Audio Hi-Fi DACs My favorite portable hi-fi accessory is back, but I think it’s missed a trick — the AudioQuest DragonFly 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 Features By Verity Burns Published 2 July 2026 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 . (Image credit: Future) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Not that long ago, I stumbled across my old AudioQuest DragonFly 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 DragonFly 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 DragonFly, 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 DragonFly model or another plugged into my laptop for most of the years between 2012 and 2018. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Its last model, the DragonFly 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 AudioQuest is promising the new DragonFly 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 DragonFly before it, but with a smaller processor that has helped reduce power consumption by a quarter. The new copper case, which AudioQuest 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. You may like iFi GO Link 2 review: this little DAC delivers an enormous audio upgrade at a great price I heard iFi’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 The best portable DACs (Image credit: Future) 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 44.1kHz, blue at 48kHz, yellow at 88.2kHz and light blue for 96kHz. Long-time DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin is behind the tuning of this generation too, and AudioQuest says he has optimized it in a way that reduces distortion to a level “significantly below” that of previous models. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The one thing that AudioQuest hasn’t updated, though, is the need for the DragonTail USB-C converter, because the DragonFly 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 necessa
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