AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt Headphone Amplifier/DAC

Pocket Wonder

Listeners tend to consider an external digital-to-analog converter as either completely unnecessary or absolutely essential. If you believe bits is bits, you’re probably perfectly happy with the converter inside your smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you don’t, you likely have auditioned many a converter component with a seriously gimlet ear. Both tribes, however, can agree that the headphone amps in most smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops leave a lot to be desired when it comes to peak output, dynamics, and inherent sonic quality.

AudioQuest, a firm that made its bones selling high-end cables to folks committed to the differences therein, is