However, both sport colorful lights which correspond to the playback formats, and for the Mojo, to the volume level.Â, Both the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo feel very durable with aluminum chassis and an overall sense of simplicity in their designs compared to other DAC/Amps in their price ranges. There was a slightly more elongated feeling of air to her voice, which sounded gorgeous, and showed the aesthetic skill of the Mojo.Â, The soundstages of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have a special sense of spaciousness and presentation which is probably, to my ears, one of the main reasons for adding a specified DAC/amp into an audiophileâs arsenal. As a result, the Mojo is going to be the best option for those who have a power hungry headphone. Compared to its Black and Red predecessors, the main difference in the Cobalt is an upgrade to the … Get FREE 2-day shipping and free lifetime tech … However, while the Cobalt has an extremely simple one-input-one-output design, the Mojo has more variability with three input options and two 3.5 mm outputs.Â, The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have a few major differences in their designs which will make them better or worse for different types of listeners. AudioQuest’s Dragonfly Black was my first standalone DAC, and it helped me to understand why this piece of audio gear is so important. I felt this was a nice combo and kept everything Audioquest in the chain. More info, Copyright © 2021 www.bestadvisor.com. Surely recommend! Vocals sit more evenly in the mix with the Mojo. The Cobalt isn’t just a Red front-loaded with AudioQuest… Highly recommended! Lastly, one big difference between the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo is their output power. Compare the main Features, Specifications, Prices and Select the Best Model. With so many upgrades in sound quality from the Dragonfly Red, folks are wondering how it compares to another heavy hitting portable DAC/amp, the infamous Chord Mojo! Views: 565. In addition to longform written reviews, he also handles the MajorHiFi Youtube channel. Apple users beware, bluetooth connection does not work so well with certain Apple devices. The Cobalt is the latest entry in the DragonFly DAC series from AudioQuest. The information which appears on this site is subject to change at any time. It is designed to be used with headphones and mobile digital sources such as smartphones, Digital Audio Players, as well as stationary devices or audio systems like computers, TVs, and game consoles. One disclaimer Iâd like to make is that the nuance of these differences are small and nuanced and wonât be audible to some listeners. I primarily used it for gym use and at the time this seemed to be the best portable DAC. However, similar to the midrange, the overall presentation of the highs is slightly different from one another. Highly recommend to new audiophiles. That's a very nice feature! The AudioQuest DragonFly v1.2 is a second-generation revision of the original DragonFly… Audioquest says the Cobalt is made to work well for modernly efficient headphones. By comparison, the Mojo has a custom Chord FPGA DAC chip. Due to the differences in the feeling and shape of their frequency responses, their feelings of soundstage sound different from one another. Product Comparison: iFi xDSD vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt. With the Cobalt, there was a sense of immediacy to the vocal, bringing it forward in space and emphasizing consonants. However, the midranges feel a bit different from each other in their overall aesthetic presentations. The sound coming from my Samsung S7 edge with the headphones was the same as the sound when using Dragonfly … The clarity, smoothness, and detail of sound coming through the xDSD is really something to behold. DragonFly Cobalt, the latest and most sophisticated member of the award-winning DragonFly franchise, is a USB DAC (digital-to-analog converter), preamplifier, and headphone amplifier. The scoring that appears on this site is determined by the site operator in its sole discretion, and should NOT be relied upon for accuracy purposes. However, for those wanting to save some money, prioritize portability, and want as much detail as they can get for their money, the Cobalt is going to be an amazing option. The AudioQuest DragonFly … Our Virginia-based experts can help you find the best gear. This sound comparison is no exception. One on hand, the Cobalt draws power from the listening device, whereas the Mojo draws power from an internal battery which lasts for about 8 hours of playback. It's small and plays from your back-pocket hooked into your phone. Purchased the xDSD recently and I really like the sound. On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt feels a little bit more forward in the lower treble. This forwardness provides detail, but also makes that area of the frequency spectrum a little bit less spacious sounding, and ultimately a little bit less smooth in comparison to the Mojo. Superb mobile DAC with MQA support. Sounds better than the ifi nano idsd black by having more micro and macro details. The DragonFly … Except as expressly set forth in our Terms of Use, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this page are disclaimed. I also swapped out my Cardas speaker wire for my Flx14/4 and had the entire chain clean. As a portable sound-boosting solution, the iFi xDSD makes a lot of sense. The Audioquest Dragonfly RED (DFR from now) is the third incarnation of the classic Dragonfly that was introduced in 2012. July 20, 2019 Audio & Video Audioquest, Best, comparison, portable, Review. Small size and pleasant, dynamic sound quality. Itâs matte black design looks mature and classy, whereas the Cobalt seems more playful. I used Audioquest NightHawk headphones I used music FLAC files with Poweramp and Spotify I did not notice any difference in audio quality. And while the Mojo better differentiation between specific notes, the specificity of depth felt more relaxed than the Cobalt to my ears.Â. Before diving into the finer details of both DACs, here’s a brief explanation of what exactly a DAC is for those who might still not be familiar with the term/device. Amazing portable DAC. By contrast, it seemed to have a different feel with the Mojo which brought out smoothness in the sustains of those finger picks. Both the AudioQuest DragonFly Red and AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt feature a … On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt, has a greater sense of intimacy than the Chord Mojo. Keep in mind, most people are unlikely to … This site is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and comparison features to its visitors. By using an all-new USB microcontroller, Audioquest's Dragonfly Red/Black's DACs now consume closer to 25mA, and can now be used … There are big changes with the DFR, the major upgrade is the … AudioQuest DragonFly . As a result, the contrast in depth feels more dramatic with the Cobalt, whereas the depth feels a bit more even sounding with the Mojo. AudioQuest has updated its giant-killer DragonFly with more crowd-pleasing voicing and a lower price, making this one of the best values in its category. The xDSD can play via USB or Bluetooth. Audioquest DragonFly Black v1.5 USB Digital-to-Analog Converter The most affordable model of the award-winning DragonFly family, DragonFly Black is a portable, plug-and-play USB DAC (digital-to … At 2.44-inches long and .15 pounds, this … There is a pointiness to the Cobalt that brings out details in the highs, but this same characteristic makes it a little bit less aesthetically pleasing to my ears than the Mojo. Additionally, the 808 moved with more groove and bounce with the Mojo. At the price, this is an amazing value. Additionally, it supports MQA playback. The sound was just the same. On the other hand, the Chord Mojo, similar to its midrange response has a sense of harmonic prettiness, while maintaining its details.Â, For example, when I was listening to the song Mercy Now by Mary Gauthier, the high frequency harmonics of the acoustic guitar had most of their emphasis with the Cobalt on the attack. The USB-powered AudioQuest DragonFly Red is great for use with computers, while the battery-powered iFi Hip-dac is better for mobile devices.