q***Q on 16 April 2023* My go to so far was a Helm Audio, which I much preferred over Ifi Hip DAC 2 despite bringing less depth and clarity to the sound, as it was warmer and more natural and pleasant. The Dragonfly Cobalt takes the best of the two. Depth in the sound, details, clarity, while remaining somewhat on the warmer side and providing a very natural sound. Love it! My new go to DAC for good sound on the go. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by J***S on 25 May 2022* Pour brancher mon vieux (2014) MacBook Pro a mes vieux (2012) Sennheiser HD-700 [j'ecoute musique classique pour la plupart, iTunes via Lossless ou France Musique, amazon musique, BBC Radio 3 ... ) - sans coussins, ce qui sonne mieux dans le cas de ces Sennheiser - le son du cobalt, details, separation, sound stage, est nettement mieux que celui du 'red' ce qui est quand meme normalement pas mal. J'utiliserai les deux en espérant que les problèmes dont parlent plusieurs critiques ci-dessous n'arrivera pas. Un petit Dragonfly qui se fissure : question de facture ? J'ai la libellule rouge depuis quelques années, mais il est connecte' presque toujours avec le Dragontail, queue du dragon, pour le protéger. Le cobalt parait assez costaud.... jusqu'a present. Attention : la qualité du son depend, manifestement, de ce qu'on écoute (surtout de la qualité' de l'enregistrement). ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by C***S on 2 May 2020* I’m a satisfied owner of the dragonfly red and was a bit hesitant to buy the cobalt and not without a reason. Opinions online seem to be mixed. Some say that they can’t hear any difference. Some have done extensive technical analyses and trust their graphs more than their ears. Some prefer the red and insist that the cobalt brings a different flavour to music but isn’t necessarily an upgrade. Some disregard it without having heard it first simply due to the fact that it’s made by Audioquest – a company that sells cables for exorbitant prices, as well as other products of a questionable value, which may seem characteristic of a company that sells snake oil products. But I wanted to hear it for myself. If the sceptics were right, my plan was to return it. No loss. I kept it. On to the sound. Wow and meh. Okay, it absolutely sounds better and more fleshed-out than the red. They sound nothing alike. It certainly is tuned to sound differently. Whether you will appreciate the change, in my opinion, will not only depend on whether your headphones are resolving enough to reproduce the extra clarity and separation but also on how you listen to music. When listening to music while I’m answering e-mails or reading an online article, my ears don’t pick up much difference because my brain has to process so many other inputs. The story changes when I lay in my bed and enjoy music with my eyes closed. It’s then when this little thing takes me to another world. I pair the cobalt with Sennheiser HD650 and Beyerdynamic DT150. Both require quite a bit of juice to sound their best and the cobalt drives them sufficiently well, with a lot of headroom to spare. I rarely set the volume above 20 out of 100 for critical listening and usually it’s set on 8-12 on the windows volume slider for background listening. The first difference I noticed is the rolled-off treble and more impactful bass on the cobalt. It employs a minimum phase slow roll off digital filter that promises better impulse response and less artefacts that can muddy up the signal but the price to pay for this is a slight slope downwards in the upper treble region of the frequency response. For a casual listener, the red appears to be having more detail and sparkle in the treble region but the treble is a bit grainy upon more critical observation. The cobalt renders it fluidly and naturally. This quality will tame overly bright headphones and I noticed that the sibilance I experienced with the DT150 on some songs is no longer present. The cobalt goes louder without giving listening fatigue. The bass is another major improvement over the red. It is fuller and richer while being very tight (defined). Instruments and percussion instruments in particular carry more body and realism while on the red they were present and detailed but perhaps their identity was a bit lost in a mix. A drum hit now feels more authoritative. Lower registers of instruments can now be felt and feel less like a mere reproduction. The midrange is excellent on both but the cobalt enhances it by having better detail and separation of various elements in a mix. The red sounds a bit fuzzy in comparison as if the sound has been smeared a bit. Now, the difference isn’t big but it sort of puts you in the territory where artists come alive and stop sounding like a reproduction. One thing that stood out is the superior separation and imaging. Each instrument has a pin-sharp location on the soundstage. It was actually a jarring experience to listen to electronic music or tracks that contain many sound effects and elements that were baked in in audio software. Each element popped out vividly and some heavily edited tracks sounded fragmented. On multiple occasions my brain was imagining a cursor that was moving across the little squares that are placed on the timeline in audio software. Build quality. My unit seems to be rock solid and so far I haven’t experienced the issue of the board inside coming loose. I use my cobalt with the dragontail cable that was provided to minimise wear and tear on the USB plug and, by extension, on the board, as by doing so you don’t subject the board to forces when frequently plugging in and unplugging. I love it! ## Frequently Bought Together - AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt USB Digital-to-Analog Converter - AudioQuest DragonTail USB-A > USB-C High-Performance USB-A (Female) to USB-C (Male) Extender - Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/260047011-dragonfly-cobalt-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-cobalt](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/260047011-dragonfly-cobalt-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-cobalt) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-05-19*