My favorite portable hi-fi accessory is back, but I think it’s missed a trick — the Audio Quest Dragon Fly DAC was my go-to for great-sounding music on the go, and I heard the new version in action, but it's made one key upgrade mistake | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
My favorite portable hi-fi accessory is back, but I think it’s missed a trick — the Audio Quest Dragon Fly DAC was my go-to for great-sounding music on the go, and I heard the new version in action, but it's made one key upgrade mistake
New hi-res skills, same old design — for better and worse
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Not that long ago, I stumbled across my old Audio Quest Dragon Fly Red USB DAC when rearranging a work cupboard. Its paintwork might have seen better days, but its simple form factor took me back to a really exciting time in hi-fi — when more people were starting to care what their music sounded like again, and making better sound more portable was an important part of that.
The Dragon Fly line was really quite revolutionary among the best DACs of the time for that reason, and was an education piece as much as anything else. For so long, most people had accepted that the sound from their laptops and portable devices just was whatever it was — but the Dragon Fly, with its unintimidating, recognizable form factor, helped demonstrate the impact of dedicated audio electronics to a wider audience.
Plus it was just so convenient. I would wager I had one Dragon Fly model or another plugged into my laptop for most of the years between 2012 and 2018.
Its last model, the Dragon Fly Cobalt, was released in 2019, but it was eventually discontinued last year due to a rise in costs due to unpredictable US tariffs. Now, with a rethink on materials and supply chains, it’s back with a new version — and Audio Quest is promising the new Dragon Fly Copper is its most powerful and efficient DAC yet.
That’s because the new 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9218 DAC its outfitted with claims twice the output power of any Dragon Fly before it, but with a smaller processor that has helped reduce power consumption by a quarter. The new copper case, which Audio Quest says has been “informed and inspired” by the RF-draining barrels of its premium Mythical Creatures cabling, also adds to its improved performance, helping to minimize noise.
i Fi GO Link 2 review: this little DAC delivers an enormous audio upgrade at a great price
I heard i Fi's new portable DAC and its bespoke I/V, added K2HD tech and bigger touchscreen display make it a clear step up on the original Gryphon
It also looks pretty nice, which is a bonus, and it still has the little light-up dragonfly to let you know the sample rate you’re listening to, from green at 44.1k Hz, blue at 48k Hz, yellow at 88.2k Hz and light blue for 96k Hz.
Long-time Dragon Fly designer Gordon Rankin is behind the tuning of this generation too, and Audio Quest says he has optimized it in a way that reduces distortion to a level “significantly below” that of previous models.
The one thing that Audio Quest hasn’t updated, though, is the need for the Dragon Tail USB-C converter, because the Dragon Fly itself is still rocking an older style USB-A connector.
While this was super-convenient for my laptop in 2015, my laptop is all USB-C now (along with my phone, and most of the rest of my life), and so some of that once-effortless form factor feels lost in 2026 (particularly because my personal chance of misplacing this necessary dongle is almost devastatingly high).
Audio Quest isn’t alone here — several USB DACs on the market rely on a similarly clunky addition — but there are tons of USB-C options, and it feels like an obvious problem for the Dragon Fly to solve.
i Fi's second generation Gryphon portable DAC offers 50% more power
I listened to Cambridge's new Evo 300 streaming amp, and it raises the bar for modern hi-fi
Khadas Tea Pro Magnetic Headphone Amplifier review: a slim, stylish and punchy audio upgrade for phones and more
I asked whether it had been considered, and while I wasn’t given a firm answer, it was suggested that the smaller connector wouldn’t be great for stability and longevity, but also that maintaining USB-A also gives it greater flexibility to use with as many devices as possible.
As for how it sounds, from a first listen, it’s as promising as ever. Although I wasn’t able to do any A/B testing due to the demo using an i Pad with no 3.5mm jack, listening with a pair of Austrian Audio’s The Arranger through the Dragon Fly Copper sounds incredibly clean and precise.
Now, these
Jones’ breathy voice is sweet and full of texture, as are the instruments — the Dragon Fly’s fine detail retrieval able to fully enunciate the leading edges of notes all the way through to their decay in a way that I’m confident you just wouldn’t hear without it.
Of course, the Dragon Fly Copper re-enters a market that is very different today, with more wireless headphones and much more competition in the affordable USB DAC market too. But talking to people in the hi-fi world, there’s a clear excitement for the Dragon Fly’s return, and I think that extends to more than just nostalgia.
I’m certainly excited to spend more time with it when it goes on sale in September for
➡️ Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs
- Best budget USB-C portable DAC: i Fi GO Link Max
- Best budget desktop DAC: i Fi Uno
- Best premium portable DAC: i Fi x DSD Gryphon
- Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
Verity is a freelance technology journalist, with previous on-staff roles at What Hi-Fi?, Stuff, Pocket-lint and MSN.
Having chalked up more than 15 years in the industry, she has covered the highs and lows across the breadth of consumer tech, sometimes travelling to the other side of the world to do so. With a specialism in audio and TV, however, it means she's managed to spend a lot of time watching films and listening to music in the name of "work".
You'll occasionally catch her on BBC Radio commenting on the latest tech news stories, and always find her in the living room, tweaking terrible TV settings at parties.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1 Nvidia RTX 5090 GPUs are so expensive that Intel's Arc Pro B70 is now a genuine bargain for AI
2 This AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mini PC has 128GB RAM, metal feet, and even a vegan leather handle
3NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 2 (game #1117)
4NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 2 (game #851)
5 Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, July 2 (game #1620)
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
