{"product_id":"audioquest-dragonfly-copper-usb-dac-ios-android-windows","title":"Audioquest DragonFly Copper USB DAC - iOS, Android \u0026 Windows","description":"\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuilt-in audio hardware on a laptop, phone, or tablet is designed to be small and cheap, not to sound good — a big part of why music streamed straight from a headphone jack or a phone's USB port can sound flat, thin, or edgy compared with what a proper DAC and amplifier can pull out of the same file.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe AudioQuest DragonFly Copper is a USB DAC and headphone amplifier built around a 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip, sized to plug into a laptop or tablet and stay there. It takes over the digital-to-analog conversion and headphone amplification your device would otherwise handle poorly, decoding files up to 24-bit\/96kHz and driving headphones with up to twice the output power of any earlier DragonFly model.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVolume is handled by a 64-step, 64-bit bit-perfect digital volume control built into the DAC chip itself, rather than a noisier analog volume stage, and a small LED on the housing changes colour to show the sample rate of whatever's playing. It works across Windows, Mac, Android (with USB Host Mode support), and iOS, with no drivers to install.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eSimcoe Audio Video Insight\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eDragonFly Copper connects over USB-A, with a DragonTail USB-A to USB-C adaptor included in the box for newer laptops and phones — if you're running it from an iPhone or iPad, you'll also need Apple's own Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, which isn't included and is worth picking up at the same time so the DAC doesn't sit unused waiting on a cable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMore Info\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWhy the AudioQuest DragonFly Copper Stands Out\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e32-Bit ESS Sabre DAC and Headphone Amp\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 32-bit ESS Sabre chip handles both digital-to-analog conversion and headphone amplification in one small housing, decoding files up to 24-bit\/96kHz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e2x the Output Power of Any Previous DragonFly\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAudioQuest rates Copper's output power at twice that of any earlier DragonFly, while drawing 25% less current from the host device.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e64-Step Bit-Perfect Digital Volume Control\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVolume is adjusted digitally, in 64 steps, directly on the DAC chip, rather than through a noisier analog stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eCopper-Plated Housing for RF Noise Draining\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA high-conductivity copper-plated case is built to drain radio-frequency noise away from the circuitry inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eSample-Rate Indicator LED\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA single LED changes colour — red, green, blue, yellow, or light blue — to show the sample rate of the file currently playing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"more-info-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline;\"\u003ePlug-and-Play Across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo drivers to install: DragonFly Copper works with Windows and Mac computers, Android devices with USB Host Mode support, and iOS devices with Apple's own camera adapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBuyer's Guide\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Laptop or Phone Listener\u003c\/strong\u003e: wants noticeably better sound from files and streaming services than a built-in headphone jack can deliver, without a full desktop DAC and amp setup.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Multi-Device User\u003c\/strong\u003e: moves between a laptop, phone, and tablet throughout the day and wants one small DAC\/amp that works across all of them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cable-Light Traveller\u003c\/strong\u003e: wants a plug-and-play DAC and amp small enough to leave in a laptop bag, with no battery to charge and no drivers to install.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow It Compares\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe DragonFly Copper sits above the entry-level DragonFly Black in AudioQuest's current lineup. Per AudioQuest's own comparison, Copper draws less current, outputs more power, and adds a copper-plated case for better RF noise draining than Black. Unlike Black and AudioQuest's Red, Copper's LED playback indicator has no MQA (purple) state, so it's built around standard PCM playback up to 24-bit\/96kHz rather than MQA decoding.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Audioquest","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47792513581277,"sku":"DRAGONFLYCOPPER","price":345.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.simcoeav.ca\/products\/audioquest-dragonfly-copper-usb-dac-ios-android-windows","provider":"Simcoe Audio Video","version":"1.0","type":"link"}