AudioQuest DragonFly Copper — the dongle DAC, reborn

The DragonFly Copper is the first all-new model in AudioQuest's iconic DragonFly line since 2019. It revives the name that started the dongle-DAC movement, now built around a redesigned, high-conductivity copper-plated chassis. The plating is more than cosmetic: it drains RF noise away from the signal, an idea borrowed from the RF-draining barrels of AudioQuest's Mythical Creatures interconnects.

Inside sits a new 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9218 DAC and headphone-amplifier stage, paired with a new Microchip microprocessor that cuts current draw by 25% while delivering twice the output power of any previous DragonFly — Cobalt included. The result is a pocket-sized USB stick that drives demanding headphones and feeds preamps, integrated amps and powered speakers straight from a phone, tablet or computer.

Key Features

• 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9218 DAC and headphone amplifier in a single chip
• Up to 2.1 V output — double the power of any earlier DragonFly
• High-conductivity copper-plated case for RF-noise drainage
• New microprocessor draws 25% less current
• Plays PCM at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz (up to 24-bit / 96 kHz)
• USB Audio Class plug-and-play — no drivers on Apple, Windows, iOS or Android
• Includes form-fitting DragonTail USB-A to USB-C adaptor